Dealing With Dog Anxiety
Dealing with an anxious dog can be stressful. As his owner, you’re probably always looking for the next best solution to calm your anxious dog. Allow me to introduce you to DAP therapy, which stands for Dog Appeasing Pheromone (DAP). I was a bit skeptical in the beginning. Then, I witnessed the calming effect pretty quickly during private lessons and group classes.
What is Dog Appeasing Pheromone Therapy?
DAP mimics a mother dog’s pheromones, which she produces while nursing her puppies. This pheromone has a calming effect for most dogs. There’s a version for cats too, which is especially useful for urine marking or pottying outside their litter box.
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How Should I Use It?
DAP is produced by many different companies. Personally, I’ve had the best luck with Comfort Systems. However, try different brands to find the right one for your dog. Choose from diffusors, sprays or towelettes. Each form of DAP emits pheromones into the air.
- Diffusers: They work best in a small room. Plug it in next to your dog’s crate.
- Sprays: Mist in air before leaving, spray on a cloth toy/ bedding in dog’s crate, or spritz on a bandana and tie around your dog’s neck.
- Towelettes: Wipe along your dog’s bed or carry during car rides.
Will it Help My Dog?
Yes. I’ve noticed a decent improvement for most dogs. Many vets, who are board-certified in animal behavior, recommend DAP as part of their behavior protocols. Some will mist the air during consultations.
DAP works well for separation anxiety, chronic stress, fearfulness, aggression (symptom of anxiety), thunderstorm phobia, reactivity to loud sounds and so on. Keep an eye on your dog. Sometimes–it’s very rare–it can make things worse. As with any treatment, there are side effects.
Now, this is not a miracle product. It’s always best to use DAP with a combination of products for maximum effectiveness with anxious dogs. DAP works really well with music therapy, Thundershirt and supplements. It’s definitely a great product and worth the money.
