You are at your wit's end with your dog's behavior. He is so neurotic about some things that you can't even get his attention to attempt to retrain him. This is where anti-anxiety herbs can be used to offer stress relief and sedation, giving you a chance to retrain the behaviors that are driving you and your dog crazy.
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Other causes
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Before attempting to medicate a dog with prescription drugs or herbal remedies, make sure there is not another reason, such as a medical condition, for his behavior. Sometimes dogs that are sick act out in an attempt to get your attention. Once this is ruled out, herbal remedies can be quite helpful in conjunction with training to alleviate anxiety in dogs. The remedies can calm the dog enough for training to be effective or can be helpful in cases where you are in a pinch and just need to quiet the dog.
Herbal Remedies
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A widely available over-the-counter herbal remedy is Rescue Remedy. Its ingredients, a trade secret, are a blend of herbs including Bach flower remedies, dilutions of flower materials designed to alleviate stress and anxiety. Within 10-15 minutes after application to the tongue, this product creates a relaxed, slightly euphoric feeling. If your pet's stress is stressing you out, here's a tip: It works on people as well.
Another herb used for anxiety relief is Valerian. This perennial flower can be processed to maximize effects as a sedative. The dog's anxiety may still be present; he is just too sleepy to do much about it. This herb is best used for situations with high potential for causing anxiety in your pet. It does not offer any pain relief, so for dogs fearful about events such as going to the vet, it calms them without inhibiting the vet's ability to evaluate the animal. Valerian is available at most health food stores, typically in capsules or an extract. Follow the manufacturer's recommended dosage.
The passion flower, the same plant that gives us passion fruit, acts in a similar manner to the Valerian plant. When processed, this flower acts mainly as a sedative with muscle relaxant, anti-anxiety and antidepressant properties. This is also available at most health food stores in a ready-to-use form.
As with any medication, the goal is to use these herbs to assist in training but not as a cure-all to keep the dog on indefinitely.
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