Bach Flower Remedies for Dogs: Natural Stress Relief and More
Bach Flower Remedies for Dogs: Natural Stress Relief and More
If you’ve ever felt helpless while watching your beloved canine companion suffer from anxiety, fear, or even aggression, you’re not alone.
The good news is that there’s a natural, gentle way to help your dog achieve emotional balance and well-being: Bach Flower Remedies for dogs. Let’s embark on a journey to discover how these remedies can make a world of difference in your dog’s life.
Understanding Bach Flower Remedies for Dogs
Since their discovery by Dr. Edward Bach in the 1930s, Bach Flower Remedies have been used to balance emotions and address separation anxiety, fear or phobias as well as aggression issues for dogs.
Composed of different flower essences, individual remedies or combinations of remedies are employed with great results on the dog's emotional state such as stress symptoms and dominance behavior.
In order to foster an overall sense of wellbeing among our furry friends, specific treatments will help them find inner peace while conquering any obstacles that hinder their happiness.
History of Bach Flower Remedies
In 1917, after a severe illness and diagnosis of throat cancer, Dr. Edward Bach dedicated himself to expanding scientific study in regards to flower essences, among them the wild rose and crab apple varieties. His work resulted in Bach Flower Remedies for emotional imbalances, also called Bach Flower Therapy. It used plants as well as flowers to address one’s inner states of being.
After his passing in the 1930’s, Nora Weeks ensured that Dr. Bach’s revolutionary research persisted by continuing her mentor’s studies with remedies made from various flora sources such as Flowers.
The List of all the Remedies and What They are Used for
Each of the 38 remedies discovered by Dr Bach is directed at a particular characteristic or emotional state.
Agrimony - mental torture behind a cheerful face
Aspen - fear of unknown things
Beech - intolerance
Centaury - the inability to say 'no'
Cerato - lack of trust in one's own decisions
Cherry Plum - fear of the mind giving way
Chestnut Bud - failure to learn from mistakes
Chicory - selfish, possessive love
Clematis - dreaming of the future without working in the present
Crab Apple - the cleansing remedy, also for self-hatred
Elm - overwhelmed by responsibility
Gentian - discouragement after a setback
Gorse - hopelessness and despair
Heather - self-centeredness and self-concern
Holly - hatred, envy and jealousy
Honeysuckle - living in the past
Hornbeam - tiredness at the thought of doing something
Impatiens - impatiens
Larch - lack of confidence
Mimulus - fear of known things
Mustard - deep gloom for no reason
Oak - the plodder who keeps going past the point of exhaustion
Olive - exhaustion following mental or physical effort
Pine - guilt
Red Chestnut - over-concern for the welfare of loved ones
Rock Rose - terror and fright
Rock Water - self-denial, rigidity and self-repression
Scleranthus - inability to choose between alternatives
Star of Bethlehem - shock
Sweet Chestnut - Extreme mental anguish, when everything has been tried and there is no light left
Vervain - over-enthusiasm
Vine - dominance and inflexibility
Walnut - protection from change and unwanted influences
Water Violet - quiet self-reliance leading to isolation
White Chestnut - unwanted thoughts and mental arguments
Wild Oat - uncertainty over one's direction in life
Wild Rose - drifting, resignation, apathy
Willow - self-pity and resentment
How Bach Flower Remedies Work
When trying to determine the best Bach Flower Remedy for a dog exhibiting distress, it’s important to look at their emotions while in that state. For example, walnut is great for providing emotional security when life changes occur and overwhelming external pressures are present.
This helps them keep true to themselves while adapting. Examining body language can be beneficial in choosing which remedy will help balance out negative feelings such as fear of loud noises or separation anxiety they may experience.
With these remedies dogs can achieve tranquility and attain equilibrium within all aspects of their lives better emotionally handle any situation given its calming effects.
Side Effects and Overdose
Bach Flowers are essences which are derived from plants, trees, and in some cases, minerals. They're completely non-toxic and have little taste or smell and work gently to balance the emotional and physical bodies of animals, dogs included.
These remedies are homeopathic so there is no opportunity for overdosing, which is different from allopathic medications, and no harm can come from taking them.
They can safely be given to all other animals of all shapes and sizes, not just dogs.
