Tips to help dogs avoid freaking out during fireworks and thunderstorm season.

 

It’s hard to believe that July 4^th is just around the corner!  The holiday weekend can be a stressful time for thousands of dogs. Loud noises such as fireworks, holiday activities, travel, and even seasonal thunderstorms, create an unsettling environment for four-legged family members.

Dogs across the country can experience whimpering, cowering, trembling, panting, pacing, drooling, barking, shaking, vomiting and other signs of upset during loud noises, like fireworks. While there has been a growing trend among veterinarians to prescribe anti-anxiety medications for nervous dogs, many dog owners are concerned about potentially negative side effects. Although these medications are necessary at times, there are alternatives to help your dog stay safe and comfortable during July 4^th and other summer activities. Many families have found that Canine Calm natural aromatherapy mist by Earth Heart Inc. helps relax dogs during these unsettling times. 

Traci Noonan Reuter of Elgin, Illinois shared, “We ran out of tranquilizers for our dogs one July 4th, and they were flipping out during the fireworks. Fortunately I had a bottle of Canine Calm, and it was amazing how well it calmed the dogs. No more tranquilizers for my dogs!” 

In addition to natural remedies such as Canine Calm, there are other ways to help your dog stay safe and comfortable during July 4th and other summer activities.

• If your dog is afraid of fireworks, thunderstorms and other loud noises, try to avoid attending events with fireworks whenever possible.

• Stay calm yourself, and reward your dog's calm behavior with treats and kind words.

• You can also keep your dog in a safe secure place during fireworks, perhaps a crate.

• Because many dogs run off when startled by loud noises, be sure your dog is on a leash with an identification tag at all times when outdoors.

Earth Heart's Canine Calm is formulated with pure essential oils that have been traditionally used in natural remedies for relaxation. 

At the first sign of upset, spray 1 or 2 mists on your fingertips and gently massage the dog's outer ears. If you don't see desired results within 10 minutes, you can repeat applying to the outer ears as often as needed. You can also lightly mist the dog's favorite blanket, bandana or bedding used inside the home or travel crate as needed. 

Lisa Putnam Smith, host of Your Pets My Dogs shared, "One of my 3 labs is excitable with loud noises, and he shakes. When I used Canine Calm on July 4th, a calm came over him and he stopped shaking! Canine Calm worked like a charm, allowing him (and us) to sleep through the night, except for the big booms which also made us jump." 

Canine Calm mist is made in the USA and packaged in a BPA free recyclable spray bottle. The spray is easy to use, won't stain or leave a sticky residue on fabric or fur, and is safely diluted for use with puppies as young as eight weeks old. 

Order here today in time for the July 4th weekend! 

Earth Heart recently received a batch of mists with slightly bubbled or creased labels...still readable...with the same quality product inside. Because bubbled labels are not a standard part of our packaging AND because we don't want to waste materials for a small cosmetic flaw, we're offering a "Bubbling With Joy" special in time for the July 4th celebration.  Order 3 bottles (any combination) of our 2-ounce mists & receive FREE shipping when you enter the code "JOY" at checkout. OFFER GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST! 

We send best wishes for a safe, healthy, fun holiday.

Is it necessary to use an emulsifier or preservative in a natural product?

Many of our customers have asked why we use an emulsifier and preservative in our mists. The short answer is that both of those ingredients insure the integrity of our product and improve shelf life.

Polysorbate 20 as emulsifier:

Emulsifiers are used to mix water with oil-soluble ingredients. Because essential oils are not water-soluble, they float on top of the water if not emulsified. Using an emulsifier also guarantees a uniform mixture so that each spray contains the same amount of essential oils. In non-emulsified water-based products, the essential oils float on top of the water and can dissolve the plastic spray tube over several months.

To find the best emulsifier for our mists, we consulted a formulations chemist working for an organic body care products manufacturer. Polysorbate 20 was recommended because it’s been used extensively in the cosmetics and food industries, and considered nontoxic and nonirritating for use with both animals and humans. Polysorbate 20 is made by combining the oleic acid in olive oil with sorbital.

