The holidays may be a time of celebration for you, but for your dog or cat, it can be extra stressful. With new guests and overnight visitors, sometimes pets feel overwhelmed and out of place. We’ve got some tips on how to make them feel comfortable and some anxiety reducing products that can really help in a pinch.

Create a safe place for your furry friend to retreat to. Whether this safe place means darkening the windows, turning up music, switching on Netflix, or setting up a cozy covered crate retreat, you will want to create this space a day or two beforehand so that they can experience and explore it before they are actually frightened.

Be sure to pick up some of his/her favorite treats, and give them freely during the days leading up to new visitors or party plans. This will help them feel just a tiny bit more comfortable once the celebrations begin!

Try out the Thundershirt.  Thundershirt is a kind of functional clothing that helps pets feel safe and sound by surrounding them in a gentle but constant pressure to their torso. It’s similar to swaddling a baby! This pressure relieves anxiety and slows the heart rate to a more normal, less stressed level, promoting a feeling of relaxation and comfort.

Explore the benefits of CBD oils with Pet Releaf products.  CBD activates the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS), which, in mammals, is involved in the processes that help with pain modulation, memory and cognitive functions, relaxation, digestion, immune responses and anti-inflammatory responses, among others. Plus, CBD has been proven to enable two way communication between the various bodily systems, which may be why it’s so effective. Aside from all of this, the oil is a super food containing 20 amino acids, Omegas 3, 6 & 9, anti-oxidants & B vitamins.

Why Pet Releaf?
After much evaluation, we decided Pet Releaf was a great addition to the Kriser’s Approved family. Its plants are grown in Northern Europe, are organic and non-GMO. They use the entire plant and test for the appropriate levels of CBD in the finished products. We feel great that they’ve done their research and are providing a great option for care for our furry families.

You may want to check out Bach® RESCUE® Remedy Pet.  This is a natural pet supplement that features natural plant-based essential oils. Drops can be administered directly into your dog or cat’s mouth, in food, treats, water or even rubbed on the tips of their ears, nose or paws. Also try this for post-holiday travel anxiety!

We also love Pet Remedy. It comes in two forms — a spray or a diffuser. And even better, both are 10% off this month at Kriser’s! The special Pet Remedy blend of essential oils works as a natural relaxant and helps calm anxious or stressed pets, without sedating or drugging them. For best results with extreme anxiety you can safely use the diffuser and the spray together.

Licks® Pill-Free™ ZEN™, with separate formulas for dogs and cats, are some of our favorites, because they are just so easy to use. These single-dose packets of slurp-able gravy, mixed with natural compounds that calm your kitty or pup’s nerves, are highly palatable while facilitating increased absorption. Pets just lick it off our hands or their bowls, but Jen says you can also dribble it directly on their paws, and they’ll likely lap it up in an attempt to clean themselves.

Finally, Ark Naturals® Happy Traveler® is made with natural compounds that help to relieve anxiety and nervousness while relaxing the body and nervous system – ultimately curbing “bad” behaviors like barking and whining. Great for dogs and cats, this one should be given as needed about 20-40 minutes before stressful events. This product is in a capsule form, but can be opened to mix the powder in with food if your pet isn’t into pills.

Visit your local Kriser's store to talk to a Pack Member about these and other natural wellness supplements to find out what will be best for your furry friend this weekend.