Common Emotional Issues in Dogs and Corresponding Remedies
When it comes to emotional issues, dogs can unfortunately suffer from a variety of problems such as separation anxiety, fear and phobias or even aggression. Bach Flowers offer an effective solution by providing the right remedies for every specific issue.
We will now look at each individual problem in detail and explore how these flower remedies can help bring relief for your dog companion. However, none of the situations are black and white, and the owner's intuition plays a big part in selecting the right remedies for the maximum effectiveness of the treatment.
Separation Anxiety
Anxiety in dogs due to separation from their owners is known as separation anxiety. This often results in behavior such as pacing, whining and destruction of the environment.
Separation Anxiety can have many layers to it but some common remedies that may support these distressed dogs are Larch for confidence, Mimulus for fear of known things like being alone and Honeysuckle for helping the dogs to let go of the past and be more present.
White Chestnut for a busy mind may be helpful and Clematis for grounding could also resonate.
Fear and Phobias
Bach Flower Remedies like Aspen, Mimulus and Rock Rose can be used to help dogs manage their fear-related anxiety and improve their quality of life. These remedies are particularly beneficial for helping calm apprehensive pooches in loud environments or when faced with unknown triggers such as unfamiliar situations.
Aggression and Dominance
Using Bach Flower Remedies like Holly, Vine and Beech can help restore equilibrium and peace to a dog’s emotional wellbeing that is having issues with aggression or being too domineering.
These natural remedies provide an excellent solution for both the canine in question and their family members who have been dealing with these behavioral problems.
Oversensitivity to Stimuli
Bach Flower Essences are found to be very helpful in overstimulated situations, such as fireworks or thunder.
Dogs like all animals are very aware of their energetic environment and the emotional and energetic states of their owners. Their empathy can be overwhelming for them. Walnut helps them to be in different environments and supports their energetic autonomy. It is great for owners who are empaths as well.
Walnut helps with energetic boundaries. Dogs like all animals are very aware of their energetic environment and the emotional and energetic states of their owners. Their empathy can be overwhelming for them. Walnut helps them to be in different environments and supports their energetic autonomy. It is great for owners who are empaths as well.
Star of Bethlehem may also help if they have an association with too much stimuli and a stressful event.
Sadness, lack of interest or apathy
If your dog is displaying depression-like signs there is a selection of remedies that can help him. Wild Rose is good for apathy, Olive for low energy, and Mustard helps for gloom for no apparent reason.
Constant barking
Depending on the reason for the barking, if it is related to anxiety Cherry plum for fear of losing control or heather for wanting attention from their owner or chicory if they are being possessive of their owner.
The choice of the correct remedy depends on the reason for barking. If barking is related to anxiety, Cherry plum is recommended for fear of losing control. If the dog is wanting attention from their owner, Heather is recommended.
If the animal is being possessive of their owner, Chicory would be the remedy of choice.
There are some situations connected with barking that Bach Flower Remedies will not help with. For instance, if the dog barks because he has excessive energy to burn off, and is barking to relieve boredom. In this case, lifestyle adjustments need to be made to fit with the breed or energy level of the dog you have.
Rescue Remedy: The All-in-One Solution
Rescue Remedy is a combination of five specific Bach Flower essences, developed to give comfort and assistance for dogs in extreme distress situations.
These cases where Rescue Remedy can be effective with our four-legged friends involve: vet visits, being scared by loud noises, feeling isolated from family members or other animals leading to separation anxiety, apprehension when traveling, fears due to thunderstorms or fireworks.
Let us look at the blend’s individual components as well as the times that this remedy would prove especially helpful for pets suffering stress and tension.
Components of Rescue Remedy
Rescue Remedy is an effective blend of five flower essences – Rock Rose, Cherry Plum, Clematis, Impatiens and Star of Bethlehem – to offer relief from a variety of emotional issues for dogs.
Specifically, the essence in Cherry Plum can be utilized by those canine companions who have lost control over their behavior such as barking or scratching excessively. The calming effect that comes with using Impatiens helps anxious pooches while relieving feelings of impatience at the same time so your pet will feel safe and secure again quickly.
Together, this powerful yet gentle remedy targets many stressors that might affect our furry friends every day!
Situations for Using Rescue Remedy
Rescue Remedy. Pet is useful for calming pets in stressful and frightening situations, such as vet visits or reactions to loud noises.
It can help them manage emotions that may be a result of trauma or mistreatment, which could improve their quality of life if given the recommended dosage. Rescue Remedy provides comfort and restores an overall feeling of peace so dogs aren’t overwhelmed by difficult feelings during these times.
