Essential oils for dogs – which ones are good?
Just like with us humans, essential oils can also have a soothing and relaxing effect on your four-legged friend. But not all essential oils that are good for us bipeds should also be used for your dog. That’s why it’s even more important to always use them only in consultation with veterinarians, behavioral therapists, or dog trainers.
In practice, the following essential oils are most commonly used for dogs:
Lemongrass
Eucalyptus
Lavender
Chamomile
Valerian
Tea tree
You should consult your veterinarian before adding essential oils.
Effects of essential oils on dogs
What are essential oils actually used for in dogs? As with us humans, these fragrant oils also have various effects on our four-legged friends. Lavender, for example, can have a calming effect on your dog and is often used for conditioned relaxation. Other possible applications include:
to support skin health (e.g. with chronic skin conditions, recurring infections)
to support a healthy gut
for ear infections
to support healing of wounds
for behavioral conditioning with scents
for relaxation and calming in stressful situations such as →when traveling
as a natural →tick repellent
If you want to do something good for your dog and →support them during training, you can also use delicious and high-quality snacks. Thanks to our wide selection and premium ingredients, you’re sure to find your four-legged friend’s new favorite treat with us.
Healthy snacking has never been so tasty!
These are the possible ways to use them
Contrary to what you might expect, there are different ways to use essential oils. The pure drops of the oil are rarely administered. Often, the substance is far too intense and is therefore diluted first.
For internal use, i.e. for ingestion, after consulting with veterinarians, suppositories, capsules, or inhalation are recommended. For external use you can use ointments, sprays, drops, or shampoos.
It’s important that you don’t just give your dog essential oils or start aromatherapy on your own. Make sure to inform yourself thoroughly and always seek advice from experts in this field. This is the only way to support your dog with essential oils, harness their full effect, and eliminate health risks.
Some essential oils can help your dog relax better.
What you should keep in mind when using them
Since our pets have a different metabolism, they do not tolerate some aromatic substances as well as we do. So it may be that a scent you really like contains an active ingredient that your dog can barely or not at all break down. If used incorrectly or dosed improperly, essential oils can therefore lead to health consequences or even →poisoning. To avoid this, you should always consult with experts in dog health or training before using essential oils on your dog.
Additionally, your dog has a very sensitive nose and perceives scents much more intensely than you do. That’s why you should always use aromatic substances in diluted form. To find out whether your dog even likes a scent, you can first put a drop on a paper towel and let them sniff it from a safe distance.
