Its 6 weeks since we adopted little Kira. We think she is starting to feel comfortable in her new home with us. In other posts I explained some of the issues we are having. On a good note she is getting in the car now but still with reluctance and separation anxiety is still a bit of a problem. We just recently bought the DAP spray and today the diffuser - "calming pheremone". Just wondering if anyone else has bought this product and has found it helpful for your dog for car issues, separation anxiety other stressful situations. How long did it take if it did help ? The VET recommended it. Its a bit expensive but if it works in conjunction with Kong and Training it would be wonderful for KIRA and us.


We installed the diffuser today in the room where Kira sleeps plays etc.. Cant tell yet if its working. Kira is currently sleeping quietly in that room so dont know if its the DAP or she is just there because she feels comfortable there as that is her safe place.

Here is the link if you havent heard about it before. http://www.ceva.com.au/en/Products/Products-list/ADAPTIL-R-Diffuser-Set

I read that it has helped some dogs calming them but others not. Any feedback advise would be great.

Very cool indeed.

Haven't my self but I look forward to your feedback good or bad.

I hope that it works for both of you.

Best of luck,
~Chris~

Hi Chris,
today was first day we left Kira alone for almost two hours in the morning Before we left the house we made sure there was nothing dangerous or unsafe she could get hold off. We gave her a Kong toy filled with goodies and also a sweet potatoe doggy chew. Then left the house calmly. saying "coming back soon" thats it. We were very concerned we would find destruction, torn furniture, plants in array around the house, some counter surfing, chewed cords and no dog ( if she escaped and jumped fence) on our return. We left doggy door open so she could come in and out of house as she pleased. This was probably the biggest risk as we were not sure if she would try and jump the fence and get out. I would have been devestated if we didnt find her.

Well long story short we think the DAP pheremone diffuser and spray, might have helped reduce the separation anxiety issue she has. To our delight and relief when we returned we walked in and there she was sitting the couch, wagging little tail and a happy howl to see us. Nothing was destroyed, no issues in the back yard, she had just done some re-arranging of her toys out of her toy box and moved her bedding around little in the lounge room.

My gosh what a relief to see her sitting there , I think she may have stressed a little but mustnt have been overly bad, just some toy and bedding re-arrangements she made. By the way the bed and bedding was still intact. Later this afternoon we had to leave her again for another half hour . Again prior of our leaving we filled the kong so she would amuse herself sprayed some DAP on her bed and in the area. When we came back all her toys were in her toy box, she didnt touch them , she hadnt done anything else or chewed anything . All she did this time was move her bedding around a bit. We again found her sitting on the couch. ( Just a note when she sits on the couch she can look straight out the front window of lounge room and see whats happening outside) We suspect she was watching out for us through the window waiting maybe for our return. Another positive outcome.

We are hoping that next time we go out again she will be still ok about being alone. This a huge improvement from our first time we left her alone. She totally freaked out first time and second time but we didnt have DAP at the time. We will see how things go next time, hoping that over time things will continually get better and better. We love her so so much. We always spoil her and give her lots of love and attention, walk her heaps ( like twice daily 2 or 3 km) and have been training her to stay, come, drop, give paw. (She is getting good at these commands) Hopefully she will realise we are good people and love her and would never abandon and abuse her like her previous owners did. Time will tell but Kira is definitely on the improve, DAP might work for other people to for dogs that stress or a anxious.

I've actually used the product and actually am unsure if it worked or not. I think it did but not sure. Daisy had separation anxiety too when we first brought her home. I did a little bit of research and came upon the DAP solution. I bought one and tried it out and it did seem to help a little but also when I started using it, (I don't know why I did this but it worked) and then put my boyfriend jacket in front of the crate door so she couldn't see me leave. As soon as I did that, she did quite down but as soon as she heard a noise she would start to whine/cry/bark again. I left the room and stood outside the door to listen, when everything was quite and she thought I had left, she calmed down and didn't make a sound.

So I don't know if it was the jacket that covered the front door of her crate to where she couldn't see me leave or if it was the DAP. It could have been both combined together but I also found out later that the DAP was expired, lol, after it was already emptied.

Daisy was about 2.5 months when this happened. It took us 1 week for her to be quiet and be okay to be left home alone in her crate. We do still do this every time we leave her home alone though. We tested to see if we could remove the jacket but when we do and she can see out her crate door, she does still cry/whine/bark.

I think it's because it is dark and so Daisy thinks its bedtime so she quiets down and sleeps.

I say, if you feel like it will help then do it. It's not going to hurt your dog or anything so why not try. I know it is expensive but it's worth a try. Plus the vet did recommend it. Good luck! I hope Kira will get over this stage soon.

I don't know if I would ever let Daisy have free roam of the house while I'm gone. lol, also it is a big risk to leave the doggy door open, I wouldn't trust Daisy enough to do that. I'm glad Kira is doing so good.

Daisy will probably always be locked up in her crate if we go anywhere and leave her home alone.

Thanks Yee for your feedback on what you did. Good idea about the jacket. Since Kira doesnt have a crate will also try and spray some DAP on my windcheater and leave it near her bed to next time. we leave the house. We had a husky called laska before Kira, we got her at 12 weeks old. She never had any issues I guess raising laska from a baby puppy she never developed SA but unfortunately Kira came from a shelter with issues so its a whole new ball park.