Natural products to keep your pups from losing their damn minds on the 4th of July
The 4th of July for humans is a day filled with over-eating at cookouts, over-drinking at cookouts, swamp-ass-level sweat, and the awe of a night sky filled with sparkling fireworks. It's truly a magical day, what with the indigestion, drunkenness, body odor, bug bites, and squabbling in the car as traffic crawls leaving the fireworks venue. Just as our forefathers would have wanted!
For our furry friends, the day may be less than magical (unless Fido manages to snag a hot dog off the grill when no one is looking, then it's officially the best day EVER). The noise of fireworks can be absolutely terrifying for dogs, and when you live in a beach community as I do the explosions are not just contained to the 4th but go on allllll summer long.
Not even kidding. This is what happens where I live on the 3rd of July. #murica indeed. We affectionately call that day "The Purge"
There's a lot of common sense stuff you can do to minimize the noise and accompanying doggy anxiety:
- close windows
- have fans or other white noise running
- look to distractions like a particularly delicious stuffed Kong or a new bone
- consider the use of a Thunder Coat/Jacket or similar (doggy coat that is like a little straight-jacket. The pressure of it helps calm their nervous system and mellow them out.)
- my dog may be weird and in the minority with this, but she really feels safe under a blanket or in a pillow fort. ...I know, I said a pillow fort. Like I said, weird. But we've made her a little fort with couch cushions and blankets and she's totally chill. Must mimic some memory of an ancestral cave and a feeling of safety. Her ancestors were obviously bougie as hell because she really prefers cashmere Pottery Barn blankets.
- sedatives. This is of course a last resort but like everything, weigh the pros and cons. If your dog will otherwise be hyperventilating and stroking out from terror, a little doggy tranquilizer might not be the worst idea. Naturally you should consult your vet for such products.
Although the forts are cute, I really don't want my little nugget ruining my cashmere Pottery Barn blanket (did I mention it's white? Of COURSE it's white. *sigh*). Since going "crunchy" I've discovered lots of other natural ways I can support her relaxation despite what sounds like our town burning down around us.
This is not a Thunder Coat/Jacket, but it's nautical as hell and so cute I can't stand it! This does nothing to calm her nervous system, but does make her want to die of shame.
Now that I'm a Young Living distributor and have been educating myself for the last several years on safe and effective use of essential oils with pets, I have way more tricks up my sleeve to calm my princess. Here are some of the top choices for soothing the savage beast that is a beagle going apeshit over the loud bangs outside:
$ = inexpensive
$$ = moderately priced
$$$ = your dog better get a job
- Roman Chamomile (anthemis nobilis) $$ - full of calming esters to soothe nerves and kind of smells like apples to me
- Neroli (citrus aurantium) $$$ - be aware there are also oils with the same botanical name that are Bitter Orange (from the peel) and Petitgrain (from the leaves/twigs/immature fruit). Neroli is from the blossoms of the orange tree. This one is pricey but boy is it gorgeous! Amazing for calming and reducing anxious feelings. If it's out of your price range the Petitgrain may be another option.
- Vetiver (vetiveria zizanoides) $ - very centering and grounding, and smells a little smokey to me.
- Lavender (lavandula angustifolia) $ - one of the most versatile oils to have in any home. This helps ease spooked and jumpy pups, often easing them right off to dreamland! Softly floral and beautiful.
- Tangerine (citrus reticulata) $ - this one is less calming and more effective to increase confidence in your pups. It smells just as you'd imagine, like tangerine!
- Ylang ylang (cananga odorata) $ - an intensely calming oil that helps relieve the tension from even the most trembly doggy. It has a very heady, heavily floral fragrance.
- Geranium (pelargonium graveolens) $ - a soft floral that helps reduce fear behaviors (also a main ingredient in many tick-away blends!)
- Vanilla (vanilla planifolia) $$ - very sweet and warm, and helps increase confidence while simultaneously reducing tension.
- Patchouli (pogostemon cablin) $ - smells like the 60s, right? This one took a while to grow on me but now I really enjoy the warmth and earthiness. It's a very grounding oil and helps our hyperactive fur babies.
- Jasmine (jasmimum grandiflorum) $$$ - another deeply floral oil, this one comforts and calms. It's spendy, but in addition to soothing the pups it makes a glorious perfume ingredient for us humans!
- Melissa (melissa officinalis) $$$ - boost the confidence and chill out at the same time. Good stuff, and has a bright, grassy, lemony scent.
