Thundershirts

[Alissa]

Travel and Separaton Anxiety?

I wonder if that would work for Sandy. He is a very anxious puppy and he can't stand being left alone. He also is still throwing up in the car which I think is at least partially due to nerves. At night when I put him in the crate (which I have to do otherwise he will chew through wires, couches... anything) He will bark for hours before going to sleep. The same is true if I have to leave the house. When I let him out of the crate he's frantic with happiness.

It's gotten to the point where I let him sleep in my bedroom with his dog bed next to my bed (yes, I know, I'm a sap). Ironically if he's in the room with me he's as good as gold and he even lets me sleep in; patiently waiting for me to wake up. As for the carsickness, right now I'm using an old ice cream bucket to catch his barf. He actually seems to get the principle now and will puke directly into the bucket. If a thundershirt would stop his barfing that's worth the price alone. Has anyone tried it for travel and separation anxiety?

 

[OntarioSheltie]

I've used it quite recently, also tried the anxiety wrap but trying to constrain Deska when he is agitated just makes things worse. A colleague at the dog club advises on both plus a pressure point method. It may have something to do with his anxiety response, he doesnt cower and act fearful but becomes aggressive and tries to take the storm on. I have found every type of confinement (incl a crate) seems to make him worse.

He has gotten better over the last year as so I can sometimes settle him down with a bone but I still have to drug him if the storm goes on too long. Problem living in a body corporate - it wouldnt matter about him running around the house barking except for the winging neighbour.

Strange, it sounds like Deska is the exception to the rule. I know all of mine calm down when they're restrained, they don't get more upset or aggressive.

 

[mbfrench]

I wonder if that would work for Sandy. He is a very anxious puppy and he can't stand being left alone. He also is still throwing up in the car which I think is at least partially due to nerves. At night when I put him in the crate (which I have to do otherwise he will chew through wires, couches... anything) He will bark for hours before going to sleep. The same is true if I have to leave the house. When I let him out of the crate he's frantic with happiness.

It's gotten to the point where I let him sleep in my bedroom with his dog bed next to my bed (yes, I know, I'm a sap). Ironically if he's in the room with me he's as good as gold and he even lets me sleep in; patiently waiting for me to wake up. As for the carsickness, right now I'm using an old ice cream bucket to catch his barf. He actually seems to get the principle now and will puke directly into the bucket. If a thundershirt would stop his barfing that's worth the price alone. Has anyone tried it for travel and separation anxiety?

Just my thoughts here on car sickness. Our Jasper unfortunately inherited the puking thing...many occasions we could not even get out of the driveway,and he was heaving.

It was a long & still a work in progress with him,but now we can go places,with minimal drool.Still considered car sickness,but no puking.

I don't know if this would work,but ya know it is always worth a try.They do have a money back guarentee.But I am going out on the limb here,and since he obviously has seperation anxiety,you would want to use it more than you think.

Getting in a vehicle with a pup that shows signs of car sickness,really one has to go baby steps with them.Needing to desensitize them,and offering positive rewards all the time.

Some of what we tried:
facing him away from window
covering his sight so he can't see things whizzing by
ginger snaps
his favorite blanket & toy
Kongs
Bonine
Bach's rescue
None worked!

What finally worked for us,was a wonderful little pill called Cerenia.AMAZING!!!
A little costly,but we only used 2 pils,splitting it in half.

And coming to the conclusion,that Jasper actually started with car sickness..BEFORE he was placed in vehicle.So we desensitized by getting his confidance with our approach to the vehicle.He was afraid of the vehicle.Baby steps~

 

[OntarioSheltie]

I just ordered two, a pink one for Sadie and a blue one for Toby that I can also use on Sadie if needed. I'm REALLY excited about trying them!

