🐾 Paw-scription Mondays: Herbs to Help Your Dog Transition to a New Home or Environment 🌿🐶🏡

Moving to a new home, staying in a different environment, or experiencing a major life change can be stressful for dogs. Whether it's a house move, adoption, traveling, or a temporary stay at a boarding facility, these changes can cause anxiety, restlessness, digestive upset, and even behavioral changes.

While patience, consistency, and a safe environment are key, herbal remedies can naturally ease stress, promote relaxation, and help your dog feel secure during the transition.

In this Paw-scription Monday guide, we’ll explore the best calming herbs for helping your dog adjust to a new home or environment with less anxiety! 🌱🐾

🏡 How Stress & Change Affect Dogs

Dogs are creatures of habit, and any disruption to their daily routine can trigger stress and anxiety. Common transitions include:

🚨 Moving to a new home – New smells, surroundings, and routines can cause stress.🚨 Being adopted or rehomed – Adjusting to a new family and environment can be overwhelming.🚨 Traveling or vacation stays – Whether it's a road trip, plane ride, or kennel stay, changes in surroundings can be unsettling.🚨 New household members or pets – The introduction of new pets, babies, or roommates can cause tension.🚨 Separation anxiety – Leaving behind a familiar home, people, or animals can create clinginess and stress-related behaviors.

🐕 Signs Your Dog is Stressed During a Transition

🔹 Pacing, panting, or whining🔹 Hiding, shaking, or excessive licking🔹 Loss of appetite or digestive upset (vomiting, diarrhea)🔹 Destructive behaviors (chewing, digging, barking)🔹 Clinginess or withdrawal from interaction

If your dog struggles with stress during changes, these herbal remedies can help them feel calm, relaxed, and secure.

🌿 Best Herbs to Help Your Dog Adjust to a New Home or Environment

1. Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) – The Ultimate Relaxation Herb

Chamomile is one of the most gentle and effective calming herbs, helping to ease stress, nervousness, and digestive upset.

🔥 Benefits:✔ Calms nervous tension and hyperactivity✔ Reduces travel anxiety and motion sickness✔ Soothes digestive upset linked to stress

🦴 How to Use It:

• Brew Chamomile tea and mix with food or water.

• Use Chamomile tincture (2-5 drops per 10 lbs).

🚨 Safe for most dogs, but introduce slowly to check for allergies.

2. Valerian Root (Valeriana officinalis) – The Strong Anxiety Reliever

Valerian root is a potent natural sedative that helps dogs feel calm and relaxed, making it great for dogs who experience extreme stress when transitioning to a new home.

🔥 Benefits:✔ Eases anxiety and restlessness✔ Supports relaxation without making dogs drowsy✔ Helps with separation anxiety and sleep disturbances

🦴 How to Use It:

• Use Valerian root tincture (1-3 drops per 10 lbs).

• Works best when given 30 minutes before a stressful event.

🚨 Avoid in pregnant dogs or those with low blood pressure.

3. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) – The Adaptogenic Stress Reliever

Ashwagandha is an adaptogen herb, meaning it helps the body adapt to stress naturally, making it great for dogs who take longer to adjust to a new home, new family, or new routine.

🔥 Benefits:✔ Reduces chronic stress and nervous tension✔ Supports cortisol balance to prevent overstimulation✔ Enhances emotional stability and confidence

🦴 How to Use It:

• Use Ashwagandha root powder (¼ tsp per 10 lbs).

• Works best when used long-term for stress management.

🚨 Avoid in dogs with thyroid issues.

4. Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) – The Sleep & Relaxation Booster

Passionflower helps quiet an overactive mind, making it perfect for dogs who are restless, pacing, or struggling to settle in their new space.

🔥 Benefits:✔ Helps with sleep disturbances and restlessness✔ Reduces excessive barking and nervous behaviors✔ Soothes mild separation anxiety

🦴 How to Use It:

• Use Passionflower tincture (2-5 drops per 10 lbs).

• Works well before bedtime to promote relaxation.

🚨 Avoid in dogs prone to low blood pressure.

5. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) – The Gentle Mood Lifter

Lemon Balm is a mild calming herb that helps with mood stabilization and gentle relaxation, making it great for puppies, senior dogs, or dogs with mild anxiety.

🔥 Benefits:✔ Supports emotional balance and calmness✔ Reduces mild anxiety and tension✔ Aids digestion and stress-related tummy issues

🦴 How to Use It:

• Brew Lemon Balm tea and add to drinking water.

• Use Lemon Balm tincture (2-3 drops per 10 lbs).

🚨 Avoid using in excess—too much can cause drowsiness.

🌿 DIY Herbal Calming Blend for Dogs

If your dog is struggling with stress, anxiety, or difficulty settling in a new environment, try this homemade calming blend to help them adjust naturally.

💛 DIY Herbal Stress Relief Powder

🫙 Ingredients:✔ 2 tbsp Chamomile Powder (gentle relaxation)✔ 1 tbsp Ashwagandha Powder (stress adaptation)✔ 1 tbsp Lemon Balm Powder (mood balancing)✔ ½ tbsp Valerian Root Powder (strong anxiety relief)

📝 Instructions:1️⃣ Mix all herbs in an airtight container.2️⃣ Add ¼ tsp per 10 lbs of body weight to food daily.3️⃣ Use as needed during stressful transitions.

🚨 Introduce slowly and monitor for any sensitivities.

🛑 When to Use Herbal Support for Transitioning Dogs

🌿 If your dog is moving to a new home or adjusting to a foster/adoption🌿 During travel, vacations, or temporary stays in boarding kennels🌿 If they struggle with separation anxiety or new people/pets🌿 To support rescue dogs with past trauma or fearfulness🌿 To help senior dogs or puppies adjust to new routines

🥗 Other Natural Ways to Help Your Dog Adjust

Along with herbal remedies, you can help your dog transition more smoothly by:

✅ Keeping a Consistent Routine – Regular mealtimes, walks, and sleep schedules provide stability.✅ Creating a Safe Space – A comfortable bed, favorite toys, and familiar scents can help them feel at home.✅ Using Positive Reinforcement – Reward calm behavior with treats and praise.✅ Playing Soothing Music – Soft background noise can help reduce stress.✅ Practicing Gentle Desensitization – Gradually expose them to new sights, sounds, and environments.

📌 How to Safely Use Herbs for Stress & Anxiety in Dogs

🌿 Introduce herbs gradually and monitor behavior changes.🌿 Use high-quality, organic herbs for best results.🌿 Consult a holistic vet if your dog is on medication.🌿 Rotate herbs periodically to avoid overuse.

🐶 Final Thoughts: Helping Your Dog Adjust to New Environments Naturally

Change can be overwhelming for dogs, but with the right herbal support, patience, and consistency, you can help them feel safe, calm, and at ease. Herbs like Chamomile, Valerian, Ashwagandha, Passionflower, and Lemon Balmprovide gentle, effective relief for a smoother transition.

🐾 Has your dog struggled with moving or adjusting? What natural remedies have worked for you? Let us know in the comments! ⬇️