best Calming Treats for dogs
Updated January 2021
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- As Good As It Gets
- Best On A Budget
Bottom Line
This calming treat is made for dogs stressed out issues with car rides, vet visits, and separation anxiety. It contains real chicken liver that any dog will love.
Get your dog to calm down with this natural dog treats with 4 soothing herbs. It contains broad-spectrum hemp extract, high-quality ingredients, and no THC.
Using chamomile and lavender, this treat has a calming effect on adult dogs that also provides dental benefits.
This rawhide-free treat is made using real chicken and is easy to digest.
Formulated by vets, this once-a-day calming treat aids in balancing behavior and promotes relaxation. It’s also infused with ocean kelp that provides antioxidants and prebiotics.
A low-calorie dental bone that provides dental benefits while soothing your dog’s anxiety using chamomile and lavender.
It uses natural chicken flavor and comes in different sizes for different breed sizes.
Pros
Soft, chewy, and easy to break.
Dogs love the flavor.
Effective in calming your pet.
Doesn’t make your dog drowsy or tired.
Affordable price.
Can also be used as training treats.
Perfect size for training.
All-natural ingredients.
Great flavor.
Dual-purpose: calling and dental chew.
Enriched with vitamins and minerals.
Uses chamomile as a natural calming ingredient.
Helps soothe and calm anxious dogs.
Great price.
Formulated for optimal absorption.
Effective in soothing anxiety.
Can be taken as needed.
Non-drowsy formula that promotes balanced behavior.
Dogs enjoy the chewing required by the treat.
Good flavor.
Cons
Finicky eaters might avoid it.
Size runs very.
Some problems with spoilage upon delivery.
Not too calming.
Small and doesn’t stretch.
Chew time doesn’t last long.
For adults dogs only.
Size too small for large breeds.
Calming effect doesn’t work on some dogs.
Calming effect is not too apparent.
- As Good As It Gets
Pet Naturals Of Vermont Calming Treats
Bottom Line
This calming treat is made for dogs stressed out issues with car rides, vet visits, and separation anxiety. It contains real chicken liver that any dog will love.
Pros
Soft, chewy, and easy to break.
Dogs love the flavor.
Effective in calming your pet.
Doesn’t make your dog drowsy or tired.
Affordable price.
Cons
Finicky eaters might avoid it.
- Best On A Budget
Zuke's Mini Naturals Calming Hemp Dog Treats
Bottom Line
Get your dog to calm down with this natural dog treats with 4 soothing herbs. It contains broad-spectrum hemp extract, high-quality ingredients, and no THC.
Pros
Can also be used as training treats.
Perfect size for training.
All-natural ingredients.
Great flavor.
Cons
Size runs very.
Some problems with spoilage upon delivery.
Not too calming.
Small and doesn’t stretch.
SmartBones Calming Chicken Dog Chews
Bottom Line
Using chamomile and lavender, this treat has a calming effect on adult dogs that also provides dental benefits.
This rawhide-free treat is made using real chicken and is easy to digest.
Pros
Dual-purpose: calling and dental chew.
Enriched with vitamins and minerals.
Uses chamomile as a natural calming ingredient.
Helps soothe and calm anxious dogs.
Great price.
Cons
Chew time doesn’t last long.
For adults dogs only.
Size too small for large breeds.
Vet's Best Comfort Calm Soft Chews
Bottom Line
Formulated by vets, this once-a-day calming treat aids in balancing behavior and promotes relaxation. It’s also infused with ocean kelp that provides antioxidants and prebiotics.
Pros
Formulated for optimal absorption.
Effective in soothing anxiety.
Can be taken as needed.
Non-drowsy formula that promotes balanced behavior.
Cons
Calming effect doesn’t work on some dogs.
Bonies Natural Calming Formula Bones
Bottom Line
A low-calorie dental bone that provides dental benefits while soothing your dog’s anxiety using chamomile and lavender.
It uses natural chicken flavor and comes in different sizes for different breed sizes.
Pros
Dogs enjoy the chewing required by the treat.
Good flavor.
Cons
Calming effect is not too apparent.
How We Decided
ecause these treats address a specific problem, it was important to see how our MDWT dogs responded to these calming treats. We used this real-life testing and supplemented it with online research to find the best calming treats for dogs. Here’s a breakdown of how we decided:
23
Models Considered
8
Hours Researched
1
Experts Interviewed
5
Consumer Consulted
Buying Guide For The Best Calming Treats for Dogs
Anxiety is a common behavioral issue for dogs and it’s caused by different reasons like socialization issues, age, and trauma, among others. It can be triggered by things like loud noises (fireworks, thunder, sirens, etc.), new environments and people, or separation.
Whatever the case may be, anxiety can be treated through behavioral training, bonding time, prescriptions, or over-the-counter medication like calming treats.
