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Lesstress for Dogs

Natural Support for Canine Stress and Anxiety

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4 Ways to Calm Dogs During the Holidays

Pet Care Tips 4 min read
Photo of a golden lab laying down on the floor surrounded by presents in red wrappings to illustrate a blog about 4 ways to calm dogs during the holidays

It is quite common for pet parents to prefer calm dogs. But did you know that, despite its bad reputation, stress has contributed to the canine species’ survival? A dog reacting to changes and situations where they think they are at risk is healthy! 

The problem is when your little one feels that everything is a threat all the time, even when surrounded by family and friends at home. But there are ways to avoid chronic stress and calm dogs during events that commonly cause behavioral issues in pets, like the Holidays.

Why Can Parties be Stressful for Dogs?

With the end-of-year festivities approaching, the house can get busier with family gatherings and visitors coming and going. Holidays decorations are put up all over the place, and the smell of delicious food fills the air. And, of course, let’s not forget the traditional fireworks that can happen during this period. Even though these can all be very fun for humans, they can make your pup more agitated and generate a lot of stress!

That is why we recommend dog parents have their eyes out for changes in their pup’s behavior that might indicate anxiety. These are the typical signs to look out for:

  • Excessive barking
  • Hyperventilation
  • Destructive behavior
  • Licking the paws
  • Hair loss
  • Lack of appetite

Some symptoms of a stressed dog, such as excessive barking and destructive behavior, can impair the pet’s coexistence with the family. But that’s just one reason to be concerned about chronic canine stress.

Anxious behavior is also associated with decreased immunity and other serious problems such as tachycardia and increased blood pressure. So, it’s good to be aware and know possible ways to help calm dogs!

4 Tips to Calm Dogs at Family Gatherings

Get ready to enjoy the best of the Holiday season with these 4 tips to calm dogs during family gatherings and keep them safe:

Photo of caramel colored dog with a snowman toy laying down in front of a Christmas tree to represent how new toys can help calm dogs during the Holidays

1. New toys can help keep your dog calm

An anxious pet won’t probably be able to control themselves if they are an active part of the celebrations. So it might be best to leave your little one in a quiet, warm and familiar space, along with their favorite toys. We are sure that your pup would also love it if you checked in on them from time to time and reassured them that they are safe. 

New toys are also a great option to help calm dogs. Enrich their safe space with different types of activities. It’s common for pet parents only to offer chewing toys, which doesn’t help much in cases of stress. Although they are important, it is also necessary to stimulate other natural behaviors, such as foraging. Stuffed toys, which encourage the search for food, are great for distracting your four-legged friend while you’re hosting the Holidays celebration. 

2. Natural supplements can help calm dogs

If your little one is prone to stress, being proactive with calming supplements can go a long way. Our main recommendation to help dogs suffering from anxiety, excessive fear, or even uncontrolled excitement is NHV Lesstress.

Ingredients like Chamomile, Passion Flower, and Lemon Balm work to calm nerves with natural sedative (non-addictive) properties. Our Lesstress formula also includes ingredients like Reishi, Eleuthero, and Echinacea Angustifolia, which are very beneficial for helping your little one adapt to stressful situations, plus help stimulate healthy immune function.

3. Don’t force your pup to socialize

Avoid trying to get a dog to socialize more than they are ready and willing to. Insisting that your furkiddo is a part of the party can lead to a very high state of stress. Don’t force him if he is hesitant to be in large groups of strangers.

Preferably get your pup used to socialize with different pets and humans during your daily walks. In addition to wasting energy, walks are important to put your furkiddo in touch with new people, animals, textures, odors, and noises. Hopefully, this will make any interaction with different people in your house less stressful for your little one.

4. Aromatherapy can help reduce stress

Have you heard about olfactory memory? That’s when you smell something, and it transports you to a specific memory. The brain usually associates smells with emotions and uses that for calming and comfort purposes. For pets, this can work the same way, so here is a tip that not many furparents know!  

NHV CoCo Furcare is one of our topical sprays known for helping to keep the coat and skin healthy. But did you know that this formula also has calming properties that can help reduce stress? 

Herbs like Lavender, Chamomille, Lemongrass, and clovebud send pleasant fragrances to the nervous system that can help calm dogs. Just spray a few times on your puppy’s neck and let the nice scent do the trick.


Holidays can certainly be stressful, not only for them but for us too. At NHV we try to give tips and tricks to help pet owners to have a better life with their furbabies. From natural supplements to help with health conditions to activities that help with stressful situations, we are always here to help you love your furbaby naturally.

Dr. Rebeca Oliveira DVM

Dr. Rebeca Oliveira DVM

Dr. Rebeca is a holistic veterinarian from Brazil with a passion for natural and integrative medicine. She’s been studying integrative medicine and alternative (and healthier) diets since 2015, and now started to study the power of herbs with the NHV Family. In her spare time, you can find her spending time with her golden retriever, Kuga.

Published: December 6, 2022

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