Will the Anxiety Wrap For Dogs Help During a Thunderstorm?

During the 20 plus years I have been working with, around and beside dogs, I have seen many different types and levels of anxiety in dogs. There are countless directions to turn to in helping your dog overcome out-of-control stress. One of these is to use a body wrap or anxiety wrap for dogs, which I will discuss in this article.

One type of stress is due to anticipating pain, such as the anxiety brought on by the fear of nail clippers, possibly due to having a nail clipped too short at some time causing pain.

There is also a type of anxiety over being left alone, otherwise known as separation anxiety. There can be different levels of this stress, from simply pacing and barking to destroying furniture, doors and even walls in an attempt to get back to the "pack".

Thunderstorms can bring on a panic in otherwise calm dogs to the extent of sending them crashing through windows, hiding in dark closets, panting, trembling and totally inconsolable or even running blindly for miles.

The fear of riding in vehicles can also trigger anxiety in dogs, possibly from having a bad experience on their first car ride. They might have been thrown off balance around a turn or during a quick stop. That's why crating a dog in a vehicle is always a good safety measure.

Why a dog reacts with panic to a certain situation is really not as important as helping your dog overcome that debilitating fear.

One method of calming a dog during a "panic attack" is by using a tool called an anxiety wrap for dogs or body wrap. The principle behind this tool has been promoted and documented in great depth by Temple Grandin, who developed a "hug box" with the same principle of deep touch pressure. Because of her autism, Temple could not tolerate being touched, yet while at her aunt's ranch as a teen-ager she noticed how calm a cow was while in a squeeze chute for handling. She decided to make a similar tool for herself. She found that the deep touch pressure of the box on her body actually calmed her. It also helped bring her over-reactive senses to a focused plane that she could then deal with and accept.

The anxiety wrap for dogs uses this method by way of a body shirt that exerts pressure on the nervous system for a calming effect. This alternative and holistic approach to behavior modification can assist in easing your dog's anxiety in many situations, including fear of thunderstorms and separation anxiety.

It is very essential that when using any type of anxiety wrap you measure your dog accurately to benefit from the desired effects. If the body wrap is too tight, it will only make your dog uncomfortable and irritated. If it is too loose, it could also make your dog irritated and not have enough deep touch pressure to calm. So measuring your dog correctly is very important. The way to do this is by putting your dog in a standing position and measuring around the fullest part of the ribcage, usually the girth area, with a cloth or vinyl measuring tape. Pull it snug, but not too tight, and don't round off the measurement. Use the exact measurement.

The anxiety wrap for dogs is a great tool to help your dog achieve balance, focus, self-confidence, and relaxation. However, it will not work for every dog in every situation, just as nothing will work in every situation for either a human or an animal. It also may not completely cure the panic your dog experiences, but may help to lessen it to a manageable degree. It also may take a few uses of the wrap to gain its full effect. With some dogs it seems to work instantly. Some take a little longer to gain the desired effect and some don't seem to be helped at all by the body wrap.

The idea is to find and use whatever tools you can to try and help your dog overcome its irrational fear and anxiety. If this doesn't work for your dog, there are other options such as massage, desensitization, homeopathic medications, aromatherapy, and more.

What's important is that you not give up on finding a way to help your dog if it has anxiety issues that are causing stress not only for your dog, but also for you. Trying something such as an anxiety wrap for dogs may be a very affordable way to ease both you and your dog's anxiety level during a situation that causes irrational stress for your dog.

Karleen Lindsey has worked with dogs for many years. In her work as a foster care giver for rescue dogs and in her grooming career, she has encountered many behavior
problems and has worked extensively to help each dog overcome these obstacles of fear and anti-social behavior, with patience being the main key to success. To learn more, visit her review site for anxiety wraps for dogs.