When thinking about supplements, Dr. Su that a lot of dog relaxation supplements look for to deal with the main nerve system, to promote relaxation and hinder stress and anxiety signals—and considering that both dogs and people are mammals, he explains that a few of the exact same substances that people utilize to relax (L-theanine, ashwagandha) are likewise effective with dogs. “Supplement-wise, we are looking fundamentally to promote neural signals that are calming, and block the stress-inducing neural signaling,” Dr. Su says. “Amino acids are neural transmitters—L-Theanine promotes relaxation, for example. You get amino acids from protein sources and when taken at sufficient doses.
“Another one is ashwagandha. If you say it, it sounds like a hippie remedy, but it has scientific literature backing it. The root extract is what we are looking for, and it comes in tablets, chewable, all kinds of different forms, with behavioral supplements. For some dogs, like those afraid of fireworks, you would give it a week or two ahead of time so it has time to build up in their system and so they are ready for the big day. Then keep administering it for the scattered fireworks afterward.”
