What To Look For In An Essential Oil For Dogs

May 17, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Choosing an Essential Oil for Dogs

Essential oils are extremely popular lately, and now being used on family pets and in shelters. It’s important to know that using essential oils topically is not a new trend. It’s been used for thousands of years. As with anything, the moment a product becomes popular, everyone jumps on the bandwagon, which is why you’re seeing essential oils at discount prices.

Though the quality of the essential oil differs between brands. Put down that bottle you purchased on Amazon or at a superstore down and choose a high quality essential oil instead!

Be Picky

Essential oils can be applied on skin, ingested or inhaled, so consumers must be picky when selecting an essential oil for dogs. When choosing an essential oil, select one that is:

Made from plants and flowers
Void of added ingredients, such as water or alcohol
Single or blended
100% pure of the listed oil type

Beware of an essential oil that is always in stock because this means they’re not selective of which plants are used during the distillation process. Lastly, choose an essential oil for dogs that has been lab-tested to verify promised concentration (i.e. not diluted with water or carrier oils). Be super picky!

Where to Purchase Essential Oils

Stay away from Amazon and superstore essential oils for dogs. There’s no guarantee as to what’s in the bottle. By far, the best essential oils are made by Young Living and doTERRA. Both essential oil brands follow stringent regulations on growing, distilling, testing and selling their products. They also don’t sell their products in superstores, including Amazon. Plus, their oils contain 100% therapeutic oils, which means no water or alcohol. 🙂

Purchase a Starter Kit

Each single or essential oil blend has a purpose. Once you’ve chosen a reputable essential oil company, purchase their starter kit, which should contain multiple small bottles. Reputable essential oil companies label and carefully explain each oil’s purpose and recommendations.

Some oils are very calming for dogs while others will repel insects, soothe skin irritations, and disinfect bedding/surfaces. For reactive and anxious dogs, check out these recommended oils. Remember dogs have an incredible sense of smell, so learn how to appropriately use calming essential oils around them.

WATCH: Choosing An Essential Oil For Dogs

How To Use Essential Oils For Dogs

May 16, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Using Essential Oils For Dogs

With the sudden surge of popularity, calming essential oils for dogs are popping up everywhere. As pet owners, we understand how to use essential oils for our personal use, but how should we use essential oils for dogs?

Purchase an Oil Diffuser

Diffusing is the best way to introduce an essential oil to a dog. Before diffusing, it’s vital to choose an essential oil that is lab-tested for purity. That is, it contains no harsh chemicals, water or alcohol.

Next, choose a diffuser that successfully circulates essential oils throughout a large room. The diffuser you choose should be made by a reputable essential oil company because many off-brands don’t work well. Now, place your oil diffuser in a large room on top of a shelf or countertop.

When introducing essential oils to dogs, start slow and never use a diffuser in a closed up room. Dogs have an amazing sense of smell, so essential oils can become overwhelming for them. Make sure your dog is able to leave the diffused room if needed.

Fill the diffuser with water, add two drops of an essential oil and plug in. Use 1-2 drops of lavender in the beginning and watch your dog’s reaction. Usually, most dogs will stay far away from the diffuser, but eventually choose to creep closer and closer.

Be a Diffuser

Dab 1-2 drops of lavender oil on your wrists or hands and be a walking oil diffuser for your dog. Be a diffuser during car rides, vet visits, walks, or visits with friends and their dogs. At night, I dab a drop of lavender on my neck for a restful night’s sleep. Usually, about an hour or two later, I notice both dogs snuggling up around my neck. Dab oils on you instead of your dog. 🙂

Few More Tips

Refrain from applying concentrated oils directly onto your dog’s skin. It’s hard for your dog to get away from a strong smell when it’s on his body. Be careful when diffusing strong scented essential oils, such as peppermint, lemon and cinnamon. They can become overpowering quickly. Last, speak with your veterinarian before adding essential oils to your dog’s food or water.

Be considerate and diffuse oils for your dog. 🙂

WATCH: Using Essential Oils for Dogs

Calming Essential Oils For Dog Anxiety

May 15, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Calming Essential Oils

For thousands of years, we’ve used essential oils to ward off illnesses, repel insects and calm anxious minds. Now, calming essential oils are becoming popular within the dog world as pet owners seek out ways to help their anxious dogs. Learn which essential oils calm dogs plus how and when to use them.

Do Calming Oils Really Work?

Two decades ago, I attended a dog training conference where I sat in on a two-hour seminar discussing alternative therapies on a whim. While I was skeptical entering the packed conference room, my attitude quickly changed when I watched these modalities work their wonders.

