Hey all! It has been a while since I had a chance to check in! Everything is going great with my schooling!

Anyhoo, my question is: does anyone have any experience with Aromatherapy?? Can anyone tell me about it? Do you think it is great, is it a waste of time... Gimme some feedback! I just have a general curiosity! Thanks!! I hope to hear from you soon!

Hi! So glad to hear that your schooling is going well. Was wondering. Any tips on do it at home pet message?

Anyway, I don't have alot of experience with aromatherapy, but I do think it works. How good do you feel when you smell an apple pie baking, or the scent of freshly laundered linens? I don't know about you, but I love those scents!

As for dogs, whenever Eli goes to the groomer, the whole place smells of peppermint and lavendar--I don't think it's because of the shampoos, as E is always the first one there. I do think it's purposeful, as perhaps these scents are calming for dogs. The vet had also advised me to try peppermint oil on E's footpads during thunderstorms. Seems it works. Is it because of the scent? Maybe.

There are lots of great books on aromatherapy. I used to have a few, but have lost them over time. I do think there is something to it. Happy hunting on this subject!

Hi! As far as tips, I would like to recommend Canine Massage- A Complete Reference Manual by Jean-Pierre Hourdebaigt. I bought this book as an addition to my school books and have no regrets. Some of the stuff seems pretty in depth for beginners but it just depends how into it ya get. I like it!

You make such a good point about apple pie and clean laundry. I wonder how the oils work... I imagine they would be very strong and dog sniffers are a lot more in tune than our noses... I wonder if oils would turn off a dog because of how strong it smells...?

When you mentioned the peppermint and lavender it reminded me of these chicken jerky snacks I used to buy for Byngham. They were from Dogswell and were supposed to contain lavender and calomile I think. I remember those being the best smelling treats ever, very strange because dog snacks usually have that meaty/salty/hearty smell... He loved them and even the cat loved them. Imagine this cat going to the secret hiding place in the back room, ripping a hole in the bag and helping himself to a 3" by 6" strip of chicken jerky. There were a couple occasions when he ate a WHOLE piece! And then there were other times when there was a half eaten, drooled on piece in the floor that Byngham was so happy to find when he got up from a nap! Haha. Those treats don't last long enough for me to justify the expense. It is too bad because they were a big hit!

I have a few books waiting for me at the library that would have some passages on Aromatherapy and animals. I can't wait!

Glad to hear that things are going well!

I wanted to bring up one more thing about essential oils...and that is that they should always be diluted in a carrier oil such as sweet almond or baby oil. They should not be applied undiluted to the skin, and never take them internally.

You are right, a little goes a long way, so use sparingly.

Have fun!

Unlike  herbal calming tablets that take time to digest, essential oils are inhaled and quickly begin their work.Dogs will shy away from synthetic scents and perfumes but  are drawn to pure, unadulterated essential oils, when they are specifically and properly diluted for use which is about on par with what you would use for a human baby of one year of age meaning 25% of the dose you would give to an adult.

As there are certain essential oils we would avoid using on children, we would avoid using those on dogs as well such as high ketone ( high levels of acidic substances) or irritating essential oils would never be employed. look for essential oils which contain organic chemicals with high levels of ester and linalol alcohols such as  lavender, marjoram, rose, valerian, vanilla, sweet orange, vetiver, and ylang ylang

Essential oils can be applied and allowed to evaporate from the fur on the neck and chest area where the tongue can not reach there by oil molecules become absorbed into the bloodstream, not only through the nasal cavity, but also the sinuses, throat and lungs Never apply the oils near the eyes, or directly on the nose. Always be sure that they are properly diluted.

Essential oils have no known interactions with other holistic remedies or conventional drugs or tranquilizers. Another method of course is to have an aromatherapy diffuser on a timer in the same room as the dog, set at hourly intervals, diffusing the calming essential oils into the air.

The concept of synergy when using these oils comes into play to be used effectively. That simply means that  the differing chemical compositions of essential oils is that where one leaves off, another picks up. Essential oils work most effectively when they are combined with one another with blends of 3-5 essential oils at a time and MUST be pure, unadulterated, therapeutic grade essential oils. If the oil does not come in a  dark glass bottle, such as cobalt blue or amber, it is a sure sign it is probably not quality.

Thanks Susie and Jay!

You are providing me with some really interesting information. I am so glad I asked this question.

Any idea if Essential Oils have a shelf life? You mentioned tha light protected bottles, I am just curious if they have a long shelf life if cared for properly or if they are only good for a couple months. :)

And would the tips of the ears be a good place to apply a very small amount of oil to? It makes sense not to put it around eyes or on their nose which I imagine could be irritating and easily licked off.

Thanks for the information!!

No, I would not put it on the tips of the ears, aroma flows up....And remember what Susie said, a little goes a long way...take this seriously use very very small amounts. the dogs sense of smell is 1000 times greater than ours. Oils will keep for a long time if not exposed to light or extreme temperatures especially heat

As usual, Jay has great information!

As for shelf life, I am not sure, but, I have some essential oils in my posession that I have had for years, and they are fine. It is important to keep essential oils in a cool, dry place, protected from light.

If you decide to check out some oils, be sure to get them from a quality organic market such as Whole Foods, Nature's Finest, or Trader Joe's.  Do not be dismayed if the oils are pricey, it is a sign that they are pure essential oils. I had wanted to make a soap using sandalwood essential oil, but put it on hold due to the rather unattainable price tag at the time. But, there are plenty of oils that are reasonably priced, so have fun!

As for applying to the tips of the ears, I don't know. The ears are quite vascular, and you would need to apply only a tiny, tiny amount. I am not sure I would try that.

Jay, what do you think?

No ears. We do not want absorption into the skin. We want evaporation off the fur, preferably. Aroma flows upwards, as a perfumer would instruct his purchasing client. LOL As you have experienced, if you don't expose the good oils to light or extreme temperatures and the containers are tightly closed, they will last a very long time. It's worth saying, again, the dog's sense of smell is 1000x greater than ours. As you stated, use very, very small amounts. Otherwise, the dog will be hit with a "Mack truck" of scent!

When I thought of ears I wasn't thinking skin, I was thinking some place that they couldn't lick off. I don't imagine you really want them to eat the oils. Knowing my dog, he would lick it off. If we are wanting the scent to travel up where are we applying these oils? Would it be better to just waft a cotton ball with a teeny bit of oil around? I definately don't want to offend anyone with stong smells, me included!! I just got back from the library and am just now sitting down with these books, hopefully they will mention something in them!

I'm sure you weren't thinking of skin when thinking of ears. But, look at Byng's ears. The fur on his ears is much shorter than the fur on the rest of his body. Some of the oils may be absorbed thru the skin, which may be OK, but in small amts. I think that applying a drop in between the shoulder blades, or on the chest, is a good place to start.  Using a cotton ball to disperse the scent is a good way to do so. The books you are reading will tell you how to do that. It does work. You can also apply the oil to a diffuser. I have a warmer, and all I do is apply some oil to the bowel, and put a tea light underneath to warm it and spread the scent. I only need a few drops. If you want to scent the whole house, you can apply a drop or two of oil right on a light bulb. Be careful though. Some oils will burn, and be quite unpleasant this way. There is also something called a light ring. It sits on the light bulb, and you drop the oil into it. They are usually found in craft stores.

Don't worry too much. Have fun with your project. It may take some trial and error, but, you will discover what works best for you and Byng.

Best.