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What is a D.A.P. Diffuser and how will it help separation anxiety in dogs?

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Separation Anxiety and D.A.P. Products

You have your new dog at home but there's a problem. Your dog is a master at destruction. When crated, he is chewing up his crate, even chipping teeth to get out! When out of the crate, he's chewing up the corners of the floor boards or scratching at your door leaving terrible scratches and holes. Your neighbors are complaining about the incessant howling and barking when you are gone. You find piles of poo and puddles of pee where they shouldn't be! Your dog has separation anxiety!

Sighthounds are notorious for suffering from Separation Anxiety. Whether it's a greyhound right off the track or whippet or italian greyhound, these dogs seem to bond very strongly with their people. And as a result, you can have a big problem leaving them alone for hours at a time when you are at work. This lens will touch upon some suggestions and ideas on how to tackle the separation anxiety issues. DAP diffusers are one method, but there is no magic cure. The bottom line is a lot of patience, consistency, training and love.

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What is a D.A.P. Diffuser?

D.A.P. stands for Dog Appeasing Pheromone. Basically, it mimics the scent given off the mother dog that keeps her puppies calm and happy. This scent is not detectable by humans. The diffuser plugs into your electric wall socket just like those fancy plug-in air fresheners. DAP also comes in sprays and collars. If you travel with your pet, you may want to try out a spray for the car or the collar so that your pet has the scent with him/her wherever you go.

Another great use for DAP is when you are bringing home a new puppy. The scent may help to reduce the anxiety the puppy will have from being separated from it's mother and siblings.

DAP isn't just for dogs. They make it for our feline friends too.

Will DAP help my dog?

DAP takes about a week before the effects are noticable. But a word of warning: NOT ALL DOGS will be cured by DAP. Some dogs show significant changes while others do not. It depends on your dog and severity of the separation anxiety. And while you use DAP, you should also look at other means to help your dog with it's behavioral issues. Eventually, you won't need to use the diffuser or other DAP products.

Dog Appeasing Pheromone Products

DAP comes in sprays and diffusers and collars.
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What if DAP doesn't work?

Bachs Rescue Remedy

As mentioned before, DAP is a godsend to some and nothing to others. It really does depend on your dog. At the WhippetTalk Forums many members have commented on the effects DAP had or didn't have with their dogs.

Another item that many sighthound owners use is an herbal remedy in liquid form called Bach's Rescue Remedy. And again, it works for some and not for others. Like the DAP, it should not be used as cure-all to end separation anxiety, but as something to help you get over the issue while you work with training and desensitation techniques. Some people claimed that a combination of both the DAP and the Bach's helped. And Bach's works for people too!

Bach's Rescue Remedy

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Help with Separation Anxiety

Training methods?

There are many articles online about how to deal with separation anxiety and lots of good books. Essentially, based on my personal experience, you have to teach your dog that when you leave, it's not forever. In their minds when you walk out that door, it's for good! Some things to keep in mind when leaving:

- Don't make a fuss when you leave. Just go. Don't talk to your dog, don't look at your dog, just go.

- Leave items out for your dog that will keep him busy. A stuffed Kong toy works wonders.

- Leave a TV or the radio on.

- Exercise your dog before you leave. A tired dog is a good dog! Take him for a 30 to 45 minute walk, jog or bike ride.

On the weekends when you have some time to work on this, if you crate your dog or leave him in a confined room or gated off area, put your dog in there and leave out of sight for just a second. Come back and praise your dog. Then the next time, you leave for a minute. Then praise. Then two minutes. Praise. 5 minutes. Praise. 10 minutes. Praise. Get the idea? Remember to not come in and praise the dog if he starts barking and whining. All you did was teach him that the noise got you to come back. I carried an old cola can filled with 3 pennies. When I went out of sight and the whining started, I threw the soda can into the room. It makes a terrible noise and stops the whining/crying/barking for a second. Just in time for you to enter the room and praise the pup.

Here are a few links on the topic of Separation Anxiety:

WhippetTalk Forms - Behavior Forum Ask people in real time how to deal with separation anxiety. You will get honest and current information on techniques used by people in the same boat.

Separation Anxiety Article at Perfect Paws.

ABC News Article on Separation Anxiety

How to Treat Separation Anxiety

Humane Society Article on Separation Anxiety

Books to help with Separation Anxiety

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Whippet Talk Radio Show about Separation Anxiety

Listen to Part One: Separation Anxiety Show

Listen to Part Two: Separation Anxiety Show

Thunder and Loud Noises

Thundershirts have been around for a while. Before these were put on the market, people would wrap their dogs with a used T-shirt to make them feel secure and safe. Some people swear by these Thunder Shirts. It's a way to alleviate the anxiety without using drugs.
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DAP Diffuser Debate?

Does it work?

Have you tried DAP? Did it work for you? Or do you feel it did absolutely nothing? Let us know whether you feel this product was helpful or not. Help others to make an informed decision about this product.

If you have tried DAP products, would you recommend it?

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I have tried the DAP products and found that it did help my pet.

Jane says:

Absolutely fantastic. We were at our wits end; our rescue greyhound was howling, barking, poo'ing and wee'ing whenever we left him. He had bitten the bars off the front of his crate and torn up the carpet by the front door. He is now quiet, calm and relaxed. All difficult behaviour gone. We will carry on with behaviour work but diffuser has given us respite

Posted July 25, 2008

Jackieg says:

I have tried Dap with mixed results. I used a Dap collar with Beau for his fear of fireworks. It had some limited help with the odd one at the start of the season. I still had to administer skullcap and valerian through the main fireworks. I'm not sure that was worth the expense for him.

I bought a bottle of Dap spray to use with Diesel to get him used to traveling in the car. He would howl and be sick. Sprayed the Dap into his bedding a few minutes before we set off and we didn't hear from him. I only had to use it about four times and he went in his crate in the car with no problems after that. He now loves the car and enjoys going in there.

Posted June 23, 2008

Chery says:

I would recommend the DAP diffuser and spray but not as a cure-all, but more as an aid to other behavior modications, training and in extreme cases, medication. My greyhound has severe separation anxiety and I do find that at certain time when I pulg the DAP in, it really does help to add the extra calm for him. Examples would be, visitors to our house, thunder storms, change in routine. I also use the DAP spray in our vehicle for vacation trips and in the hotel when we arrive. I find that the DAP works better if not plugged in 24/7 -just in those times when you need it. Plus they tend to heat up and waste the DAP.

I also used the DAP along with Rescue Remedy for the first few weeks when we adopted out beagle from the shelter.

So, in summary, the DAP is an add-on to changes that you need to make, not the ONLY thing that is done for separation anxiety - or it will not work.

Posted June 21, 2008

Kate says:

DAP works differently for different dogs. When moving or going into a stressful situation, DAP can help a "normal" dog cope with the new stresses. For dogs with extreme behavioral issues, DAP can be used in conjunction with other treatments, but it's generally not a cure all.

The other thing to consider is that the product itself varies from brand to brand! Many rescuers I've spoken to have said to avoid one brand or only use another.

With how severe separation anxiety can be, DAP is worth a try!

Posted June 20, 2008

I have tried the DAP products and feel that it made no difference.

Marsha says:

We tried it for our 4 dogs. They have their own bedroom where they sleep at night. Rafael, is our only dog with SA. Which he only has at night. It did not seem to work for him. We wish it had worked to some degree for him.

Posted June 22, 2008

 

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