Natural Stress Relief for Dogs

There are many medications to relieve your dog's stress, but natural stress relief is often the best answer, especially if your dog doesn't do well on medications.

Pills and Sprays

There are many concoctions of natural ingredients shown to reduce stress in dogs. These can come in pill form or liquid form, which can be placed on your dog's collar, squeezed directly on his tongue or dropped in his water bowl.

The most well-known of these stress relievers is Rescue Remedy, which is now recommended for anxious dogs by many veterinarians, who suggest giving your dog a few drops before appointments. These drops should be administered a half hour before a stressful event or throughout the day.

There are too many natural stress relievers to mention by name, but an internet search will give you more options than you could dream to peruse. Many have several ingredients and cover a wide range of symptoms. Herbal Essences, on the other hand, are more specific and have several different types geared specifically for your dog's specific stress, such as anxiety, fear or loss.


Many natural remedies now rely on natural pheromones, designed after a mother's soothing pheromones, which she would use to calm her puppies. These come in the forms of drops, collars or plug-ins. The drops can be used much like the drops listed above, or you can buy a longer-lasting option that releases the pheromones constantly.

Longer-lasting options come in the form of collars, which release the pheromones near your dog at all times, or plug-ins, which plug into the wall exactly like human room fresheners. Humans can't smell these pheromones, and they are best used if plugged in near your dog's bed or an area where he spends most of his time.


The effectiveness of wraps in reducing stress was discovered when dogs who were afraid of thunderstorms were more calm when wrapped tightly in human shirts. Now, there are many commercial wraps available, such as comfort vests, which advertise reducing your dog's anxiety in stressful situations.

It is suspected that these wraps hit pressure points that help relax your dog or just provide more comfort, just like humans like to wrap in a blanket. While specially designed vests and wraps are effective, in a pinch, simply place a human shirt on your dog. Just be sure to tie a knot in the side somewhere so the shirt fits snugly.

Canine Massage

Massage relaxes dogs, just as it relaxes us. There are several types of massage, such as Tellington Touch, designed to calm your dog, but any type of massage will work to relax your dog if he likes to be touched.

Try just petting your dog with long, slow, calming strokes when he is stressed. Rub light circles around the insides of your dogs ears or massage the legs and feet. These are all calming touches. Just be sure to use a light touch, as dogs are more sensitive to touch than humans.

Provide a Den

Dogs are den animals and often feel more comfortable in small, dark places. Make sure your dog has access to such places, such as a crate in an unused corner, under a desk, behind furniture or a small room of his own. Lead your dog to this place when he is stressed and leave him there, with you nearby, of course. If you are consistent with this, your dog will start seeking out this place on his own.