Potassium sorbate as preservative:

Although many pure essential oils have antimicrobial properties, when water is present, there is a possibility of mold. The same formulations chemist helped us find a naturally-derived preservative that has been time-tested in the food and body care industries, that is also nontoxic and nonirritating when used with animals and humans.

Potassium sorbate, which is derived from the mountain ash berry, extends shelf life as much as 18-24 months (as opposed to 6 months).

Earth Heart wants to provide the highest quality, safest products possible. We welcome your comments and questions at vicki@earthheartinc.com or 847-551-1806.

How aromatherapy can help calm your dog.

Dogs love to smell things. They get a clear picture of their world through smell, and their odor acuity is 10,000 to 100,000 times that of humans!  Scent is also connected to the limbic brain, the seat of memory, emotion and learning, and so aromatherapy has the potential to calm your dog as well as facilitate bonding and behavior change. 

Aromatherapy is the art and science of using aromatic plants to restore or enhance health and well-being. Pure essential oils are the heart of aromatherapy, and their complex compounds are extracted from all parts of plants: flower, seed, leaf, bark, root or resin. Scientific studies in Germany and France regarding the medical effects of essential oils on animals and humans were quite advanced by the mid-1800s, and because of positive clinical results, the practice of veterinary aromatherapy was not uncommon in these countries by the mid-1900s.

Many essential oils, including lavender, rose geranium and bergamot, are known to have relaxing effects, and can be safely used to calm your dog, too.  Pure essential oils are highly concentrated (200 pounds of lavender tops are distilled to make one pound of lavender essential oil) and so it is accepted practice to dilute essential oils to avoid sensitization, skin irritation or overwhelming the dog’s sense of smell. It’s important to read labels and be sure products use pure essential oils rather than synthetic fragrance oils that can cause problems such as headaches, agitation or allergic reactions.

In 1999, I was approached by a kennel owner who wanted help with calming her canine visitors. The blend now known as Canine Calm is diluted by using fan-driven diffusers throughout the facility and is also applied to individual dogs in a water-based mist. Diffusing Canine Calm has an overall calming effect, starting in the waiting room – staff stays calm, dogs (and their humans) start to calm down, and other animals in the facility area are less prone to aggressive behavior when a new dog enters the facility.

Pure essential oils have a therapeutic physiological effect and enter the bloodstream when inhaled or applied to the skin. There are many blood vessels on the dog’s outer ears, and so gently massaging the aromatherapy mist into the outer ears gets things moving quickly, although depending on the dog’s health or level of distress, multiple applications may be necessary.

Thinking back to the limbic connection, it can be important for the first exposure to take place at a non-stressful time. For example, when introducing an aromatherapy mist, lightly mist your shirt or pant legs and hang out with your dog to see how the dog responds, and to associate the scent with a person of comfort at a safe time. Use it during training for quick calm focus and then to set the stage at home for practice; for making an easier transition from shelter to forever home; for scenting a familiar object such as a blanket or pillow to leave with the home-alone dog, a scent that reminds the dog of a person of comfort; for bonding with a new puppy (of note, the mists are safe for puppies as young as 8 weeks old).

I love receiving feedback from our customers. My current favorite Canine Calm success story is about a Jack Russell, who is afraid of vacuum cleaners and always runs away when the groomer needs to clean up. The groomer recently tried Canine Calm and left her dog for about 15 minutes; when she returned, the dog was chatting with the vacuum cleaner, holding the hose in her mouth! There are rumors of a video, which we are anxiously awaiting!

Help your dog have a calmer Halloween with Canine Calm.

To help calm your dog during the excitement of Halloween, Canine Calm is a safe, affordable, effective solution.

Pure essential oils traditionally used for relaxation can help soothe whimpering, cowering, trembling, panting, pacing, drooling, barking, shaking, vomiting and other signs of upset during Halloween activities.

Canine Calm natural remedy mist is easy to use. At the first sign of upset, spray 1 or 2 mists on your fingertips and gently massage the dog's outer ears. If you don't see results within 10 minutes, repeat as needed. You can also lightly mist the dog's favorite blanket, bandana or bedding, and repeat as needed.

