ThunderShirt for Dogs Calming Anxiety Vest, Large, Blue Polo

I've waited to write a review until we've used this several times. For reference, our dog's main fear is thunder and lightning, but even heavy rain will upset him (because he thinks it means a storm is coming). And, recently, he's started getting nervous with fireworks. He shakes, pants, paces, and can't stay still even when we let him in bed with us...he just constantly jumps up and wants to sit on/close to you, but just keeps repeating that pattern over and over again, and no amount of us trying to hold and comfort him helps.

Short version:

It works! It's not perfect, but I'm very happy we bought it.

Long version:

Upon first use, I was really wishing the main material for this shirt was something that hair doesn't stick to so badly, and was thicker. We have a Siberian Husky/GSD mix, and he constantly sheds. But, overall, I'm please with the way the shirt performs. This is why I took half a star off.

When we first got it, I was very skeptical. Based on another's review, I put this on him a couple of times with treats as rewards when there was NO storm so that he would associate it with safety and a positive experience. He took to it immediately, which surprised me honestly, because he's afraid and wary of a lot of things. He did sit on top of me while wearing it the first time, but by the second, he didn't seem to need the extra comfort/assurance.

If we know it's about to storm, we put this on him, give him a treat, then just go about our usual business. We try not to give extra attention to the situation. I'm not sure what this voodoo is, but it's like the shirt puts him in a trance. It may take a little time, depending on the severity of the storm, but eventually, he calms and just goes to sleep. His eyes get glassy and he drools more...it's like he's drugged, he's so mellow. Even the first time he wore it with nothing going on and needing to sit right on me, he fell asleep quickly.

This is a pricey item, but if your baby suffers like ours, you'll spend the money to try and help them. We were giving him medication, but I really hate drugging him, especially when a storm may only last 10-15 minutes, and the drug (even half a pill) won't wear off for hours. Not to mention, the pills take time to work, so you either risk giving it proactively and the storm doesn't even come, or you wait till it starts and then your baby suffers for 20 or so minutes until it kicks in.

So far, the velcro is holding up nicely. We are gentle and slow when removing it so as not to accidentally rip anything. If this lasts 2 years, it'll be worth the $55. But, ngl, my first reaction to the price was, "Whoa! For this??" But it really does work for our baby, and now we don't have to buy the meds.

A friend of my husband's told us about this, and I hope my review helps others who are looking for something to help their baby. I highly recommend.

This product is nothing short of amazing. I adopted a 1+ year old ridgeback who turned into a reactive, protective Terminator within weeks of bringing him home--and this is the story about how the Thundershirt saved us.

My sweet pup had spent almost 8 months at a shelter in a cage and no one wanted him because he seemed too hyper. I took one look at this handsome, muscular, athletic young lad and knew I could give him lots of exercise and attention and that I had to get him out of that cage. Home we went. He loved the car and walks and daycare and fetch and everything was new and awesome! And he was suddenly eating amazing raw food and sleeping on a bed for the first time in his life and came to know that his mommy was never ever going to hurt or leave him. Life was grand.

Then....About two months into our new life together, the ridgie alpha maleness, high prey drive and reactivity kicked in, and suddenly everyone and everything was a threat to his precious mommy. He would pace and pant in the car and whine at engine noises from cars around us; he would growl and lunge at any dogs who got near us on a leash; and God forbid anyone step out of an elevator or around a corner too close to me. My sweet ridgie rescue became the most committed personal bodyguard on earth, which is kinda awesome but not practical most days. So we started obedience training, but it was clearly going to take a ton of raw treats, time and money to curb this behavior. We were stressed out.

Enter the Thundershirt. I bought it on a whim to see if it would help with the car anxiety. After a few seconds of staring at the instructions and fumbling with it, I got it on him. He had been racing around the living room like a maniac trying to murder his faborite rope toy (which is typical puppy behavior and hilarious to watch), and the second I put the shirt on him, he totally chilled out and almost immediately fell into a sweet sleep. He looked soooo chillaxed. I even took a walk to the front door and knocked on it to see if he would come racing over and barking like usual. Nothing. He wandered over to investigate, but was silent and calm. Interesting. Maybe this thing really worked!!! After about 20 minutes, I decided to throw all caution to the wind and take him on a walk during peak doggie time in our neighborhood. Scary thought.

