Reduce Noise and Separation Anxiety

Many dogs can get Separation Anxiety / Noise Anxiety for many different reasons.  Dogs suffering with anxiety become very difficult to live with.  A symptom of anxiety varies in dogs from shaking or barking if they hear a loud noise, too being aggressive or ill.  Each level of anxiety differs in all dogs, but the most severe cases can be very disturbing and disruptive for everyone in your household.  If you feel your dog has any symptoms of separation or noise anxiety then, firstly, seek medical advice from your vet.  Secondly, your best solution to help your dog on the road to recovery, is too become an owner of one of the best dog anxiety vests.

Dogs, when frightened, like to be snuggled and close to us to make themselves feel safe.  It is natural for dogs to want this security and comfort from you when they are scared.  The idea of dog anxiety vests is to provide that comfort and security all day long.

The best dog anxiety vests are designed to fit tight around your dog with simple yet effective Velcro straps.  The vests would be so snug that your dog would feel safe and comfortable throughout the day, like a permanent snuggle from a human.  These dog anxiety vests can be great for many different reasons / times of need.  We generally use a dog anxiety vest when we are in the car on a short / long journey, or when on the way to the vets.  Making Ralph feel at ease and comfortable throughout the whole journey.

When he is home alone, generally, he is fine.  On occasion we have had to resort to using the Adaptil Plug In Diffuser to help keep him calm.  This is especially useful if we are on a day out and know we wont be back for a while.  We have family that can attend to him throughout the day, but a timed dog feeder also ensures he gets his food at the right times.

There are so many different products available, it can become very confusing.  We have looked into the best dog anxiety vests, to try saving you the time yourself and helping you make the right decision.  It’s also advisory to read all customer reviews to ensure you are making the right choice.

Best Dog Anxiety Vests 2020

1 Thundershirt – Dog Anxiety Vest

These snug-fitting vests create pressure on various sections of your pets body just like swaddling a baby.  The Thundershirt is recommended by Vets and Dog Trainers around the world as a great alternative to drugs

Choosing a Thundershirt

There are many options available for the Thundershirt and ensuring you have the right size is the most important part. The Thundershirt needs to hug your pet’s body, securing a tight snug fit under its belly. XXS is available for dogs up to 7 pounds in weight and XXL is available for the larger dog, up too 110 pounds in weight.

SEE DIAGRAM TO THE LEFT TO IDENTIFY PARTS MENTIONED BELOW

1. Place the ThunderShirt on your dog’s back and wrap the Short Flap under the torso.
2. Wrap the Long Flap under the torso and secure with fasteners onto the Short Flap. Make a comfortable, snug fit.
3. Wrap the Top Flap down onto the Long Flap and secure with fasteners. Adjust to improve the snug fit and keep ThunderShirt securely in place.
4. Wrap the Chest Straps Lightly around the front of your dog (the  chest straps should not apply pressure to the neck) and secure with fasteners. The calming pressure is applied by the torso flaps, not the chest straps

a Thundershirt Vest comes with super long sticky velcro straps that make it easy to fit and super snug to your dog.  If your Thundershirt is slightly too big, the velcro straps do help to make a snug fit.   If you do find a shop that sells the Thundershirt, see if you can try before you buy.  This will ensure you buy the right size.

Some places do allow you to get these personalised to your dog at a small charge and they also come in other colours such as Blue or Pink.  The standard version is grey with a logo of a dog hugging itself.

Thundershirt Sizing Guide

The Thundershirt size guide highlights the multiple different sizes and what weight dog they are suitable for.  Check the table to find the more suitable size for your dog. If you believe your dog to be of a different shape to a normal dog, then you can go up 1 size or down 1 size.  The Velcro straps will ensure you get a snug fit.  The Thundershirt is very adjustable and is suitable for different dog shapes. If you go more than one size up or down then you will struggle to get the Thundershirt to fit comfortably.

What works well?

Thundershirt’s four-step instructions and photos on there website, http://www.thundershirt.co.uk/ quickly helped me put the Thundershirt on. Once fit, always best to remove the Thundershirt and then try again, so you and your dog get used to it being applied.

What doesn’t quite work?

This is not an instant cure to dog anxiety.  Dogs are known to still whine a little and cry but there are improvements made.  Although dog anxiety can be a difficult one to fix, Thundershirt has really helped support the development of dog anxiety and helped owners around the world improve the anxiety within there dogs.