By caring for your pet with this remedy, you are helping ensure they have a better emotional state to handle anything on their path ahead!
Administering Bach Flower Remedies to Your Dog
To ensure the effectiveness and safety of Bach Flower Remedies for your canine companion, it is important to know how much and what way you should administer these natural remedies. Here we discuss guidelines on administering them correctly in order to maximize their therapeutic potential.
Dosage Guidelines
When it comes to Bach Flower Remedies for dogs, the recommended dosage is two drops of selected remedy per 30 milliliter of water. This is the ideal dosage that can be put in their water dish. If put into food then taking a TBSP of the diluted remedy from their water dish is ideal to add to their food.
Make sure not to skip doses, just stick with regular administration in order to make sure that treatment stays effective and safe for your dog. In case you do forget one dose, don’t double up next time. Simply continue on a normal routine while monitoring progress closely and adjusting accordingly if necessary.
Methods of Delivery
The tincture can be administered orally or topically, which depends on the situation.
The diluted dose (two drops per 30 milliliter of water) can be put in their water bowl. That dilution can be given directly in their mouth ensuring the medicine dropper is not contaminated. Again, if put into food then taking a TBSP of the diluted remedy from their water dish is ideal to add to their food.
If applied topically, you can put the diluted drops on the dog's paws and have them lick the drops off their paws to avoid contamination of the medicine dropper. It can also be put on the owner's hand and rubbed on the skin of the belly or on the skin of the ears or again the dog can lick off the owner's hand.
Seeing the Results
In order to get the best results patience and consistency are key. It is recommended that you reevaluate their treatment plan every 2-4 weeks in case any adjustments need to be made regarding dosage or selection of a different remedy.
If symptoms fail to improve it could be that the wrong remedy was chosen. Some flower essences are very close in what they treat. For example, for an event that made them fearful, maybe the honeysuckle is needed rather than mimulus. Intuition is good in these circumstances.
The other reason a remedy may not work is if the cause of the dog's behavior is physical: like low thyroid can cause anxiety. A health assessment can determine if something is wrong on the physical level.
Seeking Professional Guidance
If you are seeking a more personalized or intuitive approach to choosing the correct remedies and correct dosage of Bach Flower Remedies for your own dog and situation, please contact us.
Bach Flower Remedies have been a key part of our service offering and used personally and by our clientele since 2006. One of the reasons for this is how safe and easy they are to be used in any situation even if medication is already being used as a supportive tool. They can do no harm and there is no age or size limitations.
Where to Buy the Remedies
Healing Vitality, based in Canada, sells 30 ml treatment bottles locally around the Moncton, NB region and is excited to be able to ship 5ml 'remedy only' bottles and medicine droppers anywhere in Canada for dilution into a 30 ml bottle or container once received.
Unfortunately, outside of Canada shipping costs and various laws for shipping liquids make it prohibitive to offer to send the treatment bottle, which is why we offer the Recipe service.
Otherwise, Bach Flower Remedies are available online through various holistic health supply sellers and through Bach Flower Remedy own website directly.
Conclusion
Bach Flower remedies have a long-standing tradition of helping canines reach emotional balance and stress relief in an all-natural way. When considering treatment for your dog, make sure to consult with the professionals, prioritize their health first and foremost while understanding how these flower based treatments work.
This will then help you select which remedy is best suitable for them individually. After selection and monitoring progress it’s possible to see quality changes in terms of daily life as well as betterment when looking into feelings related specifically to those problematic areas concerning overall wellbeing.
CONTACT US
506-850-4846
heather@healingvitality.ca
Disclaimer of Liability and Affiliations
Heather Drummond is not a Naturopathic Doctor, Medical Doctor, Certified Counsellor or other medical professional. Her assessments and the content of this website are not a replacements for medical advice. Nothing stated in her assessments, courses or on this website should be taken as a reason to avoid appropriate medical or psychological treatment. All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Heather is not curing or diagnosing conditions during her assessments or courses and by participating in any service you are doing so of your free will with the understanding that results varying with each person. At all times, the client is responsible for their outcomes and should follow their own intuition and free will. The content on this website is strictly the opinion of Heather Drummond and is for informational and educational purposes only. Heather Drummond does not take responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program. *****As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases*****