The Best Essential Oils To Reduce Your Dog’s Anxiety

There are many things, both inside and outside your home, that can cause your pet to become anxious - from fireworks and vehicle sounds, to other animals or simply loneliness. But here at ZenCrate we are always looking for the best remedies to treat and calm your uneasy dog.

As with humans, aromatherapy and the use of high quality essential oils, can be a highly effective therapy to help relieve stress and reduce your dog’s anxiety. They can be used to soothe them when travelling or during a thunderstorm, lift their spirit if they are suffering from separation anxiety and even focus your dog during training.

The essential oil can be combined with a carrier oil, such as sesame or almond oil, and applied topically to your dog’s skin, just a few drops at a time, avoiding the snout, eyes and ears. Alternatively, they can be mixed with water (2-3 drops per cup) and sprayed onto your dog’s bed or directly onto his coat.

These are some of our favorites oils for different types of anxiety.

For General Anxiety:

• Lavender
• Neroli
• Petigrain

For Sound Sensitivity:

• Lavender
• Melissa
• Neroli
• Valerian

All of these oils have a calming effect and can even be combined together in an aromatherapy blend.

For Separation Anxiety:

• Lavender
• Sweet Orange
• Ylang Ylang
• Jasmine

If your dog becomes restless when left alone, the use of a diffuser might be an appropriate method to administer the oils. All three can be combined in a blend, and continuously misted into their air of your home.

As with any treatment you administer to your pet, monitor their reactions to it and adjust accordingly. If your pet appears to exhibit any form of irritation or dislike to the product, stop immediately. Topically administered oil can be removed using an unblended carrier oil on a cloth, wiped over the  application site.

Note: Extreme anxiety should be treated by your vet. Also, essential oils should NOT be used as a treatment for other household pets, including cats.