Thundershirt?

[jodysh]

Malcolm has separation anxiety. I feel so bad leaving him alone in his crate because he cries and cries and cries. I know he stops after he is sure I've left, but still. It's stress I don't want him to have so much of.

The thing is I've been off work (laid off in Oct, 2010) so I've been here with him pretty much all the time since I've had him (July, 2011). I've put him in the crate from time to time to go out and run errands or do interviews etc. The longest he has been crated and alone has been 4 hours. I just got a contract job with the company I used to work for and I start next Monday (the 10th). I'm excited, but also worry about my baby.

I will probably end up putting him in day care through the week. Day camp at PetSmart I guess. It's the most convenient place for me to drop him off as it's just about 1 or 2 minutes from where I'll be working. I still don't like that they don't get outside time, but for now I guess it will have to do and we'll just go for a walk or hang out outside for a bit when I pick him up.

So I was thinking about trying a Thundershirt to see if it helps at all. Has anyone else tried it? I didn't find any previous threads about this. LOL that was a lot of rambling for a simple question

[lindamarie]

I have never heard of a Thundershirt and had to google it!
I don't understand the concept, yet it says it helps with pressure on the nervous system?
It helped the dog in the video I watched at the website.

OMYGOSH! They are coming out with so many "solutions" to so many problems for dogs!
I can't really respond to the effectiveness not having heard of this item.
It's refundable....so why not try it?

[Nikkiey]

I completely sympathize with you as Juneau has separation anxiety too.

As for the Thundershirt, we've never used one, but a friend of mine would put it on her dog when they went in the car as their dog never traveled well and it always seemed to help. I'm just afraid that if I put it on Juneau when we leave he'll some how manage to get it off and destroy it...

As for the doggie daycare, I highly recommend it. Juneau goes 2 or 3 times a week, we usually rotate every other day between staying home and going to daycare.

[jodysh]

Hmmm Yeah I think I might give it a try I'd rather try that than give him a pill or something.

He'll definitely go to day camp. Depending on how well the thunder shirt works he may just go every other day or something

[Nikkiey]

Let me know how it goes, I've always been curious how effect it would be with separation anxiety!

[jodysh]

I'll be sure to post results. I hope to get it some time this weekend or one day next week.

[PaulyWallyDoodL]

Any luck with the Thundershirt?

[jodysh]

I haven't fully tested it yet, but he seems much calmer when I leave him in the car to pump gas or run into the store. Normally he would whine a bit and bark until (I assume) he couldn't see me. But with the shirt on he just stays wherever he's laying when I get out and doesn't say anything about it.

Will be doing further testing with the crate this week

[Jackson Brown]

Hi
I searched for a thread on 'thundershirt' in hopes of finding someone with experience. My boy Jack is a year old and has separation anxiety too! What gives with so many Doodles with this anxiety? Jack is my second doodle. Maya, my first darling doodle died at age 4 (November 2010). She was an absolute peach - a total dream dog. We got Jack this past summer. He is hilarious - a real clown. Poor boy has anxiety though. We crate him now since he destroyed our leather sectional one night. He drools and cries and rocks the crate. I hate putting him in there. He just loves us and wants to be with us. He follows me around absolutely everywhere...love that. He's very loyal and SMART!!!!
I am wondering about the thunder shirt. Can anyone comment?

Thanks a bunch.
MJ

[jodysh]

I had some success with the Thunder shirt. It really did seem to calm him down somewhat, but I can't say it was a 100% success. You do have 30 days I think to try it out. I ended up keeping mine.

Malcolm stays home now up to 6 hours with no problems. He's 9 months old. I give him the run of the house now, which seems better for him...I mean he seems a little less stressed if I don't make him stay in the crate or gate him somewhere. We worked our way up to that over a period of time

I think they are just very social and loving animals and don't like to be alone. And I hate to leave him alone, but unfortunately I have no choice sometimes. I do take him to daycare at least 2 days per week. Usually 3 though. Our schedule is daycare Monday and Tuesday, he stays home Wednesdays with me because that's the day I work at home and then I usually take him to day care on Thursday and he stays home Friday while I go to work.

[Jackson Brown]

Interesting. Thanks for the update on the Thundershirt. I'm not convinced that it will work for Jack. He's a power chewer...bless him. I'm interested in looking into daycare. We have a new PetSmart in town and I'm wondering if it would be an option. We too decided to give Jack the run of the house when we are out due to his stress in the kennel, but that's when he destroyed our leather sectional.
My next question about all of this is, when does this end? I'm hoping that Jack matures in the next year and mellows a bit. Any ideas on that one?
MJ

[jodysh]

LOL Malcolm is a power chewer as well. He can't have plush toys...unless they are on clearance

I take Malcolm to daycare at Petsmart. He loves it and I feel confident he is well taken care of. I occasionally take him to another daycare where the dogs can run and play outside. I take him there on nice days. The only thing I don't really like about PetSmart is that they can't go outside.

I'm not sure about the timeline for a doodle to mellow out. I think Malcolm is a little more chill *sometimes*...but he still gets quite excited to meet new dogs and people and he still has an abundance of energy.

[Jackson Brown]

Well, time will tell I guess. He's tears about the house less often now, I've noticed. But he's wild when my son comes home from university. They have a special play bond. Today I had the leather sectional repaired to the tune of $175.00. Jack is at day care as I type this. I better go get him soon. Poor boy...
I have not decided to buy a Thundershirt yet but for the price, I think I'm going to give it a try.
Nice chatting with you. Oh, and I love the name 'Malcolm'...awesome.

[jodysh]

Yep yep. All in good time Malcolm is a maniac when anyone comes to visit us - my parents, my aunt or any of my friends. But he's more calm when we go somewhere to visit outside our house (except at mamma and pappa's lol).

Thanks! Just don't call him Malcolm in the middle hahaaa.

Good luck!

[Jackson Brown]

Funny, I see that both of our Doodles are chocolates.