It is no surprise there are millions of dogs that suffer from anxiety and nervousness. According to the Cummings School of Vet Medicine at Tufts University, almost 20% of the nation's 80 million dogs suffer! Anything from a thunderstorm and fireworks, to garbage trucks and jackhammers can set dogs off. Behaviors can include barking, pacing, panting, hiding, and shaking. Symptoms generally start showing up between 1-3 years of age or can kick in later in life after years of being symptomless.
As a pet owner, it is always hard to deal with a dog that shows anxiety or nervousness. Working with a dog to overcome their behavior can be a daily, exhausting game. We are finding more and more people do not want to give their dog a tranquilizer from the vet to keep them calm. This is especially the case when the dog doesn’t show extreme anxiety or nervousness, but only minor or only in certain situations. With our Calming Spray, you can naturally put your dog at ease without worrying about knocking them out or making them loopy. Our spray works by the aroma; as the dog breathes in the relaxing oils it stimulates the brain to release neurochemicals to relax. Your dog won’t become real sleepy, but will instead chill out to a calm state. Customers report their dog will go from pacing back and forth and panting, to laying down in the living room. Others report their dog will stop shaking in their hiding spot and will seem more at ease (check out all of our reviews here).
The wonderful thing about our spray is you can use it virtually anywhere. We recommend spraying it onto the chest of the dog, their collar, or onto your hands and then rubbing it all over their snout. You can also spray it on their bed, crate, thundershirt, or “safe zone” without hurting them or the fabric/material. You can use this spray multiple times a day or just as needed. With the totally natural and organic, chemical-free formula you don’t have to worry about over use. Of course your dog can lick this spray too.
With the Fourth of July around the corner and thunderstorms already here, we hope you can give your anxiety prone dog some relief this year, and hopefully it will be with our Calming Spray!
With the line of holidays coming up, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and Valentine's Day, it's easy to forget how they may negatively impact your pet.
The first holiday havoc to think about is FOOD. From Halloween chocolates to Christmas fruit cake, it's easy for your pet to pig out on something they shouldn't be. Give yourself a reminder on what foods are unsafe for pets so they'll be fresh in your brain when the sweets are out, and just because something isn't on the list doesn't mean it's ok! If anything, keeping food away from your pet will help them from gaining extra winter weight.
A second havoc is holiday PLANTS. Did you know there are almost 400 plants that are toxic to dogs and cats? With a huge list it is easy to become overwhelmed, so let's focus on the top holiday plants. Make sure to keep your Amaryllis, Poinsettia, Mistletoe, and Holly out of fido or fluffy's reach, and keep Pine Needles swept or vacuumed up regularly.
The third havoc is holiday DECORATIONS. It's fun to decorate the house and yard for the different holidays, but be sure there isn't anything your pet can get tangled in, electrocuted by, cut by, or anything for them to find as a nice snack. Ribbons, spider webs, tinsel, and wrapping paper are easy for your pet to ingest so clean up well and make sure they are hung up high. Holiday lights can also be tempting for pets to chew on so try and keep the cords protected or hidden. Any glass or sharp decorations should also be put up high and not in a place your pet can knock them over and then walk through.
Holiday havoc number four is LOUD NOISES. New Year's fireworks, screaming Halloween heads, and Christmas cracker poppers can startle your pet and send them running to hide. If your pet has issues with loud noises, keep them out of the room before the festivities start. We offer Calming Spray to help with anxiety and nervousness. The last thing you want is to deal with a stressed out pet right in the middle of your celebration.
Our fifth havoc is holiday TRAVEL. While airlines and hotels are becoming more pet friendly, traveling with your pet or leaving them at home/in a kennel can pull on their emotional strings. Sure not all pets mind when you leave them, but many can become anxious, depressed, or destructive. If they will not be staying at someone's house who will give them them the attention and the exercise they need, look for a reputable boarding kennel in your area. Some kennels take dogs on walks, spend the night with them, have cat play rooms, and even provide in home pet sitting. Check out petsitters.org, care.com, or sittercity.com for in-home pet sitters. Also here some good questions to ask at your local boarding facility to make sure they will be a good fit.
Last, but not least, plan ahead and have your vets number on hand, poison control's number on hand, and know where the closest emergency vet office is just in case something happens.
Hopefully we these tips all of your upcoming holidays will be filled with cheer and happiness for you and your pet!