How to calm an anxious dog naturally: five options, graded on the evidence

Start with the free things: a predictable routine and enough exercise and play. Calm music has modest evidence behind it. Pheromones have mixed evidence, and herbal remedies and scents have very little. In a large owner survey, none of these came close to training. If the anxiety is new, sudden or severe, see your vet first, because pain and illness can show up as anxious behaviour.

Anxiety is common. In a study of 13,715 dogs in Finland, noise sensitivity was the most common anxiety trait, affecting about a third of them.¹

Below are five "natural" options, what the research found for each, and what to try first. We make a music box for dogs, so we have a stake in one of them. We've graded it the same way as the rest.

First, rule out pain

Anxious behaviour isn't always about fear. The Merck Veterinary Manual calls pain "an important risk factor for behavior problems". It cites a study of veterinary behaviourists' cases in which 28% to 82% of patients showed signs of pain.² In a review of 100 recent cases, the authors estimate conservatively that about a third involved some kind of painful condition.³

So if your dog's anxiety is new or has changed quickly, or if your dog is older, book a vet visit before you try anything on this list.

1. A predictable routine

What it is. Meals, walks, play and quiet time at about the same times each day. Changes introduced slowly, not all at once.

The evidence. The Merck Veterinary Manual says plainly that "establishing a routine can greatly help anxiety", and that it's best to introduce changes gradually. It also recommends keeping the dog away from whatever triggers the fear where you can, using distance or visual and sound barriers.² This is expert guidance, not a trial. We didn't find a study that tested routine on its own.

Grade: good sense, low risk. It costs nothing and every plan for an anxious dog starts here.

Try this. Give your dog a quiet place to rest that's theirs, away from the front door and the street window. If you know a change is coming (a move, a new baby, a new work schedule), start shifting the routine a few weeks early.

2. Exercise and play

What it is. Walks, games and things to sniff and chew, matched to your dog's age, breed and health.

The evidence. Merck lists "a consistent routine for play and exercise" as part of treatment for separation distress. For overexcited dogs, it recommends exercise and enrichment suited to the dog's breed and age, and a routine that "can lower a dog's arousal".² Again, this is expert guidance. It's part of a plan, not a treatment on its own.

Grade: good sense, low risk. A dog with unmet needs for exercise and play is harder to settle, whatever else you try.

Try this. A walk with time to sniff, then a chew or a food puzzle, before the part of the day that's hardest for your dog. More walking isn't better for every dog. An older or unwell dog may need shorter, gentler outings, so ask your vet what's right.

3. Calm music

What it is. Quiet classical or other calm music playing in the background.

The evidence for. A review of nine studies found classical music appears calming for dogs in stressful places such as shelters. In one shelter study, dogs played calm piano music lay down more with their heads down, and panted and barked less than dogs with no treatment. In kennelled dogs, classical music meant more sleeping and less vocalizing.⁴⁵⁶

The evidence against. In pet dogs separated from their owners, classical music helped them settle faster but had "only a moderately calming effect". The effect of the same playlist wore off within a week in one kennel study. And in an owner survey on fireworks, setting up the room on the night (music included) wasn't linked to the fear getting better over time.⁷⁸⁹

About "music made for dogs". The old version of this post said music designed specially for dogs works best. The research doesn't support that. In one kennel study, a classical track designed to relax dogs had minimal effect, and the review of nine studies found no extra benefit from dog-designed music.⁴⁶

Grade: modest evidence. Calm music is a low-risk comfort, best used as part of a routine. It won't fix a phobia. Vary what you play. You can read the music studies one by one, with their limits.

4. Pheromones

What it is. A synthetic copy of a calming pheromone that nursing dogs produce, sold as collars, sprays and plug-in diffusers.

The evidence. In a placebo-controlled lab study of 24 beagles, a pheromone collar lowered fear scores during a thunder recording. But a systematic review found most pheromone studies gave insufficient evidence. In the fireworks survey, owners rated pheromones about as effective as a placebo would explain.⁹¹⁰¹¹

Grade: mixed evidence. One good study against a lot of thin evidence. We cover the details in pheromone and herbal collars, compared study by study.

5. Herbal remedies and calming scents

What it is. Supplements or collars with herbs such as chamomile, valerian or passionflower, and essential oils such as lavender.

The evidence. Thin. In the fireworks survey of 1,225 owners, herbal products, nutraceuticals and essential oils were rated as helping by 27% to 35% of owners. That's no better than you'd expect from a placebo. Merck says a calming effect has been seen with lavender aromatherapy and some supplements, but calls the evidence for natural products in dogs "somewhat limited".²⁹

The best study of a scent we found used lavender oil in a room diffuser in a shelter. Dogs with the diffuser panted and barked less than dogs with no treatment. That's a diffuser across the room, not oil on a bandana or a collar next to the nose.⁵

A safety note. "Natural" doesn't mean safe for dogs. The ASPCA lists both lavender and chamomile plants as toxic to dogs. Eating lavender can cause nausea and vomiting; chamomile can cause skin irritation, vomiting and diarrhea.¹²¹³ Those listings are about the plants, not oils or supplements, but they're a good reason for caution. Ask your vet before giving your dog any supplement or using any essential oil around them.

