The Storm Defender on Does it Really Work?

I hadn’t seen the Does it Really Work? Blog on MSN until they reviewed a doggy cape called The Storm Defender that was developed to calm dogs during thunderstorms.

Shadow, our 11-year old, 60 pound mixed breed dog, has grown increasingly anxious during storms, so I checked out the article. The idea seems to be that someone on staff tries the product, the experts are consulted and then it is open to comments from readers. The reviewer was pretty satisfied. Here is what the experts said:

“It does work sometimes; it does not work all the time,” explained Bonnie Beaver, executive director of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists.

Whether the Storm Defender succeeds seems to depend on the level of static electricity that builds up in the coats of some medium- and long-haired dogs before and during a storm.

“The static electricity starts to tingle and they begin to dread that feeling when a storm is coming,” she said. “It’s a learned behavior.”The cape cuts the static, Beaver explained. It may also simulate the comfort of a hug, she said.

I sent the link to my mother, who thinks that for the price, it is certainly worth a shot. She happened to be taking Shadow to the vet for his annual exam that day. The vet wanted the link, too. Here is a link to the actual product website.

I’ll let you know how it goes. After I am done checking out the rest of that MSN blog.