Product Review: ThunderLeash

The ThunderLeash is a no-pull product from the makers of the ThunderShirt. This is an easy-on, easy-off convertible gadget that can also be used as a regular leash. It is available in three sizes to fit tiny, small, and regular-sized dogs. The standard ThunderLeash is currently available in five solid colors with reflective stitching, and there is also a retractable version.

Photo by Erin Koski

The ThunderLeash uses chest compression to help the dog learn to walk nicely. The dog controls the pressure, the more they pull the tighter it gets. The leash wraps around the dog, and is held in place by the specially shaped leash clip. Two metal sliders prevent the leash from getting too loose or too tight around the dog's chest. This whole assembly slides on and off very easily.

There are a number of other products that use chest compression to reduce pulling, and each is a little different. The ThunderLeash is definitely easier to put on than the Freedom Harness or the Harness Lead. It's much sturdier than the Instant Trainer Leash. It stays in place a lot better than the leash wrap.

Photo by Erin Koski

But does it work? Annie helped me test this one because she is an extremely devoted puller. I had heard from a couple of people with larger dogs that said it didn't work very well for them, but maybe we had different expectations. It totally worked for Annie. The leash doesn't teach or encourage loose leash walking, but it does reduce pulling to a manageable level.

Pros: Comes with a money-back guarantee, so it's worth trying just in case it works. Simple and easy to use. Can be used as a regular leash and converts instantly. Works well on many dogs.

Cons: The hardware on the leash for dogs over 25 pounds is quite large and heavy. Godzilla is 28 pounds, and it's a bit heavier than I'd like to use on her.

Bottom Line: The guarantee means it's worth trying. I'd like to see them make a medium size with lighter hardware, though.

Product Review: Thunder Collar

From the makers of the Thundershirt comes the brand new Thundercollar! This collar features a unique quick-release closure that solves some of the common issues with plastic side-squeeze buckles. The nylon webbing has reflective stitching for visibility. This collar is available in five colors and four sizes to fit dogs with necks 8-26" around.

Photo by Erin Koski

I purchased this Thundercollar at SuperZoo because I could not stop playing with the buckle. It's totally different from every other collar fastener I've ever encountered.

Having worked at a, lets face it, seriously overcrowded doggy daycare for years, I have buckled and unbuckled a TON of collars. My first thought when bringing a dog out to the yard was always "How fast can I take this collar off?" The biggest disaster we could possibly face out there was a dog getting their jaw wrapped around another dog's collar while playing. If a collar didn't have a quick release buckle, it came off. If the buckle had a safety lock, it came off. If it had an unusual fastener that I didn't think other staff would instantly be able to operate in an emergency on a panicked dog, it came off. If I was petting the dog and noticed that the buckle was a bit stiff, it came off.

Photo by Erin Koski

If you've ever had to open a standard side-squeeze quick-release buckle under major stress, you're already aware of how difficult it can be. Pressure sort of locks them shut, you need a tiny bit of slack to open them smoothly. I haven't had to unfasten a Thundercollar in an emergency, but the buckle seems to open under stress the same way it does when slack.

Emergency situations aside, pinching a dog with a quick-release buckle makes me feel like a horrible monster. A properly-fitted collar should be pretty snug to avoid it getting caught on things (like other dogs' faces), and it's pretty easy to pinch a short-haired dog's neck when snapping it on. An occasional pinch isn't a big deal for many dogs, but for the

Photo by Erin Koski

sensitive ones it can give them yet another reason to feel that the world is not a safe place.

Pros: Buckle opens top-to-bottom rather than side-to-side to prevent pinching. Can be opened under pressure, with one hand, without looking. Quieter than a standard plastic buckle.

Cons: Slightly tricky to open by itself, much easier to open when it's actually on a dog. There's no overlap between the small and medium sizes, so if your dog has a 14" neck the small will be a bit small and the medium will be a bit large.

Bottom Line: This is a quick-release safety collar for noise-sensitive dogs, those with sensitive skin, and dogs who require a nice snug fit.

Our Sileo Experience

Well, we tried the Sileo gel prescription medication for canine noise aversion, and it did not help Ranger have a quiet Fourth of July. Sileo is fast-acting and promises calming without sedation. It comes in a syringe and it given 30-60 minutes before the anticipated noise. It may be given at two-hour intervals while waiting for the noise to stop.

Photo by Erin Koski

Though he was wearing his Thundershirt, safely cocooned in an interior bathroom, with his Through a Dog's Ear playing, and lots of white noise happening in the rest of the house, Ranger still panicked. He will hopefully be seeing Brisbane's amazing vet sometime in the next week, and we're hoping to get him on some anxiety medication as well as unraveling the cause of his ever-worsening limp.

I'm not quite ready to doubt the effectiveness of Sileo yet. Ranger has a lot of general anxiety in addition to his noise aversion. He also has some sort of chronic pain causing him to limp. If we can get those two stressors under control, it's possible the Sileo could help him get through the worst of the fireworks holidays.

