I was wondering if anyone used this supplement for the hyper-active dog. We have been working with a trainer for our 18month old Red Setter. The breed is very active, but she is unable to focus. He rated her an 8 on a scale of 0-10 for sensitivity. Our trainer recommended trying Valerian Root for awhile to settle her down. She is crazy about cars. But, she is also a very soft dog. He rated her a 2 for that one. He recommended going to our vet and getting his recommendations, I will do that too. I am not willing to put her on doggie ritalin. So, I was wondering if anyone has experience with this herbal remedy.

Thanks.

 Quote:

I was wondering if anyone used this supplement for the hyper-active dog. We have been working with a trainer for our 18month old Red Setter. The breed is very active, but she is unable to focus. He rated her an 8 on a scale of 0-10 for sensitivity. Our trainer recommended trying Valerian Root for awhile to settle her down. She is crazy about cars. But, she is also a very soft dog. He rated her a 2 for that one. He recommended going to our vet and getting his recommendations, I will do that too. I am not willing to put her on doggie ritalin. So, I was wondering if anyone has experience with this herbal remedy.....Thanks.

I have human experience with tincture of valerian root. Because it's one of the herbal remedies that actually does work, I would get my vet's OK. Flower essences, etc., IMO, are probably not of real specific help (I might be wrong -- just my take), and I'm unconvinced about homeopathy (again, just me). But there are herbs that do what they are said to do, and one of them (IMO) is valerian.

You probably know about the lack of standards and oversight in the world of herbal remedies.

For these reasons (lack of standards and the actual power of the tincture), I'd consult with a vet who has some knowledge of what the web sites call "all natural remedies." Another consideration is that while its use on humans has a long history, its use with dogs doesn't. So, while humans experience few bad side effects (possible headache, sometimes excitability, which is the opposite of the desired effect, with dosage errors), I'd want vet supervision while using it.

Not knocking it! Just saying that just because it's OTC doesn't mean it's always safe and appropriate. I'm not a health professional. My opinion is that this might be of great benefit, but I'd proceed with caution.

I thought Rescue Remedy had Valerian in it, but I checked and it doesn't. Check with a vet versed in herbal remedies/homeopathy. I have taken Skullcap and Valerian myself; Skullcap being quite a bit stronger than Valerian. As stated earlier, there is such a variance of strengths depending on the herb itself, preparation method, etc.