   

Find a store near you here or order directly from Earth Heart.

Pet Poison Helpline is a valuable resource during Halloween season.

The Pet Poison Helpline reports that the week of Halloween is their busiest time of the year. Most calls are related to potential poisoning from eating chocolate or raisins; overeating of candies; accidental ingestion of candy wrappers, glow sticks or costume decoration; or burns from candles.

You can help keep your dog safe from accident and injury by keeping candles well out of reach of wagging tails, and keeping candies in closed containers out of reach on counters.

For more information on keeping your dog safe during the Halloween season, please visit Pet Poison Helpline here.

Canine Calm Halloween Combo...for a calmer, safer Halloween!

Whether you’re attending a Halloween dog party, taking your dog trick or treating, or just welcoming trick-or-treaters to your home, the busy activities, sights, sounds, and smells of the season can be stressful for the family dog.

Dogs can experience restlessness, drooling, panting, hyperactivity, and whimpering as a result of Halloween activities.


Earth Heart has teamed with K9 Bytes Gifts to offer you this Canine Calm Halloween Combo.

K9 Bytes Gifts offers cotton collars handmade in Eugene, Oregon.  Choose from one of three Halloween collars in your dog's size.

Earth Heart's Canine Calm is also made the USA, and combine pure essential oils to help calm your dog during unsettling times such as thunderstorms, fireworks, grooming, boarding, Halloween and other holidays. 

Simply place one drop of Canine Calm on the outside of the collar fabric that sits under the dog’s chin. if you don't see results in about 10 minutes, add another drop, and repeat as needed.

Order your Canine Calm Halloween Combo today!

The original Canine Calm natural remedy mist is available with 300 independent retailers in the US and Canada and on the Earth Heart website.

Create a calm zone for your dog with Earth Heart's new Canine Calm essential oil concentrate.

The Fourth of July is nearly upon us! What should be a fun family holiday weekend can be a very stressful time for dogs and dog loving families.

Many dogs have a great fear of the sudden loud noises that come with fireworks and sudden oncoming thunderstorms. In addition, during the Fourth of July weekend, animal shelters all over the country see a significant increase in lost dogs, as dogs try to flee the loud noises they encounter.  

  

With Earth Heart’s newly launched essential oil concentrate of their popular Canine Calm product, dog loving families and shelters can create a ‘calm zone’ to help ease dog’s fears. The 15 ml Canine Calm concentrate is perfect for adding to room and whole house diffusers that allows the calming aroma to permeate throughout the home and shelter.

  

Canine Calm natural remedy mist can help soothe dogs during thunderstorms, fireworks, parties, training, competitions, adoptions, Halloween and other holidays, bath time, grooming, and clinic or kennel visits. Canine Calm contains pure essential oils, including bergamot, lavender and geranium, from plants traditionally used in remedies for relaxation. Added to a diffuser, Canine Calm is a family friendly product and safe for children and puppies as young as eight weeks old.

Canine Calm also comes in a 2 oz spray that is made in the USA and packaged in a BPA free recyclable spray bottle. The ready to use spray is easy to use, and won’t stain or leave a sticky residue on materials or fur. Simply spray on fingertips to massage a dog’s outer ears or abdomen, lightly mist the dog’s favorite blanket or bedding, inside a crate or your home.

What Earth Heart’s customers are saying…

“We ran out of tranquilizers for our dogs last July 4^th, and they were flipping out during the fireworks,” shared Traci Noonan Reuter, Elgin, Illinois. “Fortunately I had a bottle of Canine Calm, and it was amazing how well it calmed the dogs. No more tranquilizers for my dogs!”

Heather Lenz of Ontario, Canada, has been a long-time user of Canine Calm, as her white collie, Sinjun, has frequent noise issues. “During fireworks and thunderstorms he paces, pants and drools constantly,” shared Lenz. “I tried many different things to calm him, but nothing worked until Canine Calm.”

You can find Canine Calm at a store near you or order online today!