Like the Adaptil Dog Collar and the Adaptil Plug In Diffuser, you can use the Thundershirt as often as you like.  I find this to be a the best product for car journeys and trips to the vet as the snug feel helps your dog be more relaxed and comfortable.

2 American Kennel Club Calm Anti-Anxiety and Stress Relief Coat

Following on from the Thundershirt, our second best dog anxiety vest is the American Kennel Club Anti-Anxiety vest.  This dog anxiety vest will help your dog overcome a fear of loud noise and other forms of anxieties that your dog may suffer from.   With a wide range of sizes and colours available, the American Kennel Club have catered for all breeds of dogs.

The most important part of choosing any coat or vest is the size.  Ensuring the vest fits snug to your dogs body is a MUST.  All of the best dog anxiety vests only work well if they are snug, giving the dog the feeling they are being cuddled.   The American Kennel Club is simple to fit and remove and is machine washable.

After only a few days, your dogs anxiety problems will start to fade.  Just like the Thundershirt, the American Kennel Club vest helps make your dog feel safe and secure with its snug fitting and comfort.  Reviews of the dog anxiety vest have highlighted that this vest is great for dogs with a fear of thunder and lightning.

Most dog owners resort to tablet form medication and can spend hundreds and get little result.  With the American Kennel Club Dog Anxiety Vest, you will get near instant results.

3 The Original Anxiety Wrap

This amazing dog anxiety vest is designed to cover all of your dogs body.  The Original Dog Anxiety Vest uses the same pressures of the previous 2 reviewed anxiety vests and ensures maximum comfort for your dog.  Like all of the best dog anxiety vests, reducing anxiety in your dog is the main aim for this product.

Designed with amazing breathable material, you can stretch the vest in several ways to ensure extra comfort.  The vest is available in multiple sizes and is practical for all dogs in various anxious moments, including thunderstorms and fireworks.  The dog anxiety vest is also great for trips in the car or to the vets to provide additional security in what maybe a stressful situation.

Dog owners that have used this product have stated that, since introducing the Original Dog Axiety Vest they have noticed a big change in there dogs.  Owners of the vest stated they had less sleepless nights and more importantly, a much more relaxed dog.  As with all the best dog anxiety vests, they are not designed to change your dogs behaviour but more the mental attitude to stressful situations.

How can I tell if my dog has Separation Anxiety?

There are several ways to tell if you dog has separation anxiety;

1. Instantly starts crying if cannot get to you and alternative follows you around
2. Your dog may start crying or get really worked up and anxious when your leaving the house, or even getting ready to leave.   Picking up your keys or putting on your coat could be a simple trigger for this behaviour to start
3. If your dog starts destroying your furtniture in your house or even wetting every time your not around
4. Finally, when you get home your dog over greets you and may wet or take a long time to calm down.

How has my dog developed Separation Anxiety?

There can be so many different answers to this question.  A particular event, change in situation, living conditions or even a change in routine.  Either way, there is probably no full explanation as to the initial cause

Separation Anxiety in dogs does often occur when;

1. A dog that has been rescued.  These dogs have a higher rate of separation anxiety due to the situations that they have been brought up in.
2. Something has changed at home.  This can become unsettling for your dog and confusing.
3. You have been away on holiday for some time
4. You have spent more time than normal at home with your dog
5. Something traumatic may have happened such as a major storm
6. Finally, you move home to a new town / city away from the normal surroundings.

Helping My Dog Overcome Separation Anxiety

Training your dog to be comfortable when you’re not around is difficult as your dog should learn to accept that you need to be away from them sometimes.  As with all dog training the earlier you start it and the more frequent, the easier it becomes.

• Always ensure your dog has a nice comfortable, warm bed and plenty of fresh clean water before you leave them alone.
• Take your dog on plenty of walks once or twice a day.  This will ensure your dog is well exercised and tired before you leave.  Tips on Mastering Dog Walking are available and a great walk will ensure your dog rests whilst you are out
• Dog Toys should also be available to keep the dog entertained in your absence
• It could also be a good idea to purchase an Anti-Bark collar. These are great if your dog barks regularly whilst you’re out.  Also check out the Dog Appeasing Pheromone Collars and Plug Ins that help calm and relax your dog in any room.
• Finally, ignoring your dog whilst you get ready to leave is a great way of getting your dog in the mindset that they are going to be alone.  Also do the same when you return, ignore them for 5 minutes whilst you settle back in the house.

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