Food toys are most effective when a dog’s triggers for anxiety can be identified, such as thunderstorms, fireworks, or visitors coming into the home. A food toy is best given in a safe space that is quiet and away from the stressor. You can give it to your dog just before the onset of stressful events, to divert their attention from the trigger and prevent their anxiety from escalating. During firework displays, you should try to muffle the sound and hide the flashing lights as best you can by keeping windows, blinds and curtains closed. You can also try turning on the TV or playing rhythmic music moderately loud using Pets at Home’s Spotify playlists, which have a range of genres to choose from. Milgram N, Landsberg G, Visneksy M. Effect of apoaequroin on cognitive function in aged canines. In: Abstracts of the 17th Congress of ESVCE and 1st Annual Congress of ECAWBM. Avignon; 2011. Adaptil also makes a plug-in diffuser that releases the same pheromones. The scent is not noticeable by the human members of the family.

Calming aids may be helpful in situations where dogs might become stressed or anxious. That can include: Spray on pet bedding, bandana, or even a little on your fingers and gently rub around muzzle, under chin, and top of chest! Passionflower is an herb that can help reduce brain activity while increasing GABA levels in dogs. GABA is a chemical that helps improve a dog’s mood. Kato M, Miya K, Ohtani N, et al. Effects of prescription diet on dealing with stressful situations and performance of anxiety-related behaviors in privately owned anxious dogs. Journal of Veterinary Behavior. 2012;7(1):21-26.Rescue anxiety affects dogs who’ve spent long periods in a shelter or rescue facility. Your rescue dog may have memories of being abandoned or suffering a traumatic event before they wound up at the shelter. A dog with rescue anxiety may exhibit signs of general anxiety as well as separation anxiety. Mills D, Ramos D, Estelles G. A triple blind placebo-controlled investigation into the assessment of the effect of Dog Appeasing Pheromone (DAP) on anxiety related behaviour of problem dogs in a veterinary clinic. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. 2006;98:114–126. Eventually, your pet will begin to associate the noises with tasty treats and playtime, instead of something they should be scared of. We aim to be as flexible as possible when it comes to your easy-repeat deliveries and you can update the following information at any point.

If you elect to use one or more of these products, keep in mind that the placebo effect may lead pet parents to perceive benefits in treatments that in reality are ineffective. This could delay treatments that actually work.If your dog suffers from separation anxiety, taking him for a walk before you leave the house can tire him out to increase the effectiveness of any calming product you use. FAQ Pheromone products mimic the natural pheromones that a mother dog gives off when puppies are nursing. These pheromones can help calm your dog and make him feel safe. These products usually come as a diffuser, spray, or collar. They can work well for separation anxiety, rescue anxiety, illness-related anxiety, fear-related anxiety, and generalized anxiety.

Common signs of fear to look out for include pacing and panting in dogs, hiding and hissing in cats and stamping or a change of appetite in rabbits. Kim Y, Lee J, Abd el-aty A, et al. Efficacy of dog-appeasing pheromone (DAP) for ameliorating separation-related behavioral signs in hospitalized dogs. Canadian Veterinary Journal. 2010;51(4):380-384.Estelles G, Mills D. Signs of travel-related problems in dogs and their response to treatment with dog-appeasing pheromone. Veterinary Record. 2006;159:143–148.