 

[Alissa]

car sickness and pills

I tried gravol (dimenhydrate) on the vet's advice and that didn't work either. First I gave him half a pill and he still threw up. I've tried giving him a whole one but now he won't take it. Even in a big blob of peanut butter he will grab the whole thing and then spit out the pill and swallow the peanut butter. In some ways he's really clever. I tried jam, same result. He knows I want him to eat the pill so he won't take it. I think he's figured out it has something to do with the car.

 

[Caro]

It's gotten to the point where I let him sleep in my bedroom with his dog bed next to my bed (yes, I know, I'm a sap). Ironically if he's in the room with me he's as good as gold and he even lets me sleep in; patiently waiting for me to wake up. As for the carsickness, right now I'm using an old ice cream bucket to catch his barf. He actually seems to get the principle now and will puke directly into the bucket. If a thundershirt would stop his barfing that's worth the price alone. Has anyone tried it for travel and separation anxiety?

You're not a sap, turns out it is the best thing to do - this article was in the Melbourne Herald-Sun last month.

DOGS are not barking mad because they are bored in suburban back yards.

They are suffering separation distress and should be in bed with their owners, where they rightfully belong.

One of Australia's leading animal behaviorists, Dr Robert Holmes, is happy to court controversy by decreeing dogs demonstrating destructive damage or depression are better behaved when welcomed into the boudoir.
"That's where they feel secure and safe, and rightfully part of the family pack," he said.

"A back yard is no place for a dog, it's not their natural environment.
"They should be in bed with their owners, that's where the pack lies and they should all pile in together."

Dr Holmes said people had wrongly believed for decades that problem dogs were bored pets.

"But we've discovered boredom is not the big deal. The problem is an anxiety to be with people and we have seen a dramatic turnaround in treatment success rates by dealing with that issue instead," he said.

 

[danisgoat]

I tried gravol (dimenhydrate) on the vet's advice and that didn't work either. First I gave him half a pill and he still threw up. I've tried giving him a whole one but now he won't take it. Even in a big blob of peanut butter he will grab the whole thing and then spit out the pill and swallow the peanut butter. In some ways he's really clever. I tried jam, same result. He knows I want him to eat the pill so he won't take it. I think he's figured out it has something to do with the car.

Alissa-You should start a thread under general health regarding your dogs problems with car sickness. A lot of people on this forum would probably love to give you their advise. Many forum members have experienced this with their Shelties.

 

[dawns2shelties]

I wonder if that would work for Sandy. He is a very anxious puppy and he can't stand being left alone. He also is still throwing up in the car which I think is at least partially due to nerves. At night when I put him in the crate (which I have to do otherwise he will chew through wires, couches... anything) He will bark for hours before going to sleep. The same is true if I have to leave the house. When I let him out of the crate he's frantic with happiness.

It's gotten to the point where I let him sleep in my bedroom with his dog bed next to my bed (yes, I know, I'm a sap). Ironically if he's in the room with me he's as good as gold and he even lets me sleep in; patiently waiting for me to wake up. As for the carsickness, right now I'm using an old ice cream bucket to catch his barf. He actually seems to get the principle now and will puke directly into the bucket. If a thundershirt would stop his barfing that's worth the price alone. Has anyone tried it for travel and separation anxiety?

You may want to try the pheromone plug ins for the separation anxiety. My vet suggested them for Chandler. Have to say haven't tried them though. They release pheromones similar to the mother dog and since he is still a pup it may be worth a try. Drs Foster and Smith have them on their website.

 

[OntarioSheltie]

For Other Canadians

FYI, I ordered mine from the TTouch Canada website and I'm REALLY impressed with them. I submitted my order around lunch time and by the end of the day I'd received notice from Canada Post that they'd received the package. Can't wait to start trying the thundershirts out on my pups!

 

[mbfrench]

Thundershirt came today

It came todoy,and within minutes of puttting it on her,she was sleeping next to me in the recliner.

I ahve no internet,just relying on Blackeberry,but I did post on FaceBook~

Hope to be back online tomorrow