4th of July is such a fun time to celebrate with family and friends; however, many of our furry friends don’t feel the same way! Many dogs (and cats) are anxious with loud sounds from fireworks, thunderstorms and/or large gatherings and parties. Loud noises don’t bother our Havanese, Ivy, who tends to be more nervous about vet appointments, dog grooming and separating from us. Post-Covid she now gets nervous when we have people over, and especially when we invite more than a handful of people. Our Danny is turning 18 (can you believe it) in July, which is definitely reason to celebrate. Here are a few essential oils we will use to help Ivy settle in and enjoy the party!
Top 5 Essential Oils For Calming Pets
- Frankincense: Frankincense is an oil I use often with our dog, Ivy. She responds well to the scent, and will come sniff the bottle when I have it in my hand and hold it out. I also like to dilute Frankincense with some FCO in my palms and then gently pet Ivy. She of course loves this, and it also helps her calm down and relax. Frankincense is also an oil Danny responds well to, so I diffuse Frankincense for the people and pets in our house often, as well.
- Serenity: Serenity is known as doTERRA’s restful blend, and is a great one to help calm and soothe your pets. Serenity is a mix of several oils that were blended together for the specific purpose of helping to create a restful/peaceful environment. This blend is also great to diffuse prior to a stressful event for your pet and/or dilute with FCO and then pet your pet!
- Lavender: While Lavender is one of the oils in the blend Serenity, I often use it by itself. Lavender is also known to help calm pets (and people), and can also be calming for their skin. If Ivy has bug bites, cuts or scrapes I definitely choose lavender to dilute and then pet into the affected areas. I love that it has the added benefit of calming her emotions as well as her skin!
- Balance: Balance is another oil blend that Ivy has chosen. It is obvious to see she prefers Balance, and is drawn to the scent when I hold out the bottle, diffuse it, or even apply it topically to myself or Danny. She also gets nervous on long car rides, and I like to diffuse Balance in my car diffuser and apply to the back pads of her feet. It is almost instantly calming, and the effect on her is fun to witness!
- Copaiba: Copaiba essential oil is also very calming for our furry friends. Many of my clients with larger dogs will give them Copaiba internally in their water on a daily basis to prevent agitation. Ivy is only 8 pounds, so I stick to diffusing Copaiba with another calming oil, or adding it to another blend mentioned above for a soothing massage.
Diffusing any of these oils separately or together before a known stressful event is my favorite way to use essential oils with our dog. I love that the scent benefits everyone in our home (pets, family and guests alike). I have bundled my top 5 oils for pets with a carrier oil to make it easy, convenient and inexpensive for you to support your pets. You can grab my recommendations here: https://doterra.me/dtmrbaQ8
Once you grab these oils we can connect for a personalized protocol for your pets and family members. If your furry friend(s) get stressed around the 4th of July, I hope some of these tips help them relax and enjoy the holiday!