Flower power is a natural remedy that deals with your dog's emotional and behavioral issues. Flower essences are dilute extracts of the blossoms of various plants and flowers. When diluted, they are more effective than the flower itself. These essences interact at the dog's cellular level and help balance his emotions and restore a feeling of comfort and calm. Dog owners and holistic veterinarians who use this healing therapy claim that it solves a range of behavioral problems, including insecurity and separation anxiety, and reduces stress.

To commercially prepare flower essences, mature buds or flowers are harvested from the field during the summer, placed in water, and heated either in the sun or by boiling. The flower's intensity dissipates in the liquid and is infused with alcohol (usually brandy) as a preservative. The remedy can be diluted again with water.

Bach Essences

In the early nineteenth century, an English homeopathic physician specializing in bacteriology and pathology named Edward Bach developed the system of using flowers to treat patients. He believed that natural remedies were superior to chemical products and that they could improve specific mental states and emotions.

Experimenting on himself, he tested thirty-eight native English plants to determine their effectiveness. Bach divided these into seven groups based on the emotions they could treat: fear, uncertainty, insufficient interest in present circumstances, loneliness, over-sensitivity to influences and ideas, despondency or despair, and over-care for the welfare of others. For example, aspen helps with vague and unexplained fear, wild oat deals with uncertainty, and walnut gives consistency and protection from outside influences. Today the Bach Flower Essences are found in health food stores and sold worldwide.

Giving Essences

When choosing an essence for your dog, observe his emotions and match them with a description of the essence. You can also consult with a qualified flower essence practitioner to help you select one. When you administer an essence, don't expect an immediate result. It may take six to eight weeks before you'll notice any changes in your dog.

To test which remedies work the best, give one essence at a time and observe the difference in your dog's behavior before trying another. It's best to give more frequent doses over a longer period of time. For example, give a few drops three times a day for several weeks. There are several ways to administer a flower essence. You can apply some directly to the mouth, nose, lips, or paw pads. Others must be introduced directly to drinking water. For some, you must prepare a treatment spray bottle. Each essence comes with directions for use.

Besides the Bach Flower Essences, there are other companies that create and market the essences of native plants in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Side Effects

Essences are nontoxic and perfectly safe. The only downside to administering flower essences to your dog is the chance that they may not work. You don't need any special training to give your dog flower essences — just love and appreciation for your dog and a desire to help him live a happy and healthy life.

How Herbs Help

Dogs discovered the strong healing power of herbs long before holistic researchers did. When your dog has an upset stomach, she will try to ease the discomfort by finding and eating a bit of greenery.

While you may not want her to vomit the plant matter back up, that's exactly what she's trying to do. The selection practice even has a scientific name. When animals choose to ingest plants, soils, and insects to maintain their health, this is known as zoopharmacognosy.

Herbs in any form, whether dried, fresh, pounded into a cream, or diluted into a tincture, are nature's pharmacy.

Using Herbs

At one time or another you've probably applied some cooling aloe vera to your hands to heal a minor burn. This herb works just as well on canines, especially if your dog has a lick granuloma or an insect bite. A 100% aloe vera gel from a health food store is very effective. The pure aloe vera gel isn't harmful to dogs if they lick it off.

Herbs can remove toxins from the body and improve the immune system. They can often be used instead of drugs. People and animals have used medicinal herbs for healing for thousands of years.

Precautions

While herbs may seem harmless because they're natural, not all are medicinally or nutritionally beneficial. Some can have powerful side effects and others, such as pennyroyal oil and comfrey, may even be toxic.

Herbs may be used alone or to support and complement other treatments. Consult with your veterinarian or a professional herbalist to be sure that you're not giving your dog any herbs that are toxic.