Thundershirt got its name because it was originally designed to help dogs deal with phobias associated with thunder, lightning and other storm phenomena.
Fireworks and gunfire during hunting season can also result in anxiety for some dogs, and Thundershirt can help them, too.
Indeed, it was frustration in being unable to help his own dog, Dosi, through her noise-related fears that caused inventor Phil Blizzard to search for a non-pharmaceutical way to solve this problem.
His search led him to discover that:
- cattle are calmed when held in a “squeeze chute”,
- autistic people use pressure on their bodies to relieve anxiety. Dr. Temple Grandin’s work in this area is groundbreaking.
- “pressure shirts” are commonly used for children with certain behavioral problems.
- the primary benefit of swaddling an infant is its consoling effect.
The Thundershirt development team, led by Phil, set out to exploit this squeezing pressure by incorporating these five goals:
- easy to put on and take off. Anxiety already has your dog stressed. Additional anxiety should not occur in the treatment process. Four easy steps and the Thundershirt is on and your dog is on his way to calmness.
- easily achieved snug comfort.
- durable and hair-resistant. Thundershirt is machine-washable and designed to last at least the life of the original user.
- attractive when worn. From the dog owner who dresses his pet to those who don’t, your dog will look good when he wears his Thundershirt.
- inexpensive. Noise phobia knows no economic boundary, so Phil wanted a product most dog owners could afford.
Over 80% of purchasers say that their dog experiences “significant improvement in symptoms” when using the Thundershirt.
And, because many anxiety disorders have common psychological underpinnings, Thundershirt can work for travel anxiety, crate training, nervous barking, separation anxiety and even calming your dog when he visits his veterinarian.
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We have this product. It worked great for us. Our dog is afraid of thunderstorms. I would say 90 percent improvement with anxiety from storms. This is a great product.
Thank you for this unsolicited endorsement. The Thundershirt is great, isn’t it?