ADAPTIL Calm On-the-Go Collar, Helps Dogs Cope with Stress

This collar really works for my dog. She hated the car and although she’s still not keen she will at least get in calmly. I tried going without the collar for a while thinking she was ok now but I could see the change in her after a few weeks.

I’ve had a few of these collars for my dog who has a noise phobia. I’ve tried desensitisation CDs, tablets, herbal remedies, plug ins but the Adaptil collars are the only thing that seem to help. It’s just part of who he is now and we manage it. However, he swims in the river regularly and I forgot to take it off and only noticed a few days later that his fur around his neck was discoloured and he had some excoriated patches the poor boy. I felt really bad but it healed quickly with some antiseptic cream. So word of warning for future users…take off if you intend to let your dog swim!

I was in two minds about this after reading mixed reviews but decided to take a punt on it as cheaper than other options. I’m so glad I did, the change in my dog is nothing short of miraculous! My 15 month old collie x retriever is scared of everything and had developed an extremely aggressive fear reaction to strange dogs out on walks. As she’s a high energy breed she needs plenty of off lead exercise and those trips out were becoming increasingly stressful as I never knew what would happen if a strange dog approached. I was terrified she would hurt one eventually and I found myself isolating her more and more, which in turn made the fear worse. After reading that this problem is not recommended for aggression I didn’t hold out much hope but am happy to report it works like a dream on her. From the day it arrived she has been a different dog, not only is she generally more relaxed there has not been any reactions and she is now playing happily with other dogs I am also using other recommended methods alongside the collar but am convinced this has been the main cure because nothing was working previously. I will be ordering one every month now and if your reading this and can relate to the problem, my advice is ignore the bad reviews and product usage description and give it a try! Its important to note that my dog was perfectly behaved and non aggressive in any other situation though it was just purely the fear of strange dogs approaching her. Good luck!

I bought this collar on recommendation from my vet who had known one to work in similar circumstances to ours. I was sceptical but I had even got to the point of feeling that Mabel was better off dead then so scared and miserable all of the time! (obviously I would not have acted on this) Mabel is a 7 1/2 year old Bordeaux cross rottweiler who has always had a bit of an anxiety issue since birth. Coming up to seven years old everything seemed to get worse. She would not be shut in certain rooms and had to have escape routes, she ripped up all of the carpets one day and scratched the doors when we went out for a few hours and forgot to shut her in her ‘safe’ room. Damage to the house is par for the course, I have 4 dogs and a cat so it is inevitable but I was very bothered by the fact that Mabel was miserable and scared of everything. She seemed to spend all of here time hiding under mine or my other halfs desk (we both work from home) shaking and trying to make herself tiny. Pretty much straight away after putting on the collar she seemed calmer and less stressed. I wasn’t sure if it was a fluke so she has been wearing a collar now for two months and I have just ordered a third and I can pretty much say that unless it was a huge coincidence this DAP collar has made a massive difference to Mabel and to us and I am very grateful. Mabel is a big girl and she measures 70cm around the neck which is good because that’s as big as the collars go.

I was doubtful whether this would work but my extremely nervous dog has been really helped by this collar when we were moving house, she had begun to show her fear by making random unprovoked attacks on other dogs whilst on walks, you can imagine how terrible this made taking her for a walk; making me anxious to take her to a public park but I had no choice, I consulted my vet and he suggested I try Adaptil but he wasn’t sure if it would help but said it was worth a try. Within a few days of using the collar (which is easy to put on, although I didn’t trust the fastener and taped the end in case it came undone) her behaviour was much more relaxed and less aggressive and continues to be so, although I wouldn’t trust her off the lead completely with other dogs around, her behaviour is such that I probably could, I just can’t be 100% so I’d rather not take the risk. I hoped that we wouldn’t need more than one but after a month it became obvious as it started to wear off and she became more aggressive again, so we have bought another and she seems much more relaxed again so I suppose we shall just have to continue with them. It is not a cure all and weirdly it seems to make dogs become attracted to her and try and mount her, strange as it released the same hormone a pregnant dog exudes, but it has significantly helped her to cope with a new home and surroundings.

I tried this as a last resort having tried all sorts of other calmers, training and habituation techniques for separation anxiety, stress and barking. He is an 8 year old lab and was finding life more and more stressful. We have another 2 year old dog, but if I leave them even to go to the loo and my husband is there, the older dog was getting distressed. He got to the stage of barking at any slight noise or movement and would also go for another dog if it told him off. The dogs come to work with me and he was starting to scare some of the other people in the office with his barking.

The collar arrived this morning and I put it on him. He sniffed the air and promptly fell asleep. Various people have come and gone, walking in and out of my office all day. he raised his eyebrows at them as they came past and then shut his eyes again. He gives the impression of finally being able to relax and the difference in him is astounding – lots of people have commented on how chilled he is. I am amazed and keep checking him when someone walks past as I can’t believe how relaxed he is.

I ordered the diffuser as well and that should arrive in the next day or so. I am hoping that the collar and the diffuser together will allow my husband and I to leave the house together so that we can go next door for a drink on Saturday. We have resorted to going out separately and haven’t left the dogs alone for about two years! I will update this review after Saturday – fingers crossed!!!!