KittyStar Breathable Dog Shirt for Thunderstorm, Dog Anxiety Vest Jacket Warp,Puppy Calming Coat Anxiety Relief (XL,Pink)

~2yr update: This shirt is still great. My dog has settled down quite a bit with training and getting used to probably the first real home she's ever had, but continues to struggle with anxiety mostly with fireworks. She had a setback this year after my idiotic state legalized them and we had to deal with non-stop explosions from all directions for almost a week, and this shirt was again a big help. It hasn't stretched out that much since the first month or two, still fits her perfectly even though she gained another 10lbs after I bought it (finally at a healthy weight!), and is SO MUCH EASIER to put on than the big name brand one. I bought one of those on sale so I'd have an extra to keep on her if one needed washed and they're a horrible pain with all the flaps and layers of velcro, not to mention being hot with that much material. This one is just what you need to help calm down a stressed dog. Lightweight enough for use in the summer, easy on/off, and easy to fit. I leave the velcro at the neck attached and just put it on/off over her head, so all I have to do is attach the two pieces under her chest. Original review: My new rescue dog has some neurotic/OCD tendencies plus moderate separation anxiety that are driving me crazy. I wanted to get a pressure-wrap shirt primarily to see if it would help her calm down in the house. She's obsessive about staring out the patio doors at birds or any moving creature, *way* past normal self-entertainment; sits absolutely frozen, quivering, whining, for hours, paces endlessly if I shut the curtains, even ignoring her own body so much one time that she had an accident when she finally turned away (first time in 3 weeks, it's not like she isn't house trained!). She wouldn't calm down or rest outside of her kennel for almost 2 weeks straight in spite of my efforts to redirect her, other than exactly as long as it took her to finish off a chew or empty a treat-dispensing toy. (And yes, she gets plenty of exercise and started obedience training from day 1.) The day of the accident was when I started looking for anything else that might help. The KittyStar shirt was both cheaper and faster shipping (both Prime) than the well-known name brand, so I gave it a try. I've previously been skeptical about this kind of product, but WOW does it help! It probably won't ever be a standalone cure, but there was a noticeable and sanity-saving difference in her behavior as soon as I put this shirt on. I had tried keeping a leash on her before and giving her "corrections" to turn her away from the door, which worked for up to a minute at most. The first day I put this shirt on her, I waited until she started amping herself up at the door, gave her one pop with the leash, and she turned around, jumped on the couch, and WENT TO SLEEP. (She doesn't really know what dog beds are yet.) I just about cried in relief. It's been almost 2 weeks since it got here and while she's still a work in progress, I actually get periods of quiet time where I'm not worrying about if the dog will let me know if she needs to go out, or will try to claw through the glass door, or god only knows what that level of frustrated obsession would lead to. She's learning that it's okay to look or watch outside, but that the crazy, must-hunt-must-kill level is not acceptable. If I needed any other proof that the light compression of these shirts makes a difference, tonight was a perfect example. We went for walk, did some training, she ran zoomies in the yard, ate her dinner in her kennel (slow-feed bowl), ran zoomies around the yard again when she came out, and was still absolutely crazy when we came in. She was chewing on a toy, alternating with trying to chew up blankets, beds, and other non-toy stuff for about an hour straight, well past when she would normally be settled on the couch for the night. I put the shirt on her, and she immediately went over to the couch and laid down! It's stretched out a little bit, but nothing that isn't easy to fix by adjusting the velcro a bit. Other than that it's held up fine so far. It doesn't seem to hold pet hair any worse than any other t-shirt material and feels like it would wash fine. It's got a wide range of adjustment options to fit most any dog. I got a Large for my 55lb (still too skinny) pittie/bull terrier/?? mix and it fits her wide chest and skinny torso just fine. Definitely recommended!

My dog I rescued in January has severe separation anxiety and I have been looking for something like this to help calm her when I have to leave her at home and cannot take her with me. I just tried it on her today and it is a perfect fit! I haven't needed to leave her yet, but will better know tomorrow if & how much it helps her. I was very thankful to find this at such a great price with an adjustable fit! My girl is a 40 lb Australian Shepherd for those of you who maybe wondering how these fit

It's a great little Thunder jacket but the sizing is a little smaller than the manufacturer represents.

This product significantly calms my dog down during bad weather or the Fourth of July. It’s easy to put on, the Velcro holds on and stays attached and doesn’t seem uncomfortable for my dog.

EFFICIENT!!!! I have a very hyper puppy and the moment I put this vest on him he was out in 5 seconds. He’s mellowed out!! I absolutely love this vest!!!! He was about to tear the neck piece apart but it came with an extra so it’s okay.

I have a 65 # male hound dog that is terrified of LOUD noises - fireworks, thunder, etc. I got this to see if it would help him stay calm. It really does help him! We just got over the 4th of July and there were fireworks and we had thunderstorms this week too. I put the vest on him and he calmed down about 90%. That is a huge help! He was still a bit upset, but finally laid down and went to sleep once he got used to the vest. It took a few minutes for it to fully work, BUT definitely worth getting one if you have a dog who is scared of loud noises! I highly recommend this vest! Glad I gave it a try. So is my dog, Hobo!

Lower price and quality

The size large for our heeler mix works well. She's around 45 pounds. She has been a nervous wreck since the older companion dog died several months ago, and then one of our elderly cats also passed, and she, too, was a missing part of the pack. So the anxiety got even worse. We tried calming chews, and not only did they not seem to do a thing, but she doesn't like them and had to be coaxed to eat them. As others have mentioned, the front closure on this device makes little sense. I tried it as intended at first, but the loop across the chest didn't look comfortable after awhile because the jacket tends to slide back due to the direction of our dog's short coat pushing it that way. If you have a sewing machine and minimal skills you can easily switch the Velcro around to where the straps overlap (First try on the dog and mark the place where the straps will cross in center front. This provides a more comfortable, still snug fit that's also easier to put on the dog. The Velcro was sewn on with long stitches that were easily removed with a seam ripper. I didn't check the time, but I'm sure the whole project didn't take more than 20 minutes. I don't know that I can recommend the product as is, but I'm happy with it after making this change. I was able to use the Velcro that was there - just moved it. We have the original brand of Thundershirt for our earlier, smaller dog, and I like this one a little better for the way it fits around the dog's midsection with two straps.