DAP Diffuser

I'm not sure if this is in the right section or not, so if it's not please feel free to move it.

I'm just wondering who here has tried DAP Diffusers and if they work or not?? I am asking for a few reasons: One being that Kosmo seems to sometimes FREAK when we leave. He thinks that since it's summer and he gets to go regularly now, he should go 100% of the time.. it's all or none! It's funny to listen after the alarm has been turned on though (they can hear it) because right after it goes on, he generally gets quiet after about 30 seconds. I hate that he works himself up like that sometimes though.

When they do know they are going.. they get so excited that they scoot, bark, and act like little toddlers until we are out of the house. Ever tried packing the truck for camping with double trouble? Yikes!

Lastly, I am going back home next month and taking at least one, maybe both (if Avi comes) dogs. I know when we are away from home; in someone else's home, sometimes my dogs get nervous . . especially if I were to go to town or something and leave them to roam the house with my parents' dogs or whatever. Last year they were alright, but they scratched the heck out of one of the doors which of course embarassed me to no end.

So what's the general opinion on these things here?

Thanks! :flwr:

I share your pain! My dad isn't a lover of dogs, but I used to bring Pixie anyway since my mom loves dogs, and she always wins! The big doggies are another problem, however, so I have always had someone come take care of them at my home a couple times a day since I think they stay happier and less distressed.
Pixie, I worried about too much to leave.
If you take them with you, can you crate them if you will be gone and noone will watch them? That way they can't get hurt or hurt anything.

Hi
I got one for the girls last Nov 5 th ,cant really say i noticed any difference.

When Molly first came to us she had quite bad seperation anxiety and would go beserk if I left her for even a minute. I got a DAP and gave her some Dr. Petals Elixir if I was leaving for a while and this seemed to really help her. I then gradually increased the time she was on her own.

My two go bananas when I go to bring them somewhere too but I try and get them to calm down before I allow them outside or into the car (which is difficult as they are crazy girls )

I hope Kosmo will be ok :lotsaluv:

DAP diffusers do work -- I use the feline equivalent all the time with rescue cats and it is like an opium den for cats -- but obviously the way different dogs respond can vary.

I think you are talking about a couple of things that maybe need to be approached in a different way and are more management and training issues.

First off -- where do the dogs go when you leave? In a room? The run of the house? A crate? If the house, I'd reconsider this -- I'd certainly put them in a room or pen or crate them and if crated, I'd crate them in a room a distance away from where everything is happening so they are not watching the departure. I'd also put them 'away' so to speak well before you are going if they feed off all the departure signals and go crazy and ignore them once they are in their 'waiting room'.

The fact they quiet down as soon as they hear the alarm says everything -- all the display is for you while you are there in hopes that they will get a response and they aren;t really bothered at all that you are leaving. Be absolutely sure you are totally *ignoring* them as you get ready to leave. And get them away in the room before all the departure signals start.

One good approach is to regularly put them in the room or crate them for periods when you are at home, in the same way you would if you were leaving. Then they will learn to be more relaxed regardless of whether you stay or go.

On travel: a lot of dogs are anxious travelling to new places. This is the reason I always really, really recommend that people not take dogs when they travel unless they know they have a very laid back dog that *enjoys* travel (generally a dog that goes everywhere from the start may enjoy travel whereas those mostly at home will find it worrying). Anxious worried dogs are a lot more likely to bolt too if given the chance and with a low likelihood of returning to where they are staying, in a strange area. Then there's also the risk of damage to the place you are going and the fact that people are not always quite as happy to have dog guests as we think they are -- a very honest conversation is worthwhile before taking dogs to people's homes. I know I am a lot more comfortable knowing my dogs are safe back home in kennels or boarding, and it sure is a lot less hassle than taking them along places where the visit ends up being a constant worry about whether the dogs are OK and behaving. If they are scratching at doors then I'd consider that they really need to be crated when you travel (assuming they are crate trained) or really, are much better left at home in a reputable kennels or boarding facility. That's a sign of a lot of anxiety in a strange place. If you are thinking they need to travel with a DAP then they really are probably better left at home.

