A recent innovation that has come on the market is offering a new way of helping with dogs suffering from all kinds of problems. Among them are attention seeking, excessive licking, destruction, noisiness, and fears and phobias, such as gun-shyness and firework phobia and fear of thunder.
It is known as a Dog Appeasing Pheromone (D.A.P)

Pheromones are chemicals produced by all animals to communicate with others of their own species. The best known are those given out by all animals to attract mates. Others have different purposes, such as those secreted by ants to scent their territory. A bitch exudes a special pheromone when she has pups. Once the pups begin to explore, they can easily become terrified, as everything is so enormous, especially in today's homes, with people and furniture. Wild pups may meet predators and have to get used to wind and weather and their own surroundings, such as enormous trees and bushes.

The pheromone calms them, tells them everything is OK, not to worry, Mum's here, and they rush back to the bitch for safety, and are re-assured. Inevitably, they then leave her, and go into an environment where there is nothing like that to help them. Those sold too young suffer most, but all do suffer.

In the wild the pack leader also exudes this calming pheromone, so that when the pups leave Mum, they become bonded to the pack and can return to it for re-assurance.

This pheromone has now been synthesised, not only for dogs but also for cats who can develop problems such as spraying in the house, or fighting another household cat. The product is sold in a diffuser, which slots into an electric plug. All that is necessary is to plug it into the mains and switch on and leave it. Unlike some other products designed to help problem dogs there is no way in which it can do the slightest harm.

The literature they send out cites two case histories. One was a new puppy that wouldn't settle at night and cried continuously. The first night the diffuser was plugged in he cried once, and never cried in the night again. He was suffering from a need to be with his owner all the time, but now can sleep in his own space. He is much happier by day, settles well, and loves having visitors.

The second case history they give is of a four-year-old entire GSD bitch who was constantly attention seeking. She was always bringing toys for the owner to throw for her or chasing the other household pets. She was terrified of fireworks. When the infuser was plugged in the owner had to ignore her. Within a week she began to play on her own, chew her chew toys, and this improved during the treatment, which was for a month. She was aware of fireworks but went back to her toys.

I have had a number of diffusers. One I use myself as my dog has a habit of scratching her face so badly she destroys the fur and it bleeds. I plugged it in ten days ago and for the first time for ages, she has stopped scratching and the fur is growing round her eyes. She is eleven and very much more playful and alert, bringing toys to me for a game, which is something she hasn't done for two years.

Other DAP diffusers are out with a number of owners. Two dogs that fight in the house seem far less likely to go for one another and the older dog is less terrified of the younger.

Newly rescued dogs benefit from the calming atmosphere, as you plug it into the room the dog uses most. One owner is moving and taking one with them to settle their dog and a couple who are bringing home a new puppy next week are also going to use one. Another is being used on an anti social dog that was bred in isolation and when sold at eight weeks hated people and other dogs, and is only very slowly coming out of that. She has to be muzzled all the time when out, and we are hoping this might soothe her so much that she ceases to be a danger.

One dog is hyperactive and maddens his owners by constantly chasing their feet when they move and swinging on cuffs and trouser legs. He also seems to be calming so that their training is taking effect. Before when he was hyped up he was deaf to every command.

Results of some improvement were reported in about a week. With Troy, I found after ten days she was much more relaxed and is eager to exercise, which she was not before. I really had to work hard to motivate her. Now when out she jumps my small agility course of low hurdles and races through the tunnel, apparently just happy to run around. Before she had to be coaxed with titbits before she would do so. It will be interesting to get results after a month, but with six owners coming this week saying they had much easier dogs, there has to be something going right.

Joyce Stranger