I hope all of you in the US had a safe and happy Fourth of July!  Did you get to see some fireworks?  It’s been SO dry here, many local towns postponed their fireworks, so we headed downtown to the arch.

fireworks downtown St. Louistaken with my iphone and shared on Instagram

We only head downtown for fireworks every few years, but I highly recommend it if you live in the area or are visiting St. Louis.  They put on such a beautiful display, but make sure you have a full tank of gas when it’s time to go home!  We spent an hour and a half trying to get out of the parking garage!

We were a bit worried about leaving home to watch fireworks, because Cullen, our Yorkie,  has thunderstorm and fireworks anxiety.  So much so, that it worried us to leave him home alone on the 4th of July.  So, I did what I often do when I have a question……..I took it to facebook!  I asked if anyone had suggestions for a dog that’s scared of fireworks………and boy did I get answers! But the one answer that came up again and again was the suggestion of a Thundershirt.

I had never heard of them, so I quickly went to find out more.

thundershirt fitting at TidyMom.net

What is a Thundershirt?

The Thundershirt uses gentle, constant pressure to calm your dog, effectively aiding anxiety, fearfulness, barking and more. 

It’s a soft, sturdy stretchy material that you wrap around your dog and use the Velcro strips to adjust it for a snug but not-too-tight fit. Over 80% of dogs show improvement.  Check out Thundershirt.com for more information and videos.

There were a few nay sayers on Facebook and a few online reviews, stating the Thundershirt did not work for their dog.  But, they do come with 100% guarantee, so I figured what do I have to lose?  You can purchase them online, but Petco and PetSmart cary them as well.  I paid $40 for Cullen’s, and Petco assured me I would have no trouble retuning it with my receipt if it didn’t work.

Thundershirt for dog anxiety at TidyMom.net(please ignore the burnt up grass)

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Does the Thundershirt Work?

We tried out the Thundershirt that evening, since there were some fireworks going off around our house…….and I have to tell you, it worked like a dreamCullen did not pant, shake or pace, he simply sat on my lap and even laid on the ottoman near me!  He instantly seemed more relaxed, almost dopey.  So, we left him at home on the 4th in his Thundershirt (with the TV and fan on) while we went to watch fireworks.

When we got home, he seemed fine, no evidence that he had been stressed. 

Today, a few people were shooting off fireworks, which went off rather suddenly in the middle of the day.  Cullen was panting and shaking in my lap in no time.  By the time I got the Thundershirt and put it on him, he was quite worked up and seemed to take a little longer to calm him down.  He did continue to shake and pant with it on, although not as severe, and he did eventually calm down even after a few more pops!

So I think it may help to get it on him before he gets too worked up if you can.  We’ve only had the Thundershirt for 3 days now, but so far I’m impressed and have no plans to return it! Although, I am debating about exchanging it for a size up.

Do you have a dog with anxiety?  Have you tried the Thundershirt?  Cullen has travel anxiety as well, and goes to the groomer once a month, so I can’t wait to try it in the car.

 This is not a sponsored post, I just wanted to share something I was really excited to find out about and thought I’d share!

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I’m Lovin’…….the Thundershirt

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