So many people ask about what they can do for their pets who have emotional issues, aggression, fear and other issues. Acupuncture may be helpful for certain emotional problems however I have found that using the Bach Flower Rescue Remedy combined with specific Bach Flower essences can make the most difference. Using 2-3 drops of Rescue Remedy in your pet’s water is safe and effective. Add 2-3 drops of the flower essence along with the Rescue Remedy if needed.

From the Bach Flower Website http://www.bachflower.com/Pets.htm

Animals have emotions too. They feel fear, anger, jealousy, and depression just like us.

The Bach Flower Remedies® are able to help our Animals when they have negative emotions just as they help us when we are emotionally out of balance. Unfortunately, we are not able to ask our pet why it acts depressed, but we do know if it misses a friend or gets overly excited around new people.

Here are just a few of the single flower essences and their uses. For more info visit the web link listed above.

Rescue Remedy® Immediate calming effect
Use for stressful situations: visits to the vet, being left alone, adapting to new surrounding. Fear of loud noises, such as firework and thunder. Excessive barking or hissing

Mimulus: For fears; afraid of lightening, visits to the vet. May shake or shiver when confronted. Shy and timid animals
Animals become more confident and courageous, can enjoy life without fear

Rock Rose: Terror, panic-stricken: body trembling, cowers or runs away. Restores courage and calmness

Holly: Jealousy of other animals or a new baby in the home. Angry growling, hissing, barking, snapping or unprovoked attacks.
Will become an animal that is more compassionate and willing to share with other animals.

This will be my first encounter with Fourth of July in Salem, MA. I am not really looking forward to hearing the thunderous boom of fireworks, music and strange crowds of people flocking into the city.

Right now i am still recovering from the strange men and their scary ladders who are painting the house next door all week. .. not to mention the moving balloons tied to the neighbor’s fence. Makes me want to hide in the closet or on the bed with the cats.I have been taking lots of Rescue Remedy, Bach Flowers and melatonin. Today i may even take some valerian. Is all this noise really necessary?

Here are a few recommendations from my pet human on how to help dogs like me on the loudest American holiday.

Wishing you a quiet and safe 4th!

Quan Yin

Fireworks and Your Dog

Dog’s senses are much more acute than ours. Sounds such as fireworks, thunder and loud booming noises can sound threatening and overwhelming to them.

* I always recommend having Bach Flower Rescue Remedy around for any type of stress for humans and pets. Make sure you put a few drops in the water bowl, especially on days that storms are predicted and holidays with fireworks, such as the 4th of July. You can find the Bach Flower Rescue Remedy at Whole Foods, The Vitamin Shoppe and other natural food stores.

* For dogs who have extreme fear during fireworks and thunder storms, try adding a few drops of the Bach Flower Remedies Mimulus and Rock Rose to their water along with the Rescue Remedy.

* Reassure your dog that it is ok. Talk in a soothing voice and massage its ears with a small amount of Rescue Remedy.

* Let your dog hide somewhere inside where he feels safe. Make the spot comfortable for him. It could be his crate, the basement or your bedroom. Don’t leave him outside.

* If possible, leave an air conditioner on in the room the dog is in to provide a cool temperature and white noise.

* Play classical music or natural sounds such as ocean waves to soothe and calm him. Don’t play it too loud though, it could have the opposite effect.

For more information on the Bach Flower remedies visit www.bachflower.com/Pets.htm

“Each time we face our fear, we gain strength, courage, and confidence in the doing.”

Since i have arrived in noisy Salem from TN, i have been a little jumpy. Trucks, tour busses and things with diesel engines seem to terrify me. My pet humans think it is because i was on the transport truck for 3 days from the south to the northeast…. maybe. ….. maybe it is just the booming sound of that engine. The problem is that i now live in a tourist destination city. From April through November tourists pour in and tour busses are everywhere. Just walking to Pickering Wharf- which is now one of my favorite places to check pee-mail and meet other dogs is sometimes overwhelming. Tour busses linger at the House of Seven Gables… running their engines the entire time they are parked. Is that really necessary? It certainly not environmentally friendly!

One of the things that seems to help me is the Bach Flower remedy called Mimulus. My pet humans have been giving me that along with the Bach Flower Rescue remedy. Below is a great article on how to use Mimulus for fears and it is not just for dogs. People can use it too. Any of you humans have a few fears you need to face? Personally i will take the boom of an engine over what most people seem to be scared about. Humans do worry about the oddest things.

As many humans say, “Time heals all wounds”. Perhaps time and these magic flowers will do the trick!
Happy Tails until my next post.
namaste
Quan Yin
From the site www.herbs2000.com

Mimulus
Shyness, timidity, everyday fears of known things.

Fear of crowds, fear of people and of being in the public eye are all characteristics of the Mimulus type, who tends to be shy and timid. As a mood remedy, Mimulus is for anyone who suffers from a fear that can be identified clearly – fear of pain, poverty, spiders, of being killed in an accident, of being burgled etc.

Fear of failure is a Larch indication as it suggests a lack of confidence in one’s ability to succeed; but Mimulus fear of the consequences may be more specific such as fear of what people might say; or fear of having to make the winner’s speech. As this suggests, it is not always easy to draw a clear line between Larch and Mimulus, and they are often given together. The normal way to tell them apart is this: if there is a lack of confidence but no actual anxiety, give Larch alone; if there is a fear of something specific but away from this the person is confident of his or her abilities, then give Mimulus alone.

Animals that need Mimulus as a type remedy are fearful, nervous creatures. They may demonstrate their fear quite openly by shaking or shivering or using other body language when confronted with the thing that frightens them: animals that whimper or hide behind the settee when a stranger enters the house are very likely to be in need of Mimulus.

Animals that are afraid of thunder, fireworks, other animals, or the cracking of wood burning in the grate would all benefit from Mimulus. The remedy should also be considered (as should Centaury and Larch) for animals who find it difficult to assert themselves; but where there is sheer terror, or the fear is not of something specific, other remedies will apply (Rock Rose and Aspen).”

t is that time of year when thunderstorms, fireworks,the vroom of motorcycles and other loud noises frighten pets.

Here are a few tips to help calm and relax your pets during these terrifying times.

* Create a calm and peaceful safe haven for your pet to hide in during storms or fireworks.

* Choose a room with white noise such as air conditioning, an air filter or relaxing music set to a low volume. This will help to filter out some of the noise. Research has shown that pets relax while listening to calm, soothing music. Leaving the television on for background noise can actually cause more stress for your pets.

* Bach Flower Rescue Remedy is one of my favorite products to relieve stress in both humans and pets. It is a blend of five Bach Flower Remedies which can be added to food, water, or massaged gently on your pet’s head or rubbed into the ears.

Rescue Remedy is safe and does not interfere with any medication. It can be used everyday. For more information on Bach Flower Remedies visit their website.

www.bachremedies.com