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With summer storms well underway, the anxiety-inducing July 4th holiday quickly approaching, and travel plans on the calendar, we set out to find an easy and effective way for pet parents to ease anxiety and de-stress their dogs (and themselves!) without the use of harsh chemicals or dangerous drugs.
Aromatherapy has long been used as a natural therapy for humans, offering a wide range of healing physical and psychological benefits through the use of carefully selected essential oils. Each of these oils, extracted from flowers, bark, stems, leaves, and roots of plants, serve a different purpose and have been known to help with everything from improving respiratory health, to soothing joint pain, and even easing anxiety.
So, it’s no surprise that aromatherapy can benefit dogs, too! And, with summer stress and anxiety in mind, two essential oils are particularly effective at promoting a calm and relaxing body and mind for our furriest companions: Lavender and Chamomile.
Lavender Oil is very well-known as for its calming properties for humans and dogs alike. A popular and effective choice, lavender is frequently recommended as the most essential of all the essential oils, not just for its powerful calming effect, but also because it’s soothes itchy, dry, or irritated skin, improves mood, and naturally repels fleas, mosquitoes, and other biting bugs.
Another popular choice among parents of anxious pups, Chamomile Oil effectively eases nerves as well as the digestive upset that often accompanies stress and excitability making it an excellent natural treatment for dogs during summer storms, fireworks, and travel.
Longtime fans of the Gerrard Larriett line of aromatherapy pet care products, we were thrilled to try their newest product, a waterless, no-rinse shampoo designed specifically to de-stress our furriest family using lavender and chamomile essential oils.
And, with a summer storm thundering in, the timing was just right!
My 75-pound Golden retriever, Olive, is generally calm, cool, and collected – unless she hears the familiar rumble of a summer storm approaching. Without calming aids and an anxiety wrap, she begins pacing and panting before eventually hiding – usually in a spot she doesn’t actually fit, like behind the sofa or under the bed. So, to really put the De-Stress no-rinse aromatherapy shampoo to the test, I skipped our usual calming routine.
With the foaming shampoo in hand, I sat down on the floor with Olive sitting in front of me, pumped the foam into my hands and began massaging her coat. Starting with Olive’s neck, I massaged the lightly-scented shampoo into her coat, working down her back. After just a few seconds, already beginning to relax, she laid down so I could continue massaging. Within about 5 minutes, she was sound asleep, despite the thunder and pouring rain outside.
In addition to almost instantly calming her, the no-rinse shampoo actually cleaned and conditioned her coat, too! After several minutes, I wiped her coat with a towel to remove any loosened dirt and excess shampoo. Not only was she still asleep, her coat was soft and shiny and she smelled fantastic!
Olive gives Gerrard Larriett’s De-Stress no-rinse shampoo four (very calm) paws up and highly recommends it for any pet parent looking for a natural and effective way to provide a sense of calm while caring for your favorite family member’s skin and coat.
Best of all, Gerrard Larriett has a full line of De-Stress products including traditional shampoo and conditioner, aromatherapy freshening spray, and even a De-Stress aromatherapy candle that’ll deodorize pet odors while filling your home with the relaxing scents of lavender and chamomile.
Check out the entire line at www.GerrardLarriett.com (Lucky you! Dogington Post readers get Free Shipping using the coupon code “DogingtonPost”).
While you’re there, check out Gerrard Larriett’s Vitamin & Essential Oil Sunscreen and Skin Conditioner spray, too! Perfect for keeping your dog’s skin and coat protected from the sun’s harmful rays, this summery-scented spray will quickly become a staple of your summer pet care routine!
And, don’t forget to follow Gerrard Larriett on Facebook and Instagram!
Editor’s Note: This post is sponsored by Gerrard Larriett, who provided compensation for our honest review. However, the opinions are 100% ours! We never recommend a product we aren’t confident using with our own furry family.
