10 Best Dog Calming Supplements for Anxiety & Stress in 2023 — Reviews & Top Picks

There are many dog anxiety medications on the market because many different dogs struggle with anxiety issues. Whether their struggle comes from behavioral issues or traumatizing and unpleasant situations, getting to a place where they can be happy and healthy dogs can sometimes require supplements.

Finding the right medication to better manage a dog’s mental health can take time. Not all anxiety supplements for dogs are created equally, and each dog can react in slightly different ways.

To help you find what will work best for your dog, we have reviews of the top 10 best dog calming supplements for you to consider.

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A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites – 2023 Update

The 10 Best Anxiety Supplements for Dogs that Calm Stress

1. PetHonesty Hemp Calming Supplement for Dogs — Best Overall

Products derived from the hemp plant have recently gained all kinds of exposure because they have been legalized and become safer for consumption with monitored production. The plant produces a couple of different chemical compounds.

It is the compound THC that is psychoactive. CBD is not psychoactive and can be safely used to stay in a calm state of mind. It is often used to treat anxiety symptoms because it can soothe and calm both humans and animals.

This product produced by PetHonesty is created from hemp and uses the properties of CBD to calm your dog. It can be used to soothe them when they begin to experience typical anxiety symptoms or if they are hyperactive. It can be used to make it easier for your dog to visit public spaces calmly.

This product works in 30-45 minutes and has natural herbal ingredients from organic hemp and chamomile. There are no drugs or sedatives involved, and the supplement doesn’t include corn, wheat, soy, or GMOs. These supplements are registered with the FDA and are produced in a  GMP-certified facility within the U.S.A. They have a natural chicken flavor in the form of soft chews. This makes it easier to give to your dog.

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2. Thunder Wunder Calming Chews — Best Value

This is a hemp-based product that utilizes the natural calming properties of herbs. Beyond hemp seeds, other herbs are known for their calming properties. These include chamomile, passionflower, thiamine, ginger, and melatonin.

ThunderWunders recommends this product if your dog is afraid of thunder and fireworks. If they suffer from separation anxiety, are not good travelers, or hate being taken to the vet or the groomer, ThunderWunder chews can help them relax.

In each canister, you get 60 or 180 soft chews, depending on the purchase size. If you only want to try them out, you can feel safer with the 100% satisfaction guarantee and the fact that these are the best dog calming supplements for anxiety and stress for the money.

Depending on your dog’s size, you will need to give them more chews to obtain the desired results. It should not be given to pups that are under 12 weeks of age. If your pup is under 26 pounds, they shouldn’t have more than one chew in 12 hours. If they are 27 to 50 pounds, they can have two. Up to 100 pounds, you can give them four chews in 12 hours, and over 100-pound dogs can have six chews. You shouldn’t exceed these dosages.

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3. Purina Calming Care for Dogs — Premium Choice

Perhaps your dog has struggled with anxiety or hyperactivity for much of their life, and you want the best of the best to ease their emotional struggle. Purina Pro Plan Calming Care Supplement is just the thing if you want the premium option. Veterinarians often recommend this product as a dietary supplement to enable better coping mechanisms during stressful situations.

Purina Pro Plan Calming Care Supplements is sold in a box with a 6-week supply and does its job by harnessing the power of a probiotic strain that is known for having a calming effect in canines. It is known as BL999 and has been tested as an effective way of treating stress.

This supplement is easy to give to your dog because it is a highly palatable food topping. You open the sachet and sprinkle it over the top of their bowl to have the desired effect. It even helps them maintain positive cardiac activity whenever they begin to feel stressed.

This product is a good option for those dogs that excessively bark, suffer from other symptoms of hyperactivity, or deal with separation anxiety. BL999 is the only active ingredient, and the two inactive ingredients are liver flavor and maltodextrin. You can give them up to one packet a day, but it is best to do so with a recommendation from your vet.

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4. Zesty Paws Calming Bites for Stress & Anxiety

Just because a dog is calmer doesn’t mean they lose their zest for life. This is exactly what Zesty Paws promotes with their calming bites to help your canine deal with stress and anxiety symptoms.

Each canister comes with 90 soft chews. You should begin by giving them half the suggested daily amounts. Depending on their weight, this will be one to three chews a day. Gradually increase the daily dosage if necessary. You can even break up their dosage between the morning and evening to disperse the reaction to it throughout the day and into the night.

These chews can be given to dogs of all ages and are peanut butter flavored to make them a palatable treat for your pup. They are formulated with the intent to support a pup that is stressed out, nervous, or hyperactive.