Dog calming treats are the most available and ready treatment for anxiety and they contain non-medical ingredients to help calm your dog and soothe their symptoms when they arise. These products are considered as supplements and are not medication, per se.
Since they’re not considered as a medical treatment, these products aren’t as heavily regulated and so their claims to calm and soothe aren’t always accurate. Pet parents must be aware of this when buying calming treats.
Given this, calming treats must be used with some skepticism. If your dog has serious anxiety problems, it would be best to consult your vet and receive proper medication. However, for simpler symptoms, these treats can be effective.
Buying Guide For The Best Calming Treats for Dogs
Anxiety is a common behavioral issue for dogs and it’s caused by different reasons like socialization issues, age, and trauma, among others. It can be triggered by things like loud noises (fireworks, thunder, sirens, etc.), new environments and people, or separation.
Whatever the case may be, anxiety can be treated through behavioral training, bonding time, prescriptions, or over-the-counter medication like calming treats.
Dog calming treats are the most available and ready treatment for anxiety and they contain non-medical ingredients to help calm your dog and soothe their symptoms when they arise. These products are considered as supplements and are not medication, per se.
Since they’re not considered as a medical treatment, these products aren’t as heavily regulated and so their claims to calm and soothe aren’t always accurate. Pet parents must be aware of this when buying calming treats.
Given this, calming treats must be used with some skepticism. If your dog has serious anxiety problems, it would be best to consult your vet and receive proper medication. However, for simpler symptoms, these treats can be effective.
Key Considerations
Caution
Because dog calming treats contain some ingredients not found in regular treats, pet owners should be mindful of what ingredients are in these treats. Avoid treats with preservatives and artificial sweeteners as they can be toxic to your dog.
Dog Calming Treat Features
Before buying a dog calming treat, you first have to make sure the symptoms are mild or manageable. Severe anxiety attacks can’t be addressed by treats alone and your dog would need medical attention. You should also consult with your vet first before buying dog calming treats.
If you’ve determined that calming treats are what you need, there are a few features that you should consider.
Ingredients: Always go for those made with all-natural ingredients and medically proven as effective. These are the safe and proven products that will have obvious effects. Some treats use hemp, chamomile, lavender, or valerian as the main calming ingredients.
Flavors: Your dog won’t eat those treats if they’re not delicious! Many treats are flavored using real meat or peanut butter and these naturally flavored treats are your best options over the artificially flavored variety.
Form: Calming treats come in different forms. Some are chewy and small and can be used for training, others are shaped like sticks or bones and are tougher to give your dog a fun time chewing. These chew treats can also provide dental benefits, making them a dual purpose treat.
Expert Tip
Pay attention to your dog’s body language. Dogs can be triggered because of the actions or behaviors of their pet parents or other people around them. You can enlist the help of a professional behaviorist to reduce their anxiety.
Calming Treats for Dogs Prices
The products on our list are not meant as medication for anxiety or stress which makes them inexpensive. These products are meant to soothe minor symptoms as needed. However, because of the unique ingredients, be prepared for your dog to reject some of these treats. It will cost you money trying to find the product they like.
If your dog is suffering from severe anxiety or stress, you’ll need to seek medical help from your vet. Calming medication is more expensive, however, they can provide a long-term solution especially if paired with behavioral training.
Tips
- Spend a lot of time with your dog to determine their stress and anxiety triggers. The more you know about how they behave or react to certain things, it will be easier to calm them down.
- Prevention is better than a cure. One of the ways you can prevent anxiety or stress is to properly socialize your dog. Introducing your dog to as many humans, dogs, animals, and experiences as possible can help them adjust to the world around them better.
- Rescue dogs usually have traumatic experiences that have serious repercussions to their behavior. However, with love and the help of professionals, rescue dogs can overcome their trauma and fear.
- When using calming treats, make sure to follow the recommended serving. Overfeeding them can cause drowsiness, lethargy, or digestive issues.
other products we Considered
Aside from our top picks, here are other products still worth considering given their positive reviews:
KarmaPets Calming Treats: These 100% vegan and organic treats ensure you’re getting natural and healthy ingredients and a 100% money-back guarantee.
Zesty Paws Calming Bites. For excessive barkers or hyperactive dogs, this treat contains pure zen-theanine that helps keep aggressive behavior in check.
FAQ's
Do calming treats work?
Yes, calming treats can be effective in soothing minor daily anxiety. It can help your dog cope with the causes of their stress, however, these aren’t a cure and are for short-term use only. Ideally, these should be used simultaneously with proper medication and/or behavioral training.
Can I give human medication to calm my dog?
Yes, some human medication like melatonin can be given to dogs in small doses. But don’t do this without consulting with your vet first. Your vet will guide you on the right medication and the proper dosage that your dog needs.
The Team That WOrked on This Review
Nitin Gupta
Chief Content Officer
JJ Resnick
Director of Growth
Erik Adler
Editorial Director