Calming Pheromone Diffusers For Dogs - Are They Effective?

It’s no surprise that dogs tend to have far more energy than us humans. After all, they are built to lead more active lifestyles. Whether it’s remaining calm, or supporting your dog’s anxiety, there are natural approaches and products you can use to help them. Calming plug-ins for dogs being one of them!

But what are they and how do they work? Or the more pressing question, are they effective? Read on below to find out more.

What are calming diffusers for dogs made of?

Many calming diffusers for dogs are made with pheromones. These are a form of chemical messaging that occur naturally between individuals of the same species.  As humans we are used to using sound and vision when communicating, whereas animals use a lot of chemical communication by releasing pheromones.

The type of pheromone released will determine the response of the animal detecting it. An appeasing pheromone will provide reassuring and comforting messages. This is most effective for dogs with anxiety, nervousness or overexcitement.

Dogs retain the ability to detect pheromones throughout their life. So, this means that both young and adult dogs can respond to appeasing messages.

How they work

Calming pheromone diffusers for dogs work by releasing an appeasing message within your home. These comforting pheromones are naturally produced by mother dogs after they have given birth. The mother releases pheromones to her puppies to help them feel secure and safe to start exploring the world around them. Our ADAPTIL Calm Diffuser, for example, provides the same reassurance to help dogs relax. This is key as they face the everyday challenging situations that living with us can present.

Directions for use are super easy! As the name implies, simply plug the diffuser into a socket. You should aim to have your dog’s pheromone diffuser in the room they spend most of their time in. This will help to ensure they have the best exposure to the pheromone.

Can humans smell the pheromones in the diffusers?

No, humans cannot smell or detect a dog pheromone diffuser. In fact, neither can cats!

The pheromone itself is odourless but some people can detect a smell of the oily carrier. As with any device that is warming up, there can be a slight initial smell in the first 24 hours but it tends to be little to none.

Do Dog Calming Plug-Ins Work?

Yes! Calming plug-ins for dogs do work and are effective with supporting nervous or stressed dogs at home. With our ADAPTIL Calm Diffuser, caregivers often start to see results within the first 7 days. However, it’s good to keep in mind that all dogs are unique.  

Behavioural issues are also another factor to keep in mind. You should always consult a vet about your dog’s behavioural issues so that they can assess for any underlying medical conditions. In addition, it’s best to seek help from an accredited behaviourist or dog trainer. This way you can create a modified plan to manage and support your dog’s anxiety or the issue that’s causing them distress.

Calming pheromone diffusers for dogs offer great support but as a pet parent, we cannot expect the diffusers to change our dog’s behaviour alone. The plug-ins are there to help make them feel comfortable and for supporting them in stressful situations they may experience at home. This could be spending time alone, bringing home a new puppy, fireworks or storms.

ADAPTIL Calm Diffuser – What you can expect

Making a more popular resurgence in the world of dog owners, plug-in diffusers are a great product to have in your household. But with so many variations out there, it can be difficult choosing a pheromone diffuser for your dog. Especially when you can’t smell or see what is being released! 

ADAPTIL Calm Home Diffuser is a globally recognised product recommended by vets and often used by vets for calming dogs during their visit. As the leading calming pheromone diffuser used for dogs, here’s what you can expect from using our product:

• One diffuser covers a range of 70 square metres. For optimal use, avoid plugging it in behind objects or hanging objects that are within a height of 1.2m. This ensures the pheromone can spread out in your room.
  
  
• ADAPTIL Calm is designed to be left on all the time, so don’t fear leaving it on overnight! It will warm up slightly, but this is normal and helps to spread the appeasing messages.
  
  
• Also known as the ‘bottle’ or ‘vial’, our refills last up to 30 days. For continuous support, simply replace, refill and voila!
  
  
• You can use our calming plug-in for dogs for as long as you want. There are no long-term side effects and dogs will not become addicted to the pheromone.
  
  
• The diffuser takes 24 hours to be at working temperature. So, if you are plugging this in for a specific event known to cause stress for your dog, it’s best to plug it in a couple of days beforehand. That’s not to say that it takes 2 days to work, it just helps to ensure the pheromone is in the environment. To be most effective for your dog, you’ll want them to be perceiving it and benefiting from it before the challenging event occurs.

• ADAPTIL Calm is also safe for dogs receiving medication for a different condition. They detect the message in a special organ called the vomeronasal organ (located between the mouth and nose). As a result, it will not interfere with any medications.

• Ideally, plug the diffuser away from open windows or areas with high air movement such as hallways. Open-air sources can carry the scent away from where you want this to be.
  
  
• With all dogs being different, the response to the challenges they face will also vary. This is why we recommend leaving this plugged in for at least 30 days.

This all sounds great right? And so it is! 

Keeping your dog happy and calm

Hopefully now with the above, you have learnt all you need to know about calming pheromone diffusers for dogs. It’s important to remember that there are all kinds of reasons for why your dog may be anxious. So finding the cause is always the first step. In particular if it is severe, you should never overlook your dog’s anxiety unless confirmed by a veterinary professional.