This is one of the most frequently asked questions I get, and the answer is yes...BUT!
But what?!
There are 2 key factors when using essential oils with dogs:
1- Quality
2-Dilution
Lets talk quality:
Not all essential oils are created equally! Currently essential oils are regulated in the cosmetic industry under the FDA. This means that, in my opinion, there is little regulation. A product does not have to contain 100% of the ingredient on the label. For example, you can pick up a bottle with the label Lavender essential oil, yet it may only have 5% Lavender in it.
Creating essential oils is a science and an art. There are many factors that include planting the plant, then harvesting the plant, then distilling the plant. Certain plants need harvested at certain times, or a certain way such as handpicking of flowers. Time in the distiller as well as temperature also make a difference.
This is why you can buy a pure essential oil from 2 different harvests of the plant material, and there can be differences in the aroma. Soil quality and weather even play a role. Due to this, some companies want to standardize an aroma and therefore alter the finished product.
What can you do? For starters, READ the label! This will give you an idea of what is in the product you are buying, and usage recomendations. Avoid any product that has the word fragrance on the label. This is not an essential oil and this simple word can mean the product could contain hundreds of chemicals that are contained in the fragrance.
Unfortunately, reading the label is a place to start, but not a fail safe. Trade secret laws in the cosmetic industry allow companies to not disclose all ingredients, and quality factors such as soil, distillation time, etc. are not reflected on the label. I recommend you buy premium essential oils from a company you trust. Here is a list of questions to ask your essential oil company:
I recommend Young Living™ Essential Oils. They give a Seed To Seal™ guarantee that you can read more about HERE. In fact, I will only use Young Living™ Essential Oils with my dogs because I never worry that I am not getting 100% pure premium essential oil. I've been to several of the farms..even one in Croatia! This open door policy allows you to see firsthand what it takes to make an essential oil and that Young Living™ is dedicated to a 100% pure and premium essential oil. They even have a product line created specifically for pets!
Now let's talk more about dilution:
There are 3 ways we can use essential oils with our dogs:
- Aromatically
- Topically
- As a supplement
If you are using a premium 100% pure essential oil such as Young Living™ you can use all 3 methods with dogs. I recommend you start with aromatically which is simply allowing your dog to inhale the aroma. You do not need to dilute because you are not putting the essential oil on.
To use essential oils aromatically, you can:
Wear as a perfume. It is the easiest way to get started using essential oils with your dog. Their sense of smell is much more than ours and this allows your dog to get comfortable with the different aromas.
Use a diffuser-ultrasonic diffusers are generally best as they do not use heat to disperse the essential oil and the diffuser dilutes the essential oil as it is misted into the environment making it a safe way to use. Always provide your dog an out if they choose to not be near the aroma, and keep in mind that some dogs will choose to stay with us even if the aroma is one they don't like or causing some irritation. Watch your dog for signs of discomfort such as itching, watery eyes, coughing, or sneezing.
If you do not have a diffuser, you can make a spritzer to mist the area. You can also drop several drops onto cotton balls or wooden clothespins and stash in strategic areas as well.
You can also let your dog smell from the bottle, you don't even need to open it....remember they have an amazing sense of smell!
Now let's talk about putting essential oils on our dogs. This is where dilution really comes into play. Why would we want to do that? Because essential oils are powerful extracts from plants and have properties that can be beneficial to health. The molecules are also very small meaning that they are quickly and easily absorbed thru the skin, making them ideal for use.
Since essential oils are so concentrated, after the initial investment of purchasing the essential oil, they can be very cost effective, as you only need a drop or 2 diluted to be effective. You want to start low and go slow. Applying a small amount more frequently rather than a large amount all at once.
If your dog is older, maybe a bit stiff, or recovering from an injury, essential oils can support the muscle and bones. Essential oils can be used for skin and coat care, or even for a minor owie or irritation. Applying essential oils along your dogs spine can be done to support general health. Essential oils are not a substitute for proper veterinary care and should never be used in lieu of veterinary services.
It is of the utmost importance that you are using a high quality premium essential oil and that you dilute it properly for application before you put the essential oil on your dog! How do you dilute? You simply mix the essential oil with a carrier oil (olive oil or coconut oil work well and you probably already have them in your pantry). For more info on carrier oils click HERE.