The active ingredients are from herbs in this formula. They include organic hemp powder, chamomile, valerian root, Sensoril ashwagandha, and L-tryptophan. They also include an amino acid called Suntheanine that promotes a sensation of relaxation in your pup. These chews can help them better deal with thunderstorms, fireworks, or other situations that they find uniquely stressful.

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5. Pet Naturals of Vermont Calming Dog Chews

Produced in Vermont by the company Pet Naturals, this calming dog chew comes from a smaller, family-owned business that believes in helping dogs cope with mental and emotional trauma.

It works entirely naturally and should not be confused with a sedative. It does not work to put your dogs to sleep but instead, to calm them and help them feel more at ease in stressful situations. These chews are formulated with veterinarians’ help and are extremely palatable to make it easy to give to your pup.

These chews’ active ingredients include thiamine, C3 or Colostrum Calming Complex, and L-Theanine of the Suntheanine brand. The inactive ingredients include brewer’s yeast and canola, vegetable oil for the texture, and chicken liver flavor for the taste.

It is safe to give your dog one chew a day, and you can also double or triple the dose if they are experiencing a time of increased stress. The dosages are not listed as different according to the breed size, though. This is a concern for those who have especially large or small dogs.

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6. HomeoPet Anxiety Relief Dog Supplement

HomeoPet markets their product as being the natural choice to help relieve anxiety. They want to mitigate anxious feelings that can frequently come from separation when an animal is kenneled or afraid of going to the vet or groomer.

This product isn’t only meant for dogs. It can be safely used for cats, birds, and even animals like rabbits. It helps them deal with barking, crying, destructive behavior, panting, and feather plucking (for a bird).

This product comes in a liquid form. You give it to your pet in drops, administering it either orally or with their food and water. It is an entirely chemical-free formula that uses entirely natural and pure ingredients. The combination is based on years of research and has yet been to show side effects. It is not a sedative, but rather a calming agent meant to give your animals a sense of relief.

These homeopathic anxiety drops are FDA registered. Some of the primary ingredients include Calcarea phosphorica, lycopodium, phosphorus, and staphysagria. It takes between 15 and 20 minutes for the product to take effect. There are mixed reviews about whether it works on dogs or not.

If you are giving it to cats or dogs, the dosage is based on their weight. They can safely take 5 to 20 drops once a day, spread throughout the day. When their symptoms clear up, it is best to discontinue using the product. It is best if a vet’s recommendation accompanies this product.

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7. Vet’s Best Comfort Calm Dog Supplement

Vet’s Best Comfort Calm Chews come in a package of 30 or 90 soft chews. This product, as the name would suggest, is recommended by veterinarians, who created the formula to provide a solution that wouldn’t induce feelings of drowsiness in pets. They can continue their daily activities but with fewer symptoms of anxiety.

The chews are primarily formulated with plant-based ingredients. These include tryptophan, valerian root, chamomile, thiamine, ginger root, and ocean kelp. To make it an even healthier, immunity-boosting treat, it also includes antioxidants and prebiotics. These ingredients have been considerately optimized for their bioavailability to make them as effective and fast-acting as possible.

The ingredients are not all from the U.S.A., though. Instead, they are globally sourced, and although the company assures buyers that they come from quality sources, restrictions in those countries do not allow us to know for sure.

The chews are extra moist and flavored with dried chicken liver. It is made slightly sweeter with cane molasses. You only need to give your pet a maximum of two chews a day, depending on their weight. It features the seal of approval from the National Animal Supplement Council and is entirely gluten-free.

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8. Nutramax Solliquin Calming Chews

Nutramax Solliquin Calming Soft chews come in a sealed package of 75 chews and can be used for dogs and cats. These chews are behavioral health supplements to encourage dogs to remain calm in stressful scenarios. These chews can help them with hyperactivity and barking issues.

Although you can buy this calming aid online, it is best if you source it from your vet because they will inform you of the recommended dosage and brand. The ingredients from these chews are largely plant-based. This product is part of a comprehensive treatment plan from Nutramax, which states that paired with patience and training, these chews can help prevent most behavioral problems that are caused by anxiety.

The chews are safe to be used daily. They do not work immediately; it takes time for them to get into your dog’s system and create an overall sense of wellbeing. The recommended initial administration period for these chews is between 30 and 45 days for long-term results.

The active ingredients in these supplements include extracts from Magnolia officinalis and Phellodendron amurense. The others are L-Theanine and dried whey protein concentrate. The flavor comes from an undisclosed “natural flavor.”

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9. waggedy Calm Stress & Anxiety Relief Dog Supplement

This product from waggedy is meant to calm stress and anxiety. The symptoms can be due to storms, fireworks, travel, or visits to the vet and groomers. It is a relatively affordable option that is better suited for budget-buyers. The supplement comes in the form of soft chews, and there are 60 in each canister.