Grade: weak evidence. Owner ratings in the placebo range, and real safety questions.

The five, side by side

What owners rated higher than all five

In the same fireworks survey, the options owners rated highest weren't products. Counterconditioning (a treat or a game right after each scary noise) was rated effective by more than 70% of owners, and relaxation training by 69%. Prescription medication was rated effective by 69%, and that's a conversation for your vet.⁹

Training takes weeks, not minutes, so start well before the day you need it. For step-by-step plans:

• Noise fears: a fireworks plan that starts weeks ahead and our storm-season plan.
• Time alone: how long is too long to leave a dog, and the signs that point to separation anxiety.
• Vet visits: low-stress vet visits, before, during and after.

If your dog's anxiety is severe, or isn't improving, talk to your vet. They can check for pain or illness and refer you to a qualified behaviour professional.

Where the Barkwoo Music Box fits

The Barkwoo Music Box is option 3 in a form you can take anywhere. It's a lightweight music player that clips onto any standard collar. One button starts hours of preloaded music, with no phone, WiFi or app, and it plays for almost a full day on one charge. It's drug-free, and it isn't a calming collar: there's no pheromone, scent or herb in it.

What it adds is portability. A speaker stays in one room; music on the collar goes where your dog goes, including the car, the vet's waiting room and under the bed. The studies above used room speakers, mostly in shelters, and none tested a collar device, ours included. So we claim no more for it than the modest evidence for calm music. You can play a sample of the calming playlist first.

Quick answers

What is the most natural way to calm an anxious dog? A predictable routine, enough exercise and play, and a quiet place to rest. Veterinary guidance recommends all three, and they carry no risk.

Does calming music work for dogs? Modestly. Classical music is linked to more resting and less vocalizing in shelters and kennels, and to faster settling in pet dogs left alone, but the effect is moderate and fades without variety.

Do herbal calming products work? The evidence is thin. In a large owner survey about fireworks, herbal products and essential oils were rated in the placebo range. Ask your vet before giving any supplement.

Is lavender safe for dogs? The ASPCA lists the lavender plant as toxic to dogs if eaten. One shelter study used lavender oil in a room diffuser, not on the dog. Ask your vet before using any essential oil around your dog.

What works better than natural remedies? In owner ratings, training scored highest: counterconditioning and relaxation training. Medication from your vet was rated about as high.

References

1. Salonen, M., Sulkama, S., Mikkola, S., et al. (2020). Prevalence, comorbidity, and breed differences in canine anxiety in 13,700 Finnish pet dogs. Scientific Reports, 10, 2962. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-59837-z ↩︎
2. Borns-Weil, S. (2025). Behavior problems of dogs. Merck Veterinary Manual. merckvetmanual.com ↩︎
3. Mills, D.S., Demontigny-Bédard, I., Gruen, M., et al. (2020). Pain and problem behavior in cats and dogs. Animals, 10(2), 318. doi:10.3390/ani10020318 ↩︎
4. Lindig, A.M., McGreevy, P.D. & Crean, A.J. (2020). Musical dogs: a review of the influence of auditory enrichment on canine health and behavior. Animals, 10(1), 127. doi:10.3390/ani10010127 ↩︎
5. Amaya, V., Paterson, M.B.A. & Phillips, C.J.C. (2020). Effects of olfactory and auditory enrichment on the behaviour of shelter dogs. Animals, 10(4), 581. doi:10.3390/ani10040581 ↩︎
6. Kogan, L.R., Schoenfeld-Tacher, R. & Simon, A.A. (2012). Behavioral effects of auditory stimulation on kenneled dogs. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 7(5), 268–275. doi:10.1016/j.jveb.2011.11.002 ↩︎
7. Kinnaird, R.F. & Wells, D.L. (2022). The effect of auditory stimulation on pet dogs' reactions to owner separation. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 254, 105688. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105688 ↩︎
8. Bowman, A., Scottish SPCA, Dowell, F.J. & Evans, N.P. (2015). 'Four Seasons' in an animal rescue centre; classical music reduces environmental stress in kennelled dogs. Physiology & Behavior, 143, 70–82. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.02.035 ↩︎
9. Riemer, S. (2020). Effectiveness of treatments for firework fears in dogs. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 37, 61–70. doi:10.1016/j.jveb.2020.04.005 ↩︎
10. Landsberg, G.M., Beck, A., Lopez, A., Deniaud, M., Araujo, J.A. & Milgram, N.W. (2015). Dog-appeasing pheromone collars reduce sound-induced fear and anxiety in beagle dogs: a placebo-controlled study. Veterinary Record, 177(10), 260. doi:10.1136/vr.103172 ↩︎
11. Frank, D., Beauchamp, G. & Palestrini, C. (2010). Systematic review of the use of pheromones for treatment of undesirable behavior in cats and dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 236(12), 1308–1316. doi:10.2460/javma.236.12.1308 ↩︎
12. ASPCA. Toxic and non-toxic plants: Lavender. aspca.org ↩︎
13. ASPCA. Toxic and non-toxic plants: Chamomile. aspca.org ↩︎