By L.A. Pomeroy for Arenus/Botanical Animal Flower Essences
You think you’re one of a special breed
You think that you’re his pet Pekinese
I’ll be your savior, steadfast and true
I’ll come to your emotional rescue…
~ Jagger, Mick/Richards, Keith
Mick Jagger is probably not the first person to come to mind when talking dog ownership. But the rock and roll legend (and British knight) has been known to keep a menagerie of pets, including chocolate Labrador retrievers, named Bonnie and Clyde. What rock stars and all dog lovers share is a desire to keep their pets happy. Behavioral problems caused by stress, trauma, or emotional issues can take a toll on that relationship and leave both dog and owner looking for a savior, steadfast and true.
Jenna Stregowski, RVT, a dog advice columnist for About.com, and other animal care professionals say the 10 most common canine behavioral problems are barking, chewing, digging, separation anxiety, inappropriate elimination, begging, chasing, jumping, biting, and aggression. Many of these behaviors aren’t just superficial naughtiness, but trace their origins to deeper-rooted causes, including fear or defensiveness, protection of property, dominance assertion, anxiety, curiosity, boredom, and/or excess energy.
BOTANICAL ANIMAL® Flower Essences can support the emotional rescue these issues need, not only for pet Pekinese, but other large and small companion animals. These proprietary liquid plant preparations, made by infusing fresh flower blossoms under very specific conditions, have historically been used to balance and harmonize emotional, psychological and spiritual states in humans.
A broad selection of issue-specific blends are available, each specifically formulated to support a different behavior. Essences are easy to administer and, if you show your dog, the Flower Essences are safe to use during competition without conflicting with other protocols. They may be administered orally, in drinking water, sprayed as a light mist on paws, nose, or mouth, or while feeding a hard treat.
“If someone had asked me 15 years ago if I thought a flower essence could work for dogs, I would have said, ‘Of course not, how could it,’ says Stacey Small, founder of BOTANICAL ANIMAL Flower Essences, and a dog owner. “But I have personally used herbal remedies, so I decided that these flower blends might have validity and purpose for pets, too. I challenged myself to stay open-minded. My experience with flower essences was a crash course in having faith in the flowers that can help us and our animals. Since then, I have seen countless success stories with pet’s given essences.”
Among the flower essence blends BOTANICAL ANIMAL offer are In TrainingTM (to maintain focus and patience), Life’s ChangesTM (when moving into a new home or after the loss of a housemate), IndependenceTM (to assist with separation anxiety), Clear ThinkingTM (to help easily distracted animals), and Angel of Mercy® (for animals who have been rescued from neglect and abuse).
“The only time flower essences fail is if we guess wrong as to what the root cause of the issue is,” adds Small. “If we think the problem is fear-based and use an essence to support allaying fear, and it turns out to be an anger issue, the Flower Essence will not work. I ask everyone to have patience. Take your time defining the behaviors you are trying to address, and get clear on what the root causes may be. Essences are not animal-specific, but issue-specific.”
About Arenus
Arenus is a premier provider of innovative health and nutrition products for companion animals. The company’s natural supplements are grounded in solid science and formulated to holistically support digestive, joint, skin and coat, and behavioral health in pets. Arenus is an audited and certified member of the National Animal Supplement Council, earning the right to display the NASC Quality Seal. Arenus is a division of Novus International, Inc., a global company dedicated to animal performance, health and longevity. For more information please visit http://arenus.com/ or call 866-791-3344.