Do calming collars work? Pheromone, herbal and music compared

Some calming collars for dogs do something, for some dogs, in some situations. Pheromone collars have one small trial in their favor, but a review found most of the pheromone evidence too weak to judge. Herbal and essential-oil collars have no published study of their own that we could find, and our search turned up no study of side effects in dogs for either kind. In one study of firework fears, owners rated pheromone and herbal products no better than you'd expect from a placebo.¹ Neither kind of collar replaces training.

We make a music box that clips onto a collar, so we have a stake here. We grade our own category on the same published research.

What is a calming collar for dogs, and how does it work?

The phrase covers two different things:

• Pheromone collars. These release a synthetic copy of a calming pheromone that nursing dogs produce. The same substance also comes as a spray and a plug-in diffuser. The collar has to sit snug, because your dog's body heat warms it and lets the pheromone out.
• Herbal and essential-oil collars. These carry a plant scent, such as lavender.

Music players that clip onto a collar, ours included, turn up in the same searches. They work through sound alone.

Pheromone collars

The best evidence for. In one small trial, dogs in pheromone collars showed less fear during a recorded thunderstorm than dogs in dummy collars.² The company that makes the pheromone paid for the study. If storms are the main worry, our guide covers what helps in storms, collar or not.

The best evidence against. A review of earlier pheromone research found most of the dog studies too weak to judge.³

Where that leaves it. The evidence is mixed. One small trial is in favor, and most other studies were too weak to judge.

Herbal and essential-oil collars

We couldn't find a published study of a herbal calming collar itself. The nearest studies test lavender in other forms, such as a scent spread through a room. A scent in the room isn't one worn on the neck, so treat collar claims with care.

Music

Music is often compared with calming collars, so it gets the same test. Here the question is whether music calms dogs, which isn't the same as whether dogs like music.

The evidence for. In one study, dogs left without their owner settled a bit faster with classical music playing.⁴

The evidence against. The effect was only moderate. In the fireworks study, setting up the room on the night, loud music included, wasn't linked to the fear easing over time.¹ We found no published study that played music from a dog's collar, ours included.

Where that leaves it. The evidence is modest, and most of the individual music studies used speakers in shelter kennels.

Side by side

Pheromone collars have more research behind them than herbal ones, but owners in the fireworks study rated the two about the same.

Are calming collars safe for dogs?

We could find no study in dogs that measured side effects of a calming collar, pheromone or herbal, so we have no figure to give you. Ask your vet before you put any scented product on your dog, and take the collar off if they keep scratching at it.

Pheromone collar, spray, diffuser or calming supplement: how do you choose?

The research can't choose for you. The trial above tested a collar, and the fireworks study grouped diffusers, sprays and collars together.

So choose on practical grounds. A diffuser covers one room, and a spray covers what you spray. A collar covers your dog only while it's on. Moncher's collar comes off at bedtime and goes back on with breakfast. A supplement goes in your dog's mouth, so ask your vet first.

Which methods did owners rate highest?

In the fireworks study, owners rated two kinds of training highest, counterconditioning and relaxation training, with prescription medication close behind.¹ In counterconditioning, food or play follows every bang. Medication is a conversation for your vet.

Both kinds of training take weeks of practice. Our step-by-step noise training plan walks through them, and they apply to other noise fears too. For the wider picture, see natural ways to calm an anxious dog, graded.

If your dog's fear or anxiety is severe, start with your vet. A collar, a scent or a playlist can be part of a plan, but it isn't the plan.

Is the Barkwoo Music Box a calming collar?

No. The Barkwoo Music Box is a lightweight music player that clips onto any standard collar, in one size for all dogs. It has no pheromone or scent, and it's drug-free. It holds hours of preloaded music. One button press starts the preloaded playlist, with no phone, Wi-Fi or app, and it plays for almost a full day on one charge.

It's the only calming-music player made to be worn on your dog's collar, so it stays with your dog while you're out. The music evidence above, modest and from room speakers, is all we claim for it. You can hear the calming playlist first, or see how Barkwoo compares with other music devices for dogs.

References

1. 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 ↩︎
2. 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 ↩︎
3. 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 ↩︎
4. 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 ↩︎