Brisbane and Sisci were a bit worried but did fine with the air conditioner running along with their Through a Dog's Ear calming music. Ru and Annie didn't even notice the fireworks. I think the dogs and I might go camping somewhere without fireworks for New Years, just to give Ranger some peace.

Fireworks Freakouts

It's that time of the year when Americans celebrate their patriotic pride by blowing shit up, and our dogs hate it. Well, not all dogs. Brisbane would happily bite some safe and sane fireworks if he wasn't being restrained. Still, the random explosions, which tend to run a week or so to either side of the actual holiday around here, are disconcerting. Here's how we cope:

Fireworks=Food

For dogs that aren't too spooked to eat, pairing food with fireworks is a powerful way to help quell fears or even prevent them. If you have a puppy or a new dog that hasn't been through an explosives-heavy holiday with you yet, plan on spending the Fourth of July showering them with treats every time they hear a pop or a boom. I did this with Brisbane as a baby puppy and he has been unfazed by fireworks and thunderstorms ever since. We still have treat parties around the holidays though, because more reinforcement can't hurt.

Photo by Erin Koski

Thundershirts

They don't work for every dog, but anxiety wraps like the Thundershirt can help some dogs feel more secure during fireworks season. I think they're worth a try, for some dogs they make a huge difference. If the price seems unreasonable, buy used on eBay. You can always get yours from a big box store with a good return policy too, if you're not sure whether it will help your dog. Or just wrap your dog up in an ace bandage.

Classical Music

"Through a Dog's Ear" is classical music specially designed for dogs. It was developed through careful study, first comparing various types of music to identify classical as the most calming, and then analyzing the different aspects of classical music. The result is what I can only describe as incredibly boring piano music that my dogs love. I play it in the car when they get antsy on long drives. I play it for the dogs at daycare when I'm there late in the evening and someone can't settle. I also play it on the Fourth of July to help everyone keep their cool.

Noise, Noise, and More Noise

In addition to our special boring piano music, I make sure there is a lot of white noise in the house when explosives are going off outside. Fans and air conditioners are great for this. Televisions are too, go ahead and turn the sound way up, just don't pick a film with a lot of pyrotechnics. Really fearful dogs may prefer a small space like a closet or bathroom in the middle of the house with their music, insulated by a houseful of box fans and televisions.

Prescription Medication

Acepromazine used to be the drug of choice for dogs with noise phobias, but recently it has fallen out of favor because it really just sedates the body, while the mind remains fully aware and free to freak out. There are actual anti-anxiety meds out there now, including a new one specifically for noise phobias. It's called Sileo, and Ranger will be trying it out for the first time this evening. Will it work? I'll let you know.

How does your dog handle fireworks?

Product Review: Thundershirt

The Thundershirt is a dog jacket that helps reduce anxiety by applying pressure like a big hug. It is available in a variety of colors and styles, and comes in seven sizes to fit dogs under seven pounds through dogs over 110 pounds.

Photo by Erin Koski

This is a pretty awesome tool for helping dogs with major anxiety, mostly because it works instantly and with no training. Just wrap the dog up in it, and four out of five of them will chill out at least a little.

How does the Thundershirt work? It's basically like a hug. At work, when a dog is terrified of getting their nails trimmed, we have one person wield the clippers while a second person holds the dog. The most effective hole involves wrapping one arm around the front of the dog's chest below the windpipe, and the other arm around the dog's body over the shoulders and behind the front legs. When held firmly against the person's body like this, most dogs relax enough to have their nails cut.

The type of pressure applied when hugging someone, or restraining a dog like this, is called "deep pressure". This type of pressure can be used to help calm and focus autistic kids. People have been wrapping dogs up in athletic bandages to calm them down for years, but getting that sort of wrap right takes some effort. The Thundershirt just velcros on without any physical manipulation of the dog, there is nothing to pull over their head or step their feet through.

Brisbane's Thundershirt is actually a size small. Technically he should be in a size medium, but it's supposed to be tight so the small works ok. I use it for chilling him out when I trim his nails.

Pros: Easy to put on and take off. Requires no effort, unlike behavior modification training like the Relaxation Protocol. Works instantly for many dogs. Allows for freedom of movement.

Cons: One in five dogs won't feel less anxious when wearing the Thundershirt. Using a Thundershirt doesn't mean stopping other slower methods of helping dogs with their anxiety.

Bottom Line: I use the Thundershirt when cutting Brisbane's nails, but I also use a muzzle, a blindfold, prescription medication, and lots and lots of conditioning with food. Even for occasional upsets like fireworks, the Thundershirt works best as a tool to help get a dog calmed down enough for other management strategies to be effective. It's a useful tool to have in my toolbox, but not the cure-all that the Thundershirt company advertises.

Have you used a Thundershirt or other pressure wrap on your dog? Did it work?