I specifically remember the speaker, a noted integrative veterinarian, spraying lavender oil into the air to calm 250 attendees. It seemed a bit hipster at the moment, but the lavender silenced hundreds of dog trainers within seconds (seriously, that’s a miracle!). Hmm, I thought maybe essential oils did work!

Fast-forward two decades, and essential oils for dogs are still extremely popular today. I recently attended a two-day essential oil seminar with veterinary professionals, and it’s nice to see science catching up and showing promising results within humans and dogs alike.

As for the effectiveness of essential oils for calming animals, lavender is showing great results. In a study on Effect(s) of Lavender Aromatherapy on Acute-Stressed Horses, they found that lavender aromatherapy can significantly decrease heart rate after an acute stress response. Additionally, it can signal a shift from the sympathetic nervous control from the parasympathetic system. If lavender calms horses, then it can surely calm acute or chronically stressed dogs too!

Choosing a Calming Essential Oil for Dogs

High quality calming essential oils don’t contain water or alcohol. Choose 100% therapeutic blends that are lab-tested independently for quality. My favorite single or oil blends are: Young Living Lavender Peace & Calm and Stress Away. While Peace & Calm and Stress Away are blended oils, meaning several oils are combined for a specific purpose, lavender is included in both blended options.

When and How to Use Calming Oils

Use calming essential oils sooner rather than later. Diffuse calming oils in the background to start the day off on a stress-free and positive note. Diffuse a calming oil every day for two weeks, and note the difference in your anxious dog. You’ll likely notice you’re in a better mood, and diffusing calming oils at night will help you unwind too.

A typical diffuser will emit calming essential oils into the air for two to three hours, so place it in a large room for best results. Never crate or secure a dog in a small room with a diffuser brewing nearby. Dogs must have the option to leave a diffused room if they like.

Also, it’s best to diffuse oils into the air instead of applying oils directly onto a dog. Dogs have a powerful sense of smell and applying essential oils to your dog may be too strong for him. Dab a drop of lavender on your neck before bedtime (you become a diffuser), and everyone in the room (including your dog) will sleep much better.

WATCH: Calming Oils For Anxious Dogs

8 Super Quick Dog Recipes For Kongs

April 21, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Kong Stuffing Ideas Your Dog Will Love

In a perfect world, our freezers would be filled with an endless supply of frozen food stuffed toys for our dogs. But in the real world, life gets busy and we scramble to fill dog food toys as quick as possible before running out the door.

As a dog trainer, I’ll admit that this happens to me too. While frozen food stuffed toys do last longer, stuffing a Kong last minute and tossing it to your dog is much better than nothing. If you’re looking for super quick Kong stuffing ideas, we’ve got you covered. Here are my dogs’ favorite recipes for food stuffed toys. My clients’ dogs love these Kong stuffing ideas too!

Remember: Mental stimulation is key for a happy and healthy dog, so keep your dog’s brain busy while you’re away. Take a few minutes to fill a dog toy before leaving for the day. Now, grab a Kong and get busy. 🙂

1. Slice of Bread

In a pinch, stuff a slice of bread into a Kong. Choose wheat, white or whatever leftover bread you have at home. Push the bread deep into the bottom of the toy. If needed, use the end of a butter knife to squish the bread slice tightly inside. Doing so makes the Kong last longer. As your dog licks her toy, her saliva causes the bread to stick inside the toy, which makes it even more challenging for your dog.

2. Squirt of Honey

Dogs love sweet stuff just like humans! Before running out the door, squirt half a teaspoon of honey on the bottom of a Kong. Even better is to use drizzled honey as a topper for another Kong stuffing recipe.

Drizzle honey on top of a bread slice, chopped up fruit, oatmeal or kibble for a luscious dog treat. Since honey is basically sugar, moderation is key and a tiny amount works best.

3. Store Bought Treats

Stuffing hard dog treats into a Kong works great too. Choose wide medium-sized store bought dog treats that fit snugly inside of your dog’s Kong. Then, toss to your dog as you’re heading to work. Bendable stick treats work great too. Bend and stuff a stick inside the toy until it stays firmly in place. If for some reason, treats fall out of a toy, stuff a slice of bread inside to hold everything together. Voila!

4. Chopped Fruit

If your dog is watching his waistline, stuff chopped up fruit inside his Kong. Dogs love pears, pineapple, cantaloupe, watermelon and apples. Just hold the grapes please because grapes are toxic to dogs. Seal the toy opening with a chuck of banana for a long lasting and sweet treat.

