Sam Models his Thundershirt

Hey, I'm back, just as I said I would be, with my personal Thankful Thursday post.  I just hope Jan doesn't come near the computer before I get this finished and scheduled or you'll all get another blank post.

Oh, speaking of publishing a blank post, it seems from the comments that lots (if not all) of you have a human as klutzy as Jan who has done the same or similar.  This is good to know.  It means we won't have to fire her.  This time.

So what am I thankful for?  Well, as you already know, I became terrified of thunderstorms last year.  Jan knows one is coming when she turns around and trips over me.  See, I go sit beside her, as close as I can get without touching her, but I do it so quietly she doesn't realize I'm there.  That's okay if she's sitting down, but if she's standing, she'll turn and trip.

Last Thursday I got a package from Khyra.  She was one of those who won some neat prizes in a drawing.  Whatever she wouldn't need, she offered to the first one to contact her.  Fortunately, Jan was still on the computer, even though it was late, and she snagged 3 items we dogs need - 1 for each of us.  Khyra went ahead and sent me this new outfit since she knows about my fear.

So here I am in my new Thundershirt.  Aren't I a red-eyed hunk of handsomeness!

Merci thinks I look cute.  Aw, golly, I'm blushing.

The question is, though, does the thundershirt help?  The package arrived just a few hours ahead of some bad weather last Thursday.  When I came and sat beside the computer chair, Jan knew it was time to test the shirt.  She also gave me two calming tablets. 

It was chilly so Mercy, Buddy and Percy did a cuddle pile.  I lay between them and Jan's chair.  At bedtime, I whined when Jan tried to put up the gate to the bedroom.  (She knows if she locks me out during a storm, I'll go from one gate to the other and whine so loud she won't get any sleep.)  So she let me in and I climbed up onto my meager sliver of bed.  Last storm the bed  vibrated so hard Jan almost fell out.  This time all was peaceful.

Until the storm got close enough Jan could hear it.  There was a loud boom and the bed started vibrating so violently I had to stand up to keep from rolling off the edge.  It was hard to keep my balance but I persevered until the storm passed over. Then I lay down and went to sleep.

We had another storm nearby after that and Jan put me in my new thundershirt when I sat beside her, acting embarrassed.  I did okay, even went for a walk.  She had to take it off me first so I could pee. 

I heard some dogs have no problem while wearing a thundershirt and others are not helped by it.  Guess I'm half and half.  So far, it seems to help me stay calm as long as the storm is not overhead or too close, which Jan says is a big improvement!.

Khyra, thank you so much for sharing your prize with me.  I feel really dressed up in my new (and only) shirt.  Jan is thankful it goes on with velcro since none of us like to be dressed by putting our feet through holes in material.  I think I look pretty spiffy in it.

We're joining PepiSmartDog's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop as soon as we can grab the code.  What are you thankful for this week?