One of the only good things to come out of the pandemic is the surplus of rescue pets that were adopted during quarantine. As someone that will gleefully greet any dog on the street for a quick stop and chat—it has been an absolute gift to see so many happily adopted animals cruising the streets with their new guardians.
I was living in the land of milk and honey (free and frequent petting of other people’s dogs), until I got my own pandemic pup… and he turned out to be a total nutcase. Poor guy. It’s not his fault—after being abandoned, and attacked, it can take a lot of time to get used to a new environment, and feel safe. Sometimes the mere thought of their one true love (you) leaving for even five minutes can send them into a tailspin. I know—I have the scratched door frames, shredded Eames chair, and chewed Manolos to prove it.
But thankfully, relief is on the horizon. It can be incredibly overwhelming when you don’t know what to do about an anxious, destructive pet and have maxxed out a credit card trying to find a solution, but most pet owners I know would do anything to bring their fur-children respite, and we’ve got all the helpful tips and tricks from behavior expert Dr. Meg Summers, DVM at Heart of Chelsea Veterinary Group, who bestowed her sage advice upon us to save you hours of worry, and mountains of dough.
The first step is to assess the pet’s symptoms and determine their anxiety level—if it becomes severe, it can affect their physical health, especially the G.I. system. If that’s the case, Dr. Summers might escalate treatment to a prescription medication, but in most cases suggests starting with a combination of supplements and behavior-modification training—which essentially means, “working to desensitize exit cues, if it’s separation anxiety, or desensitizing the dog to outside triggers or fears they may have in their [environment],” says Dr. Summers.
The best calming spray for dogs
The calming aid that Summers jumps for is Adaptil, which is available in a wearable collar form, a spray, and a diffuser, like a Glade plug-in for pet stress. Adaptil works by “mimicking the pheromones that dogs release when they are nursing on their mother,” according to Summers. “Dogs are very sensitive to pheromones—they even have an extra little gland on the roof of their mouths that helps them take on those receptors.” I can personally attest to Adaptil’s effect—I generously spray it on a bandana before popping it on my dog for less stressful walks, and I often spritz his favorite towel and bed before I leave him at home so he doesn’t have an absolute meltdown in my absence.
While some products work for certain dogs, Dr. Summers always makes sure to tell patients, “no supplement [or medication] is going to be foolproof—the goal of treatment is to decrease [symptoms], but nothing’s ever going to fully cure, so I always set that expectation.”
The best calming chews for dogs
It’s good to approach anxiety issues with long-term solutions, and important to remember that progress takes time and there aren’t any quick fixes, which is really the only downside to Dr. Summers’ other top picks—Solliquin and Purina Pro Plan Calming Care behavioral supplements.
“The main ingredient in Solliquin, L-theanine, is the same calming ingredient found in green tea,” explains Dr. Summers, and you’ll see it in other adaptogenic beverages and supplements marketed to humans, too, thanks to its calming effects. The effects of Solliquin aren’t immediate, and can take up to 30 days of continual use to start noticing a difference but your pet won’t protest too much, my dog actually requests his calming treats at a certain time every evening.
The best calming food supplement for dogs
Purina Pro Plan calming care “uses a bacteria, similar to a probiotic, that has been proven to have calming effects when built up in the body,” claims Dr. Summers. “It’s a powder that owners can sprinkle on food that has a cumulative effect—meaning that the dog will need to use it daily for about 2 to 4 weeks before monitoring to see any improvement.”
So just remember to be kind to yourself, and patient with Fido—because progress takes time. Your little ball of nerves needs extra love and support during this tough time. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from a trainer specializing in behavior therapy, and stay strong—you will get through this.
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