How much do you dilute? Depends on the essential oil being used, your dogs size, age, and health. Some dogs will need more dilution and with some dogs, you can use less. For my dilution guidelines, click HERE.
You can also use an essential oil products that are specifically labeled for use with pets and follow the instructions on the label, such as Young Living's Animal Scents™ product lIne. This product line includes essential oil blends and essential oil infused products created specifically for your pet. They are a safe solution that can be used for grooming, comforting, and treating your fur kids.
Not only is this product line specifically formulated for pets, a portion of all proceeds from the Animal Scents™ products goes to support Vital Ground, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the habitat of grizzly bears and other wide-roaming wildlife.
To learn more about the Animal Scents™ line, click HERE
Using essential oils with your dog can be safe, fun, and effective if you use a high quality premium essential oil, dilute, start low and go slow, and observe!
If you are ready to get started using essential oils with your dog, click HERE and grab my free guide to safely get started!
Let's head to what I like to call 'The Doghouse' today... (basically my house....full of dogs...lol)
One of my dogs has trouble with allergies. He is under veterinary care and we have a whole regime for him. One of the things that I have found to be really helpful, is wiping him off after he comes in from outside. So, I'd like to share my super simple and easy, DIY dog wipes, that I make for him. These also work great if you are trying to keep a clean house and want the whole household to 'wipe their paws' before coming in...with your help, of course :)
Grab:
- A glass container with lid (you can use plastic, just make sure it's a heavy duty PET plastic, 'cause remember essential oils degrade plastic, so you need a heavy duty plastic that can stand up)
- Cut up an old t-shirt/blanket/towel/etc. into rags the size of the container and enough to fill the container 3/4 way full (once you do this initially, you will keep re-using the rags so it gets easier-lol!)
- 1 cup distilled water
- 1 TBS carrier oil (I like fractionated coconut oil (aka-FCO)
- 10 drops Lavender essential oil
Then:
- Add the rags to the container.
- Add the FCO & Lavender essential oil to the water, give it a stir, pour over rags, and let it sit until rags soak up water.
Ta-da...
Leave them by the door and when your dog comes in from outside....take one out..squeeze any excess liquid out and wipe your dog off.
You can then throw the rags in the laundry, re-using them over and over, and your laundry gets a nice scent boost!
For more recipes like this, click HERE and join 'The Weekly Oiler'. Essential oil recipes, tips, tricks, and hacks for you, your dog, and horse, delivered straight your inbox every week!
Also, if DIY isn't your thang....I got you! Young Living's™ Seedling™ Baby Wipes works wonderfully instead! Check them out HERE
Want to get started using essential oils with your dog?
First lets do a quick recap of what essential oils are and how we primarily use them for ourselves:
What are essential oils?
Essential oils are secondary metabolites produced by plants as part of their health and defense systems. I like to think of them as the blood of the plant. We get essential oils in most cases by steam distilling parts of the plant which separates out the essential oils.
Primary ways that we use essential ois:
Aromatically by Inhalation
Topically
Internally
Today, let's focus on aromatically as that is one of the easiest ways to use essential oils....
Why do we want to inhale, you ask?
Well, plain and simple, most essential oils have an amazing aroma, but more than that, when we inhale, we absorb these essential oils and their evaporating constituents into the brain.
The sense of smell is connected to the limbic system of the brain. This is where emotions, memory, and certain regulatory functions of the body are found. Thus, essential oils work quite well and quickly on the emotional level. Wake up on the wrong side of the bed-turn your mood around in 5 seconds or less by simply inhaling the aroma from an essential oil (give lavender, orange, or lemon a try )
Three easy ways for inhalation:
● Simply remove the lid and inhale directly from the bottle for at least 5 seconds ( that's about the time it takes to make it into the limbic system)
● Make a scent tent by applying 1 drop of essential oil into your palms, rub together, and then cup your hands over your nose and inhale deeply,
● Put your favorite essential oil in an ultrasonic diffuser which disperses essential oils without heating or burning that can cause the essential oil to be less effective. The atomized essential oil can remain suspended in the air for several hours. (Follow instructions on the label of your diffuser)
Now lets apply that for dogs....after a quick chat about quality!
