How to Make Homemade Dog-Calming Solutions
When your dog is stressed it can be incredibly difficult to find something that can calm them down. In many cases, you almost have to sit back and let them ride it out themselves. This can be very difficult to do.
When we see someone that we love, be it human or canine, in times of stress and anxiety, we will try almost anything to attempt to soothe them. There are hundreds if not thousands of products out there that claim to be ‘calming’ remedies, but the majority of them will only provide results that are by no means ideal. Some products can even make your pets feel worse as you are bringing outside sources that bother them in an attempt to try and help. These products can also be incredibly expensive for what they are, which can promote some people to look for homemade methods. So what can we do to help?
Thankfully, there are items that you can make at home that are proven to help reduce your dog’s stress levels. In this article, we will discuss three of our favourite homemade pooch products that you can make whenever your pet becomes stressed. Some common causes of stress include loud noises such as lightning and fireworks, or changes to the environment, for example when you move house. If you know that you are going to experience these, it may be a good idea to pre-emptively employ one or multiple of these products.
Key Takeaways
Here are the biggest takeaways from this article about homemade dog-calming solutions:
Homemade dog-calming products can be effective in reducing a dog's stress levels.
Homemade calming spray can be applied to a dog’s collar, toys or bed.
Calming treats include ingredients such as skimmed milk, whole wheat flour, baking powder, dried lavender, and smooth peanut butter, which can help soothe an anxious dog.
A calming wrap provides comforting pressure to the dog's chest, back, and neck, which can mimic the calming effect of being close to their mother as a puppy.
Dog Calming Spray
How can I make homemade dog calming spray?
Perhaps one of the most common means of calming your dog down when it is stressed is by using specialised dog calming sprays. These sprays can come in different forms. For example, you can get sprays that you sit in the corner of the room your dog is in or ones that you spray onto your dog's collar or fur. You can also get sprays that you use orally, spraying into your dog's mouth.
This recipe we recommend is for spraying onto your dog's collar, toys, and even their bed. Essentially, anywhere your dog frequents. The ingredients that you need include:
Warm Water
Lavender Essential Oil
Chamomile Essential Oil
All you will need to do is fill an empty spray bottle, these can be purchased almost anywhere, with warm water. The amount of essential oil you will add will depend on how much water you use. For around 150-200ml of water, you should use around six drops of each essential oil. Give your mixture a shake and then proceed to spray the mixture in a fine mist on the back of your dog's neck, collar, and bed.
Dog Calming Treats
How do I make homemade dog-calming treats?
Everyone knows that the best way to a dog’s heart is through its stomach. Nothing motivates a dog quite like food, and it is also a great way to control a dog’s mood if they begin to feel stressed or anxious. Whilst you can buy dog treats almost anywhere, you can also make your own with our special recipe that has been formulated to help calm your dog. Not only is this recipe simple, but it also requires very few ingredients. To complete this recipe you will need:
180ml Skimmed Milk
85g Whole Wheat Flour
2tsp Baking Powder
64g Dried Lavender
2tbsp Smooth Peanut Butter
Preheat your oven to 200°. Mix the peanut butter and milk in a bowl until the mixture becomes smooth. You then add all of the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and lavender) together in the same bowl and mix again until it becomes a solid dough. Roll the dough out and use a cookie cutter of any shape, we recommend a bone. Once you have cut out as many biscuits as you can, place the cutout shapes onto a baking tray covered in baking paper. Place into your oven and bake for around 20 to 25 minutes, or until you have noticed the biscuits going golden in the oven. As these biscuits are for dogs they should be hard and have a snap to them.
Dog Calming Wraps
How do I make a homemade dog-calming wrap?
Much like a baby, providing pressure to the back, chest and neck of a dog can be incredibly comforting. The pressure is thought to be linked with the pressure felt by being next to the dog’s mother when they were a puppy, much the same as babies when they are placed on their mother following birth. You can purchase prewrapped wraps that use velcro or clips to remain in place, but perhaps the best way to use these is by creating your own using a towel or blanket. Depending on the size of your dog you may need to use smaller or larger blankets or even bandages. Follow these instructions to find out how. For this technique, we will be using a bandage:
Whilst your dog is standing, position the bandage flat against its chest.
Bring the two ends of the bandage up and around the back of your dog's shoulders, and back around so that they end up beneath your dog's stomach.
Bring the two ends around your dog's stomach and tie them at the top of their back. You do not want the wrap to be too tight or too loose, you will want enough pressure for this to provide results.
Your dog may find this uncomfortable to start with, and they may try and pull off the wrap. If they are really distressed by wearing the wrap then remove it and try another method, however, the majority of dogs suffering from stress or anxiety will actually find this entire process calming, so they will not try and remove the wrap.
No matter what method you choose to try, you should always try whatever you can in order to help your dog relax during stressful situations. If your dog is particularly affected by these sorts of situations you may consider visiting your vet for further advice.