I slipped his Roughwear harness (also blue--he looked very stylish) over the Thundershirt, opened the door and out we went. I could not believe what wasn't happening. No pulling. No reactivity. A bird landed on the ground in front of him and he just looked at it. Two dogs passed us within 15 feet and WW3 did not ensue. Previously, that would have resulted in a snarling, barking confrontation. This time, he stopped and looked at them and tensed a bit but did nothing else. I was stunned. He even took a poo not too far away from another pup, something that never would have been possible before.

When we got home, I took the shirt off and he immediately went back to sleep. The next morning, I really pushed the envelope by sleeping in past 5:00 am (which was when I would typically have to take him out in order to avoid all the "threats" around us) and took him out during peak doggie time. He sauntered around the corner, and we ran smack dab into a male lab. Nothing happened. The lab even gave a low growl and my ridgie stopped and waited for him to pass. I could not believe my eyes. Then a loud engine popped around the corner (we live in an urban area) and my little man tensed up but didn't freak out like usual.

The Thundershirt works, people. If it can turn my large ridgie Terminator into a docile keeper of the peace, surely it can help with any anxiety your pup might be facing. I will only use it when we walk in public or ride in the car, because his playful, energetic personality is a big part of him and I don't want to stifle that. But wow, what a difference this product has made for us. Bravo, Thundershirt. You nailed it.

Some products that are based around a dogs length/girth can have size problems but the way these are developed actually create a nice fit and should work for a wide range of animals. We attempted to buy a backpack carrier for our dogs for years due to some limitation issues but we always end up frustrated because the sizing recommended don't always work well, so it was great to see a product size based on weight making it an easy decision on which one to get and better yet it fit well!

From a "did it work perspective" our dog became very fearful of fireworks after nightly booms that just pushed her over the edge that go on in our neighborhood (in a city where all fireworks are illegal). The shirt helped when there was a low level of booms in terms of frequency, but on the the days around the 4th when when they were going off constantly it didn't help her as much as we hoped, but during less hectic fireworks it worked very well. She'd relax much easier and seem comforted by the shirt. I definitely think its worth trying for your pet as it depends on their fear level how well it will work for a specific case. Our dog is very fearful (a rescue that use to shiver and try to flee our home when our toaster or waffle iron beeped for some reason) and I am overall happy with the purchase since it does seem to help in some/many cases.

If you are considering the purchase, I'd say its worth getting it!

Here is the Standard Review for the Thunder Shirt. Thundershirt for Dogs – The Ultimate Anxiety Relief Solution Does your dog suffer from anxiety during thunderstorms, fireworks, or separation? The Thundershirt is the simple, effective, and drug-free solution to help your dog feel calm and relaxed in stressful situations. The Thundershirt works by applying gentle, constant pressure on your dog’s torso, a calming method used to help reduce anxiety, fear, and stress. It’s safe and effective for many common causes of anxiety, including thunderstorms, fireworks, separation, car rides, and more. Many dogs experience relief within minutes of wearing the Thundershirt. It’s the perfect tool for stressful events that are hard to predict or prepare for! Made with soft, breathable fabric and adjustable straps, the Thundershirt provides a snug and secure fit without restricting your dog’s movement. It’s comfortable enough to wear for long periods of time without causing irritation. No need for harsh medications or costly treatments. The Thundershirt is a natural and non-toxic solution to anxiety. Available in multiple sizes, the Thundershirt can fit dogs of all breeds and sizes – from small puppies to large breeds. Simply check the sizing guide for the best fit for your furry friend! Machine washable, the Thundershirt is designed for durability and can be reused again and again, making it a long-term investment in your dog’s well-being. Help your dog live stress-free and give them the peace they deserve. Thundershirt is the trusted choice for thousands of pet owners who have seen their dogs’ anxiety and bad behavior melt away. We use the thunder shirt for all of our rescue dogs! Immediate Results!!

