Pupdate: Anxiety

I mentioned a while ago about Stanlee's allergies and posted this photo of him the day he had his allergy testing.  It sparked a lot of interest about the jacket he is wearing and our experience with it, so I thought I would talk about that here.

Stanlee is wearing his thunder shirt in this photo.  The thunder shirt is for pups with anxiety as a way to feel more secure.  Stanlee has always had anxiety since we adopted him.  At first, it was separation anxiety.  He followed me around right at my feet the first few months we had him, while at the same time he wouldn't let me pick him up because he was scared and stiff.  Stanlee and I worked a lot on building a relationship and now it's amazing to see how far we have come.  Not only has he completely opened up to us and shows so much love toward our family, but he has also taught me to never give up on a dog that needed special attention.  

Stanlee's anxiety today is more elevated when changes occur.  When we moved, he had a little bit of a hard time with all the boxes, the moving and then adjusting to a new place.  If we have people over, I try to have his thunder shirt on to help with pacing and hiding under tables.  Or, if I notice him feeling extra sensitive for whatever reason, I put his shirt on.  Stanlee loves his thunder shirt and I definitely notice a difference when he is wearing it.  I think it keeps him warm too which he always loves.  (This pup will curl up under any blanket or bury himself in pillows given the chance!)

I'm not sure if Stanlee will ever grow out of his anxiety.  Sometimes I look at him and think it is a part of his personality.  Stan is very different than our other boston terrier, Miley, who is care free and miss independent.  Each year he gets better and better and I feel proud of how far he has come.  If your pup is like Stanlee and has an anxious personality type, I recommend trying the Thunder Shirt.  You can probably find it at most large pet store chains or online here.