Quality matters! Why?
The Essential Oil market is highly unregulated for the most part. It is overseen by the FDA. The FDA only requires as little as 5% of essential oil in a product, to be labeled 100% pure. Hmmm🤔…. the rest to be made up of whatever the company chooses, usually solvents, scent balancers (so the aroma is standardized), or carriers to dilute the oils for cost/yield benefit. Dogs, and animals in general, are more sensitive to aromas, and in certain species, how they metabolize an oil. I don’t know about you, but I think we use enough chemicals without adding unnecessary ones. I have also found that a low quality oil just doesn’t work as well. The cliche ‘you get what you pay for’ really does apply here! I use Young Living Essential Oils because of their Seed To Seal guarantee!
Their farms and partner farms abide by very strict guidelines to fulfill their promise to send pure products to your home.
- They select the strongest seeds from strong thriving plants.
- They hand-weed and use their own oils on plants for pest control to avoid the use of toxic chemicals.
- They harvest at peak times to ensure quality oils are produced.
- They distill on site without chemicals.
- They test every batch. If it does not meet their standards because of weather conditions or for any other reason, they do not bottle it up
All of these factors make a huge difference in the quality and effectiveness of the oils you bring into your home and you can even visit the farms and check it out for yourself!
Check out more about their Seed to Seal promise here!
The easiest way to get started with your dog is to be a walking diffuser. Do NOT force an oil on your dog as it can cause stress and adverse effects. The more time you take to introduce the oils, the better! Dogs are very sensitive to aromas and a new smell may be too intense at first.
➡️ Apply a drop on your wrists or behind your ears and wear as a perfume
➡️ There are many pieces of diffuser jewelry such as necklaces or bracelets on the market today-give those a try
➡️ Add a few drops of essential oil to the laundry as you wash your pets bedding, or your clothes.
➡️ Make your own dryer sheets by adding a few drops to a wet rag and put in the dryer with your clothes, or apply a few drops to your wool dryer balls.
➡️ Make a spritzer to refresh bedding or clothes for your dog
➡️ Refresh carpets by adding 10 drops to a cup of baking soda. Sprinkle on carpets and let sit for a few minutes before vacuuming.
➡️ If you are running a humidifier, add a drop of oil on each end of a q-tip or cotton ball and place on top of your humidifier.
Next, start diffusing in your home with your ultrasonic diffuser.
➡️ Start with the minimum number of drops and always leave an out for your dog (never lock them in a room with a diffuser running...also keep in mind that some dogs will choose to stay in the room with us no matter what, so keep an eye out for unusual behavior: watery eyes, excessive licking, scratching, or anything to indicate they might be uncomfortable.
No diffuser? No problem! Try these tips...(Although, trust me, you are going to want one!)
➡️ Apply a drop or 2 of essential oil on a cotton ball and leave in locations where you would want to enjoy the aroma or in heating/cooling vents (out of reach of your pet, of course).
➡️ Make a spritzer: Use a high quality PET plastic or glass, add around 10 drops of essential oil to 2 ounces of water, add a pinch of salt or a few drops of a carrier oil to emulsify, shake well.
After you have experimented with the above ways of using essential oils aromatically and if your dog seems comfortable...you can try these additional methods:
➡️ Have a few of your favorite oils on hand and let your dog choose by holding a bottle in each hand and offering a whiff-no need to take the lid off, dogs have a much greater sense of smell than we do and oftentimes just a whiff of the bottle will do...
➡️ Apply a drop of oil to the palm of your hand, rub your hands together and offer to your dog. Some dogs may try to lick your hand!
If your dog doesn't seem interested in the above methods, you may just need to try a different oil. Again, don't force an oil on your dog! You might need to be a walking diffuser for a bit longer, or stay with diffusing or spritzing for awhile. Every dog is different and there are plenty of ways to use essential oils and find the way that your dog likes!
Excited to learn even more about getting started safely and easily using essential oils with your dog? Be sure to grab my free quick guide that will walk you thru, step by step, all you need to know to get started safely and easily, click HERE!