These chews contain active ingredients of chamomile, thiamine mononitrate, ginger, passionflower, L-Tryptophan, and melatonin. Melatonin is known to cause symptoms of drowsiness and is often taken by humans as a sleeping medication. It can seem to have a slightly drowsy effect on your pup after they take it.

These supplements from waggedy are produced in the U.S.A. and can easily be given as a treat due to their overall palatability. The natural flavoring is not specified in their ingredients list, but it is typically palatable for dogs.

The number of chews that you feed your dog depends on their weight. They will need between one to six chews, and any should only be given to dogs over 12 weeks old. It takes about 30 minutes to be effective, so it should be taken at least half an hour before a predicted stressful situation. You should not exceed more than a double dose within a 12-hour period, no matter the scenario.

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10. PL360 Anxiety Relief Supplement for Dogs

 

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PL360 Anxiety Relief for dogs is a supplement that comes in a small canister or pill bottle. There are 60 soft chews in each bottle, and they are made palatable by their natural beef flavoring.

If you want help taking the edge off for your stressed-out pup, then you can rely on PL360. It is full of all-natural ingredients that make it chemical-free and safe for your pet to eat. The active ingredients include chamomile, passionflower, GABA, thiamine, and ginger root powder. The inactive ingredients are relatively few, including beef flavoring, liver powder, brewer’s yeast powder, and compounds used as preservatives.

These soft chews should not be given to a puppy that is under 14 weeks old. They can be used effectively in conjunction with an installed behavior modification program. There is a dosing chart on the back of the bottle that should be followed carefully and is determined by your pup’s weight.

This product that is made in the U.S.A. uses natural ingredients like chamomile and tryptophan to promote health and wellness among dogs. There are mixed reviews about their effectiveness, however.

Buyer’s Guide: Best Supplements for Anxiety

No one likes to see their pup stressed out or afraid. If you have a difficult time getting your dog to calm down, then a solution like a calming supplement might be just what you need. Some are more effective than others, and some have ingredients that you might not feel safe giving to your dog.

While you look through the products available to help calm your dog, keep these factors in mind before purchasing.

Ingredients: Natural or Not?

Supplements can be good for your dog, but they can also be potentially harmful in the long run. Many different things can be in them, such as preservatives, chemical additives, and more. If you are like many dog owners, you don’t want to feed your pup a pill or chew full of unknown ingredients.

Pay attention to the ingredients list, and look up the purpose of each one. It is better to be safe than sorry, especially if your dog has any sensitivities to certain foods or chemicals.

If your dog does have a negative reaction to a supplement that you give them, then take the time to figure out the culprit. You need to identify which ingredients don’t work so you can avoid them in the future.

Administration Form

There are many different ways that you can get an animal or human to take medication. You know your pup and what they will and won’t be okay with ingesting. If you don’t want hours of frustration or a product that is essentially ineffective because you can’t get your dog to take it, then test things out before buying a certain type.

For calming supplements, the most common form of administration is taking them orally by eating a treat-like soft chew. For most dogs, that will work well as long as it tastes good, since they love treats and aren’t discriminating. For others, you might need to be sneakier. You could use liquid droplets in their food or water, for example.

Length of Supply

Some people have very large dogs and you don’t want to buy new bottles every two weeks. Pay attention to the size so you can figure out if it will be a cost-effective remedy for your dog’s stressed-out behavior. You might even be able to order it in bulk.

Time Until Acting

All meds and supplements will react somewhat differently from pup to pup. Look for the amount of time that the manufacturer says it will take to see the effect if you want to be able to plan out trips or prepare for stressful days. Some supplements are meant more for long-term usage than immediate effect. However, most supplements will work within 15 to 30 minutes from the time that they are eaten.

Ingredient Sourcing

Finally, just because the ingredient list seems fine, that doesn’t mean you are entirely out of the woods for how safe they are. If the company sources its ingredients from other countries, those might not be held to the same standard of production and quality as the U.S.A. That means that some ingredients might be poorly produced, might have been grown with increased amounts of chemicals, or were not shipped to maintain their potency.

Conclusion: Anxiety Supplements for Dogs

If you are looking for one of the best-rated products currently on the market, then starting with PetHonesty’s Hemp Calming Dog Supplement is the way to go. Or, perhaps you need an option that is budget-friendly before deciding to commit to this treatment plan. Then, look into ThunderWunders Hemp Calming Dog Chews.

Trying out a new supplement to help keep your dog calmer can end up being a great help to both you and your pup. However, there is bound to be uncertainty at the start. It is best with any of these products to get a recommendation from your veterinarian first, so you aren’t having your dog take unnecessary medications.

You might also like: 7 Best Eye Supplements for Dogs – Reviews and Top Picks

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