Thunder shirt?

[TheHoundsBitch]

Has anyone used one? Our ddog is very excitable and easily stressed so this sounds great! Maybe too good to be true? Adaptil collars sound good too, are they?

[Betarocker]

Didn't work for our highly excitable cairn. Vet prescribed sedatives this year, what a difference, it was our last option.

[2legit2knit]

Was your dog hyper all the time? Mine is relaxed at home and on familiar walks (well, still v excited to meet anybody!) But loopy in any new environment or if people come into our house. Everything is over stimulating for her outside of the norm.
I've bought an adaptil collar for her, hopefully it will be here soon!

[Costacoffeeplease]

I bought a thunder shirt for our very nervous dog - he walked around as if it was made of barbed wire

We have found adaptil collars, plug-ins and sprays helpful, also zylkene tablets

[villainousbroodmare]

Depends on the situation. All the accessories mentioned can be useful. However, none of them will quite cut the mustard in severe debilitating situations. Behavioural therapy can be very helpful. Don't hesitate in difficult situations to explore the possibility of medication. It shouldn't be a last resort; it's much better these days and can make a chronically anxious animal's life infinitely happier.

[Aylish1993]

It didn't really do anything for our dog who's anxious.

[2legit2knit]

Oh bless, that is a worried face!
The thunder shirt doesn't sound that great then! I'll speak to the vet about medication too.
Training and behaviour is something we are working on generally - this dog is a bloody nightmare! should have got a bloody labrador grumble grumble

[2legit2knit]

Oops, I'm TheHoundsBitch btw...

[Boredofthinkingofnewnames]

Beta - I commented on your reply I another thread - mine is also a cairn, thundershirt did nothing. Am going to video him tonight and take it to the vet - fingers crossed!

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

I think things like thundershirts and adaptil plug ins are great for bringing general anxiety down enough so you can work on it. Or if you've got a known issue that needs a short term fix (eg fireworks, house move etc). As others have said training / behaviour work is the way to go long term.

I did a one day workshop in TTouch and that was bloody brilliant. Ended the day with 12 dogs snoring loudly they were so relaxed! until mine spotted the fake dog out of the corner of his eye, freaked out and set them all off

What sort of issues are you having? DH is out at agility with our boy and I'm BORED!

[TheHoundsBitch]

She's just mental! She is very over excites and wants to jump all over anyone who comes into the house, then gets really stressed and won't settle. She will lie down panting with that weird stress smile they get then jump up and start jumping around again. She is huge so jumping up is a big problem, she's also 'mouthy' when stressed/over excited so obviously we don't want that to escalate into 'bitey'. She has a really high prey drive too, so small furries set her off and so does livestock. She is 16 months so in her teenage delinquent phase, but I don't think it's just pushing boundaries as she gets so stressed! She just won't listen to me if there is any kind of stimuli. I just want her to be happy and relaxed (then I can be too!). We are looking into trainers as our old one has moved.

[Betarocker]

BOREDOF good luck at the vets

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

Bless her, she does sound very stressed! My boy always asks silly / over excited when he's nervous and it's so hard, people assume they're naughty.

16 months is pretty tough. I'm sure I recall positively hating mine at that age! Out of interest what food is he on?

Getting a good nightmare is a bloody nightmare. I had to leave my old one and it took me ages to get in somewhere else.

[2legit2knit]

She's on Kirkland Natures Domain dry food. It's pretty good, no artificial colours/ flavours and grain free.

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

That food is really high in protein (24%). Unless you have a growing puppy, working dog or lactating batch you really don't want more than 20% at the absolute most. I'd seriously think about changing if I were you, all that extra energy won't be helping.

[2legit2knit]

She a large (cross) breed, so we've been advised to keep her on puppy food until she's 18 months. I will look into other food though

[villainousbroodmare]

I wonder though, Cupcakes, if she is possibly still growing as OP says she's huge...
Not much energy from protein anyway.
I remember at 16 months I decided one exasperating day I was going to send my dog to boot camp, to some residential training place. I was just fed up. Upon mature reflection I realised that I don't like being told what to do, or having fault found with me, still less have someone tell me where my lovely dog is going wrong. Suffice it to say, we worked away at home and by 2 years old he was rock steady.

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

Ah, apologies OP I didn't pick up on that.

Any luck finding a trainer yet?

[2legit2knit]

I have a couple of recommendations to look into :)