Does lavender spray for dogs actually help with sleep? (Learn how it can promote relaxation)

So, I decided to try making some lavender spray for my dog the other day. My buddy, Buster, he gets a bit worked up sometimes, especially when there's a storm or those darn fireworks go off. Read somewhere lavender might chill dogs out. Figured I'd give it a shot myself instead of buying pricey stuff.

Getting the bits together

First thing, I hunted down a clean spray bottle. Had an old one lying around, just washed it out really well with soap and hot water. Then I needed the main ingredient. I actually had some dried lavender buds already, the kind you use for tea or little sachets. If you don't have that, I guess a little bit of lavender essential oil would work too, but make sure it's the right kind, pure stuff, heavily diluted 'cause oils can be strong for dogs.

• Clean spray bottle
• Dried lavender flowers (a good handful) OR a few drops of pure lavender essential oil
• Water (I used distilled water just to be safe, but filtered tap water is probably fine)

Making the actual spray

Okay, this part wasn't rocket science. Since I was using the dried flowers, I basically made lavender tea.

I boiled about two cups of water on the stove. While that was heating up, I put a good handful of the dried lavender into a glass jar. Once the water boiled, I poured it over the lavender in the jar. Gave it a little stir. Then, I just covered it loosely and let it sit there on the counter for hours. Seriously, I left it until it was completely cool. You want all that lavender goodness to seep into the water.

After it cooled down, I needed to get the plant bits out. Didn't want them clogging up my spray bottle nozzle. I used a fine mesh sieve first, then poured it through a coffee filter just to be extra sure. Got this nice, faintly purple-ish water.

Then I just carefully poured this lavender water into my clean spray bottle. If you were using essential oil instead, you'd just add like 5-10 drops of oil to about two cups of water in the spray bottle and shake it really well before each use, 'cause oil and water don't like mixing.

Using it on Buster

Alright, so I had my homemade lavender spray. Time to test it out. I didn't want to just soak Buster in it. Dogs have sensitive noses. So, first time, I just sprayed a little bit onto his bedding when he wasn't on it. Let it dry. He sniffed it later, didn't seem bothered.

Next time, during a quiet evening, I sprayed a tiny bit into the air near him, not directly at him. Watched him. He sniffed the air, wagged his tail a little, seemed fine. Then I tried a very light mist high over his back, avoiding his head and face completely. He just looked back at me like "What was that?" and then went back to chilling.

So, did it work?

Honestly? It's hard to tell definitively. I've been using it off and on for a few weeks now, mostly spraying his bed area before bed or if I know something noisy is coming up. Maybe he seems a little less frantic during storms? Maybe he settles down a bit quicker? It's subtle, if anything. He hasn't had any bad reactions, no skin irritation or sneezing, which is the main thing.

One definite plus is that his favorite blanket smells nicer! Less doggy, more faintly floral. So that's something.

It was easy enough to make, cost almost nothing since I had the lavender. Worth trying, I reckon, especially if you're looking for a gentle, natural option. Just remember to introduce it slowly and watch your dog. Don't overdo it. A little goes a long way with their noses.