5. Leftover Oatmeal

As kiddos are heading out the door for school, stuff their leftover oatmeal inside a toy for your dog. While frozen food stuffed toys last longer, an oatmeal-filled Kong will keep your dog happy for 10-20 minutes.

To make an oatmeal stuffed toy last longer, seal with peanut butter or a banana chunk. Oatmeal is a very healthy treat for dogs. It’s full of fiber, yet low in fat, and provides additional nutrients.

6. Leftover Meat

Dogs love meat. Stuff a slice of roasted turkey or chicken inside a Kong. It’s tempting to use fatty meats, such as ham and steak, but use them in moderation to prevent upset stomachs. To keep meat securely in place, firmly squish a slice of bread or banana chunk around meat chucks inside the toy.

RELATED: Can Dogs Be Vegan?

7. Prescription Only Diets

Due to chronic issues, some dogs can only eat a prescription diet. That’s OK because pet owners can quickly stuff a toy for them too! Fill a Kong with prescription kibble and seal the top with prescription canned food. Of course, freezing would make it last longer, but something is better than nothing. 🙂

8. Cheese Cubes

Cheese, glorious cheese! Stuff cheese cubes inside the bottom of a Kong. When stuffing, really squish cheese cubes tightly inside to make it last longer. For dogs watching their waistlines, add fruit chunks with a few cheese cubes. We all know cheese and fruit taste fabulous together.

Rotate between each Kong stuffing idea. Your dog will love you for it!

Quick Kong Stuffing Recipes For Dogs

Reiki For Dogs: Transferring Healing Energy

April 17, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Reiki for Dogs

Due to the overwhelming positive reactions to our article on psychic readings, I’ve decided to discuss Reiki for dogs. 🙂 Reiki is considered an alternative therapy, but it’s a hot research topic lately. Regardless of a pet owner’s beliefs, it’s important to note Reiki certainly has benefits for both dogs and pet owners. Chances are pet owners are probably performing a version of Reiki now.

What is Reiki?

During a Reiki session, one person passes healing, calm and positive energy to another. Energy can be sent remotely or in-person between individuals and animals, and it’s pretty cool to watch the process. When someone is sick, saying a prayer or sending positive thoughts to that person is considered a type of Reiki. Just sitting quietly next to someone for support is another form of Reiki too. Dogs are famous for sitting next to an upset person to comfort him. 🙂

Reiki is more flexible than prayer, as an individual is more focused on sending positive energy than remembering prayer wording. However, there are Reiki practitioners who find peace reciting mantras and positive intentions. Honestly, it depends on an individual’s belief system and what he finds most comforting.

Does Reiki Work for Dogs?

Everyone has a different belief system, which can cloud perspectives. Many pet owners with strict religious beliefs may deny the power of Reiki despite alternative belief systems describing its effectiveness. In short, there’s no wrong or right answer, depending on your belief system.

With that said, there’s a sense of peace when a person quiets his mind while praying or focusing on positive thoughts. Simply sitting in a room with a quiet, calm and positive person can bring immediate relief to a worrying individual sitting close by. Research has proven sitting still and taking deep breaths while petting a dog can improve one’s well-being.

Reiki Sessions for Dogs

Sitting still and sending quiet therapeutic energy to your dog is calming. Not only will Reiki calm an anxious dog, but it will quiet an anxious pet owner too. Find 10 minutes in your evening schedule and sit in a quiet part of your home. Turn on soft music, sit on the floor (if able) and slowly pet your dog.

Similar to massaging your dog, moving slowly and taking slow deep breaths are key. Close your eyes and visualize healing energy emanating from the palm of your hands. Now lay your hands on your dog, and envision this healing light and energy radiating into your dog. Continue to take deep breaths and focus. If your dog has trouble spots, such as arthritic hips, lightly hover over or lay your hands on both of your dog’s hips.

Continue to send positive energy to certain areas for 2-5 minutes, and then move to another troublesome area for a couple of minutes. Reiki sessions can last 10-90 minutes. It depends on the individuals giving and receiving Reiki. Most dogs fall fast asleep during the process, and pet owners are usually relaxed and a bit tired afterwards too. Honestly, there’s no wrong or right answer to how long or often you do Reiki. It depends on both individuals.

Regardless if you believe in Reiki or not, quieting the mind is greatly beneficial. Take a moment and include your dog in the process too. It can heal you both. 🙂

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