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Originally Posted by For My Coby  Our Shi Tzu, Reggie, has really severe storm phobias. I've read a ton on it, we've tried medication, crating, behavior modification, etc. Wanna know the one thing that I discovered that has worked as well or better than anything??
Based on treatments for autistic children, it's a sort of pressure wrap for dogs. There are a couple of different types - some based on straight pressure and some that include a material to discharge any static that dogs often feel during a storm. The pressure helps sooth the over-stimulated nerve endings during the "attack".
These coats/wraps are a little pricey, but I read a lot on the premise of their success. So what I did to try it out cheaply was buy a couple little premie t-shirts (the snap kind which is easier to put on when he's already phobic). I put them both on and they fit very very tightly. The pressure that they give him seems to calm him almost immediately. He's obviously not "fine", but he is much less close to going into a full-fledged seizure from the fear alone.
It got to the point that Reggie would look forward to my getting his t-shirts when it started to storm. (And they say that about the wraps - that animals will practically ask for them when the storm starts.) I told my groomer about this and she said that she had another lady with a yorkie that just used a tight tube sock over the trunk to do the same thing.
Funny, we often dress our pets but don't realize that there are therapeutic uses for that clothing! |
My little puppy mill rescue Chihuahua, Kozanna, calms down if I wrap her snugly in a blanket or put a snug shirt on her. I, too, use socks and cut the toe out and cut holes for her front legs. This covers most of her torso and fits tight. I have read about the anxiety wraps and they do work well for a lot of dogs. It's sure worth a try if you have an anxious pup.