I have a Australian Cattle dog/ Pitbull rescue with some, okay a lot, of anxiety issues. This shirt has done wonders for her. She evens sits still while I put it on her, which believe me is a huge deal. She weighs just under 50 lbs so with suggestions from other reviews I went with the medium camo one and it fits a little snug. She has no signs of irritation and can easily jump up on the couch and into the car. There is a tiny patch on the front where I put a couple dabs of lavender oil in the evening or when shes having a rough day. My only issue is that the seams started to come undone within a couple days of wearing it. It really has changed her behavior so much that I didn't want to send it back so I just sewed it up myself. Shes growing so fast I will be buying a bigger one soon enough anyway. If you have a pup who is anxious all the time or just with certain things GET ONE!! I waited for a time she was relatively calm to put it on her and I let her wear it for a couple hours took it off for a bit then put it back on again while she was calm (sort of) for a couple hours. She is an absolute lunatic when we go out for walks so per suggestion I put it on her about 30 to 40 minutes before we went outside as opposed to right before we go so she doesn't associate the shirt to what causes the most anxiety. Best suggestion ever! Now she wears it for most of the day. Still an absolute lunatic when out for walks but lets be honest the shirt is a tool to help with anxiety not a magic cure for everything. **UPDATE** just bought a large pink shirt. It fits her much better than the medium.

If youre thinking about getting this, get it. I have a tea cup yorkie and he gets very anxious at times and when I cant take him with me somewhere he has very bad separation anxiety. This shirt has helped him in so many ways. As soon as its on he relaxes almost instantly. Its amazing. Its money very well spend. I wish I had purchased it sooner for him honestly. He is 4.5 lbs and the xsmall fits him extremely well. This shirt is as nice as the day i bought it and its been washed many times. The velcro is strong on it. Its easy to put on and take off. I really cant say enough good things about this tshirt. I promise you won't be disappointed

This didn't really seem to help my dog out at all. Bought this because the fireworks in my area started off and on about 2 months before the 4th. So we had plenty of time to get my dog used to this before the 4th of July. There is so much strong velcro on this thing you have to really tug to lift up the flaps and get the jacket situated just right. The sound of the velcro scraping really scared my dog. She saw the Thundershirt come out and she'd hide from me. We even tried to do it for short periods of time when I knew there wouldn't be any random fireworks. Lots of praise and treats whenever she had it on. Didn't seem to matter. She would restlessly walk around when it was on and was constantly trying to scrape it off on the furniture or shaking her whole body to dislodge it. After awhile I added the spray they sell in hopes that it would make a difference, but I didn't notice any change.

My biggest complaint about this product is the sharp corners on all the velcro. My dog has very thin and fine fur on her underside so there isn't much protecting her sensitive skin. She's some sort of terrier poodle mix. I tried to round the corners off on the velcro, but it was still pretty sharp. I ended up cutting a thin strip of cloth and sewing it over the sharp ends of the velcro just to be on the safe side.

All that aside, it seems to be pretty well made. Like I mentioned lots of sturdy well secured velcro and the whole thing feels very solid once you get it put on your dog. My dog is kinda long and low, but has a larger chest circumference. I bought a size Small for a 15lb terrier mix.

I have a 5 year old Jack who is afraid of loud noises and we don't do doggie downers. Where we live, the 4th of July is more like a fully involved war zone. Illegal fireworks are a regular occurrence (blown off after every major sporting event, 4th of July, New Year's, or just because neighbors want to be a-holes) and it takes hours to soothe our poor dog (yeah, yeah, I know I'm a party-pooper on the 4th, but I actually care about the mental health of my dog). A week before the 4th, BOOM!, so I put the jacket on her. She was afraid of the velcro (LOL), we gave it 5 minutes and took it off. Husband said, return it. I said no way, I know this thing will work. If you don't succeed, try try again! Next evening, BOOM! so we tried it again. Better, still wondering why she was in a doggie straight jacket, but she seemed to settled down a little. Day 3 (no, I am not kidding, it's a nightly annoyance here), BOOM! and on went the thundershirt - no panting, a little nervous (shaky) settled down and just paced a little. I took her to the mountains to escape the actual event and we returned home early because one of those a-holes lit the hill behind my house on fire (hence my official party-pooper status). So... tonight, BOOM! and on went the jacket. She was nervous for less than a minute! The jacket is a now a game, she loves it, rolls around on the floor tries to get it off and she has been playing all night. I think it's partially comforting and partially a distraction. The noise still upsets her, but considering we've had illegals going off for 2 hours now and she just moved to a new bed to find a quieter spot, I would consider this jacket the best money I have spent on this dog. A+ product. Don't give up, a jacket is not a cure, it is a behavior modification tool to help your dog. Any undesired behavior requires work, patience and positive reinforcement. It worked for mine, I'm sold on this product. The photo shows she's annoyed, but not stressed.