Hey Mofo Friends!
“Should I be using supplements or essential oils to calm my dog?”
In the first part of this series about separation anxiety, we focused on adding exercise and mental stimulation, as well as crate use, music, and changing YOUR behavior at the door to help your dog adjust to being alone.
Today in Part 2, we’ll be diving into another viable source of help that many pet-parents don’t know to consider: supplements and oils.
(Obvious disclaimer here – Some of these will work for you and some of them will not. The most important take-away from this post is to take time to find the perfect combination for your dog.)
- Bach Flower Remedies
These tops my list because they work for me and for 2 of my dogs, and I personally love them. These liquid drops remedies are derived from flower essences and delivered via bottle and dropper. Each of these homeopathic remedies were created by a British physician in the early 1900’s, and their formulas haven’t changed in over 80 years – so the fact they are still around and widely used has inspired confidence in clients who were unfamiliar with homeopathy. (It doesn’t hurt that they’re relatively inexpensive either.)The classic animal remedy is called Bach Rescue Remedy Pet, and this chart goes into specific detail, allowing you to choose custom remedies to address your dog’s specific issues. It is usually crystal clear within the first few days whether these are going to work for your dog. Bach Remedies are also excellent for humans and they have a fun little quiz to take when life throws you curve-balls.
Additional homeopathic products available on the market or from your vet include Comfort Calm, Happy Traveler, & Homeopet.
- Essential Oils
These have become pretty mainstream as far as non-traditional medicine goes (you’ve probably heard of lavender oil’s use as a stress-reducer or citrus oil’s use for mental sharpness). For my dogs, Lavender and a blend called Gentle Baby are among the favorites.YO! LISTEN UP!!
If you have cats or other small animals in the house make sure you do a quick google search on the oil you are using – some oils are TOXIC to animals. I have had plenty of clients use drug store oils that don’t work for their dogs – or even worse, have gotten dogs sick. My best advice for choosing essential oils is to avoid bargain or generic brands and to know where your oils are coming from! I ONLY use Young Living brand essential oils – It is a company I trust 100%. (You need to be signed up with this company to purchase but send me an email and I will hook you up.) - CBD
This brings us to CBD oil. CBD products are getting a ton of attention in the news, and rightfully so. I understand some people think it’s sketchy, and that’s fine for them (and you, if you’re among them!), but I’ve got to say that I am a HUGE believer!I have had good luck with Canna-Pet in the past – my dog Rex was on CBD oil for 2 years and it helped tremendously with his pain management.
It’s my hope is that it will soon be regulated, but for now I advise you to do your research, ask friends and family for recommendations, and (as with all oils) know your source!
Many of these products have similar ingredients but different formulas, so if you go this route I recommend trying a few. One formula that might not work alone, but could work wonders if paired with one or more other formulas. Do your research. Experiment. Play the field.
ONLY GIVE YOUR MOFO A NEW PRODUCT FOR THE FIRST TIME WHEN YOU’LL BE WITH THEM TO SEE HOW IT AFFECTS THEM.
Supervised use, people! Make sure your dog is safe!
I’ve got much more to say about separation anxiety and what you can do about it, so stay tuned for Part 3!
Everything is awesome. Now go walk your mofo 🙂
~Lisa
For everything you need to know about your dog and how to live your best pet-parent life, check out my online courses.