- Rose (rosa x damascena) $$$ - ohhh boy. This is the pinnacle of pricey but gorgeous oils. Considering it can take 50 roses to make one drop, it's no wonder! Floral, warm, and can be like a tranquilizer dart to a hyped up nervous system - probably hyped up after seeing the price tag!
- Sweet Orange (citrus sinesis) $ - in case you couldn't guess, this smells like oranges! In addition to smelling fab, it reduces jumpiness in our darling dogs.
So what do we do with these delightful essential oils? Quite a few options! Inhalation is most effective for our pups - boy do they have powerful sniffers!
It's always wise to offer a sniff of just a drop on a tissue to see how your dog reacts. Just like people they have attractions and aversions to scents, and you should never force an oil on a dog who just isn't into it. Yes, even if you shelled out a fortune for rose and they're being an ungrateful little beast and turning their nose up at it, when little do they know their biscuit budget was just blown to hell! Don't hold a grudge, it's just not their jam.
Relax, sell a kidney to pay for your bottle of rose, and make yourself a lovely perfume while your dog rolls in poop outside because THAT is their preferred scent. Take a whiff of your rose, truly, you won't even care.
Once you know what your dog likes and doesn't like, you can customize blends for maximum zen and use them in many different ways:
: in a diffuser in the room with your pet (intermittent diffusion is a great idea - on for 30-60 min, off for equal time, repeat as needed). Always be sure there is an exit for your dog if they want to escape the aroma.
: make a linen spray for their favorite blanket (NOT the white cashmere Pottery Barn one!) with 1/3 190+ proof grain alcohol, 2/3 water, and EOs to scent preference. Around 12 drops/oz is a good starting point. Avoid spraying anything that can't be easily removed or washed (like their dog bed itself) in case they decide they've had enough of the scent after a while. Many Thunder Coats/Jackets have a little spot specially made for application of such scents
: perform a relaxing massage with the oils diluted in carrier oil like jojoba or aloe gel (a 1% dilution would be plenty, so around 6 drops/oz) Steer clear of ears, eyes, mouths, any other orifices. If irritation occurs wash off promptly and discontinue use.
Please do NOT add essential oils to dogs' drinking water, apply undiluted, or apply to collars where the dog cannot escape the smell on top of it being so close to their face. I don't love the little diffuser charms that can be attached to collars for this same reason. As humans we can wear diffuser jewelry and remove it if we decide we've had enough or it starts to bother us. Our pups don't have that ability, and not only is it unfair to subject them to that (particularly where their sniffers are so much more powerful than ours) but they may act out their displeasure by pooping in your shoes. See the linen spray recipe above if that happens to deodorize your shoes!
In addition to essential oils, hydrosols are a lovely option with a lighter, gentler scent. Also known as flower waters, these can be used as is for sprays and topical applications.
Another popular option is Bach's Rescue Remedy - a combination of flower essences of impatiens, star of Bethlehem, cherry plum, rock rose, and clematis. This can be added to drinking water - follow labeling instructions, typically just a few drops.
So chill after diffusing lavender, sweet orange, and roman chamomile. Fireworks ain't no thang for my brave girl. She's so relaxed she ALMOST doesn't mind the hat. Almost.
Now you're armed with loads of natural options and behavioral tricks, and if you've been diffusing your home smells FANTASTIC - added bonus! Go forth and enjoy your July (...and May, June, and August if you live in a beach community. People be crazy around these parts. Our next post will have to be a healing salve for third degree burns after a firework goes rogue because of all the aforementioned beer).
And most of all, remember your little darlings don't MEAN to be a pest and make you crazy with their pacing, panting, drooling, and destructive behavior. They have sensitive ears and those loud noises are awfully scary for a critter that doesn't understand what fireworks are. Show them lots of patience, a little grace, and your calm and loving energy may be the best medicine of all!
If you're interested in ordering any oils or becoming a member to get your own discount, don't hesitate to contact me or check out the YL ordering pages.
If you're looking for a reference for holistic treatments with animals, Holistic Aromatherapy for Animals by Kristen Leigh Bell is a good one. It's a little old and could use some updating but it's the best I've found and is recommended by most aromatherapists.
I'd also recommend following the FB group Animal Aromatherapy (Safe Use) for recommendations from an animal aromatherapist.
And of course check out my group Not Your Average Oiler for more recipes and infographics on a variety of topics.
**These suggestions are intended for dogs but could be applicable for other large animals (horses, goats, cows etc). These are not recommended for cats, birds, reptiles, or amphibians. Do those animals even care about fireworks? Cats probably can't even hear them over the deafening sound of their own judgement.