I never allow dogs to roam the house either at home or away when I am not there. There are simply too many possibilities for accidents and destruction -- not least because anxious dogs are more likely to be destructive and chew to console themselves or from boredom. Most dogs are actually a lot more comfortable with less space when no one is around anyway -- especially in a strange place. I'd give them a room to stay in when you are out but not the run of the house and I'd crate when they are travelling, both for safety and for their own nervousness.

The dogs get the run of the house when we are gone. .. except for every single door is shut so it's really more like a big room. I did crate them for the first year when they were puppies, but honestly I feel safer leaving them out. I have noticed that If we leave early in the morning at work time, then they don't care.. but if we leave in the evening (even when I've been home all day with them) Kosmo thinks he should go too. I may put them in crates when we are home though.. I know sometimes they do go in there when we're gone (Sometimes I cheat and peek in before I shut off the alarm). I don't understand WHY he has "selective anxiety" though.

As for travelling with the dogs, I did last summer and had no problem. Actually, they came on a flight that was about 8 1/2 hrs both ways and both were fine. Because it's so far away, I stay gone for about three weeks. . . and it's cheaper just to bring them along, plus I get to take them to the ocean, and this year we're going to get cardio/eye checked at a cavalier show But my mom also has dogs so they aren't "new" to her. I think I will crate them this year when we are there though, unless someone is still home with them..

I just thought I would ask about the DAP. I wasn't sure if they were some kind of gimmick or if they actually worked? I was just wondering the general opinion of their effectiveness. I don't mind trying everything once, providing they work :flwr:

I use a DAP for Lucky ... except it is empty now. I need to get a new one. he can get anxious sometimes too.

I also have some Homeopet (?) anxiety drops that I sometimes put in his water if he is seeming extra clingy.

I am not 100% sure if the DAP works, but things do seem to get better once I start using it. There is a spray you can use too if you need them to calm right away (fireworks, etc.). I have never tried that.

PetEdge has a really good price on DAP. That is where I am getting my refills.

I bought a DAP diffuser from my vets last year because Jasper was finding the noise of the early fireworks (they start about a month before Bonfire Night where I live) hard to deal with, poor fella. Then I used it again when we had Gabby in January. I remember the vet saying it could take a week to become effective. I will buy refills, do anyone think it would be safe to buy a refill from ebay or should I go to the vets again?

Also my vet give me xanax to give to Jasper on Bonfire Night, bad move poor fella had loose poo all over my kitchen floor that night. Wouldn't give him that again.

DAP did not work for Zo at all. I think it may be an individual thing as I do know some people swear by them. We had to go back to basics and work on training. We also had to change some of our thinking and go back to crating her.

As much as *we* liked the idea of her having run of the house she was a complete mess over it. Our routine now is always the same if we leave for work, shopping, etc. We calmly get ready and totally ignore the girls. When we are ready to go I put on their music, get cookies from the cookie jar and calmly say crate. They rush right to their crates and wait for me to come give them their cookie. We then leave.

If for some reason we forget something or this routine is interupted by the phone etc Zo's anxiety is through the roof. We often have to let her out of her crate for a few minutes and restart the process. Kind of a pain but routine really seems to help her. I hope as she gets older her anxiety will calm a bit. I know you don't want to crate but hopefully you can come up with a routine that works for him.

I'm sure you can find something. I also hope you have a great trip home!

Jasperxxgabby said:

Also my vet give me xanax to give to Jasper on Bonfire Night, bad move poor fella had loose poo all over my kitchen floor that night. Wouldn't give him that again.

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Have you tried Serenium liquid - you can get it from PAH - this really works for Oakley when I need him to be less hyper and stupid! (Like on test nights at training class)

arasara said:

I have noticed that If we leave early in the morning at work time, then they don't care.. but if we leave in the evening (even when I've been home all day with them) Kosmo thinks he should go too.

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Sarah, Kosmo knows your routine too well! You need to go our more at nights! Seriously though you need to just "practise" going out at night - for 5 mins, 10 mins etc just like when they were puppies.

Normally my two have all downstairs when I go out but not the cellar - I shout this door and there is not a sound but if I nip to the shop and leave the cellar door open so they can get to the basement where the back door is Merlin will cry and whine - Oakley couldn't care less either way.

They all have their "weird" habits!