A dog calming treat is an easy to administer capsule or tablet that you provide to your dog to help with calming your dog, reduce nervousness and assist in reducing barking or aggressive behaviours seen in some dogs prior to using calming treats.
Dog Calming treats are sometime referred to as calming chews or bites due to their tablet or capsule like form.
The range of dog calming treats is vast, from dried bites through to chewy snacks, some are made from unnatural ingredients, while others include only natural ingredients, which is the type of calming dog treat we would also recommend here at GreenDog Dog Training.
Let me explain my reasoning for this below.
The full list of dog treats I would highly recommend are:
I would recommend Adaptyl & Pet Remedy due to the available application methods they offer, as they offer for example a plugin diffuser, collar, wipes or a travel spray. IF you are one of the loving owners that struggles to administer your dogs medication, these solution provide a fantastic alternative that is both less stressful for our furry family member and help to reduce your anxiety as the loving owner. While UCalm, Nutricalm, Zylkene ad Pooch & Mutt are all typically tablet based and can be more challenging to administer but is a good treat option I would still recommend.
Another reason I would recommend the below options is also due the them all highly recommend and very popular with most veterinarians.
I cannot say I have any specific treats I cannot recommend, but I would always suggest to dog owners to edge on the side of caution and do your own research to ensure the treats you are considering are both pet friendly, natural in their ingredients and consult your vet if you have any concerns, always consult with a qualified veterinarian in any instances that you dog reacts I a manner not normal to their typical behaviour or has signs or a reaction to any treats.
I would also always advise dog owners to choose a calming treat that is supported and backed by a Vet recommendation.
There is no concrete scientific evidence that dog calming treats work, what evidence is available shows its scientific effectiveness is very low currently.
However, veterinary experts like Dr. Greenstein have pointed out “There is a growing amount of research that shows that calming treats can help in decreasing anxiety. But not every patient, every dog, will be as easily managed with something as simple as a treat and nothing else.”
Sources: Dr. Greenstein and The Dog People.
While scientific evidence is lacking to date, calming treats have been supportive in reducing the dog’s anxiety, nervousness and overall wellbeing.
Here at GreenDog Dog Training we try to identify the root causes that have led to this point and the need to consider using high-quality calming treats and instead look to fix the primary issue which will always be the most effective and long-term solution.
This really depends on the dog breed and the environment and other factors.
Treats will always, again, be an effective supporting option to help mitigate while the root cause is identified, managed and applicable training applied to both dog and owner.
Other factors would include:
All of the above are key factors and need considering as just hoping calming treats will resolve the issue, in a busy home environment, this would not be the case for example.
Our training options help identify the main problem and ways to manage this long-term.
A suitable, high-quality natural calming treat can be really good and a supportive tool to help your furry family member enduring training to cope with anxiety in high-stress and challenging situations.
It’s not the calming treat that works, it’s the ingredients that tends to be key, finding the correct treat can be tricky.
Calming treat brands include:
We suggest always looking for Vet recommended products where possible.
The range is much smaller but includes:
Calming Treats are available in most reputable pet stores, however anything stronger would require you to visit your vets for it to be prescribed.
If however you do not feel confident, our first recommendation as a course of action would be to work with a certified dog trainer like GreenDog Dog Training to help first suggest a suitable process to both calm your dog, with a goal to identify the root cause of the issue and a likely remedy through specific training for both your furry family member and you.
If after this method has still not been able to fully support your dog, this is where we as a certified dog trainer would then recommend speaking with your designated veterinarian.
So why would you need to use calming treats in the first place:
Calming treats are only good for short term use, never use calming treats as a long-term solution. If your dog appears to still require support after having tried calming treats, speak with your vet and seek professional guidance for a more accurate diagnosis.
Administering the calming treat is easy due their form as they are either in a capsule or tablet format for easy consumption by the dog directly or inclusion in their meals if needed.
However, if the typical options are not working, other administration methods like a collar, diffuser and wipes are just some of the additional options available to you.
We would always recommend you carefully read the manufacturers guidance around dosage and storage.
While calming treats should always be a short-term option until the root cause is resolved through constructive profession dog training with both the dog and owner, it’s also worth noting that not any one treat is the “perfect” solution for your furry family member as the ingredient makeup of each differing treat will have a different impact on your dog.
We strongly advise you always consult with your vet before giving your dog any form of treats or treatment to always ensure the wellbeing of your dog, which is top priority. Before giving your dog any calming treats, we also strongly recommend, you discuss this with your qualified veterinarian and then monitor your dog closely for any signs of change after giving them a new treat.
If you are ever in doubt, just speak with your vet to always ensure your dog’s wellbeing.
