Calming supplements for dogs. What they can do, and what training has to do
L-tryptophan, L-theanine and valerian in figures: reference amounts per kilogram, how long an effect takes, and why expectations of a fireworks-night product are usually too high.
Calming supplements are the category with the widest gap between advertising and data. The ingredients are plausible, the effects are small, and the timing of the dose matters more than the brand.
The three usual ingredients
L-tryptophan is an amino acid and a precursor of serotonin. We work with 10 to 20 mg per kilogram of body weight per day, so 170 to 340 mg for a 17 kg dog. Tryptophan does not act acutely but over days, because what is involved is a metabolic pathway rather than a substance with an immediate effect.
L-theanine comes from green tea. The reference is 2 to 5 mg per kilogram per day, so 34 to 85 mg for the same dog. Theanine is described as the faster of the two, usually with one to two hours of lead time.
Valerian is the traditional member of the group. We use 5 mg per kilogram, and we mark the evidence as traditional rather than established. Valerian extracts vary widely by plant part and production method, and the milligram figure on the label says little about the content of the active constituents.
The most common mistake is the timing
Drops at ten in the evening on New Year's Eve are too late. A product built mainly on tryptophan needs a lead time of several days up to two weeks. With theanine, hours are enough. Many packs say neither, and a lead-time problem then gets read as the product not working.
The same goes for car journeys, a house move or a vet appointment: the date is predictable, so the lead time is predictable.
What a supplement cannot do
Noise fear, separation stress and aggression are behavioural matters. They need training and, depending on severity, veterinary support. A supplement can make the setting in which training happens slightly more favourable. It does not replace the training, and it is not a medicine.
If your dog's behaviour changes suddenly, that is not a case for something off the shelf but for a check-up. Behavioural changes often have a physical cause.
What to look for when buying
- The amount per serving is on the pack in milligrams, for each ingredient separately.
- Feeding guidance is banded by weight.
- The recommended lead time is stated.
- For plant extracts, the plant part and the type of extract are named.