[Grizwald]

Our vet originally recommended it for our older dog for his fear of thunderstorms. We never used it (preferring just to go to the basement where he couldn't see the lightning or hear the thunder) but I decided to try it for Grizwald's first forays into crate training. If you don't know, it's a plug-in oil diffuser that puts out the same pheromone (kinda like a hormone, human nose can't detect it) that mother dogs put out while nursing puppies. It purportedly can be used to soothe anxiety in dogs of any age, from crate training to separation anxiety to thunderstorms, etc.

Well we've tried crating him with it plugged in and without, and you know what? WITH it plugged in he cries less but PEES in his crate, every time. Without it he cries more but holds his bladder well.

Is this thing a load o' crap or has anyone actually had good experiences with it? I don't plan on using it, I don't like the peeing in the crate, and I don't want him to become dependent on anything like this anyway.

 

[Jacqueline4]

Yes, I have used it with success. When my dog was a puppy, I used it while she was in her crate to keep her calm.

At the shelter I volunteered at, we used the cat version for the dozens of cats in cages. We all noticed a lowering in their stress level.

 

[IronstayK9]

I had a DAP diffuser until my husband saw it was empty and threw away the whole plug-in not just the refill :roll:

But anyways, I really had good results with it. I had a male AB that would urinate in his crate all the time, we checked for UTIs and nothing, so we tried DAP and for the most part he stopped, only urinating on a rare occasion. He was really nervous around men too and that helped him chill a little instead of hiding behind furniture and slinking around when we had company.