Discussing the Benefits of Calming Herbs for Dogs and Cats
Supplements | May 29, 2026
Changes can create stress for many dogs and cats. Holidays, family get-togethers, and other fun outings may cause even the calmest pet to become anxious as their routine is disrupted and new people come into their house. Many pets also travel, have pet sitters, or go to a boarding facility during the year, which can also trigger a stress response in normally easy-going dogs and cats.
If your dog or cat becomes stressed during a particular time of the year, it may be time to consider calmatives to make that occasion easier for everyone. When administered correctly and as part of an overall plan to reduce stress, calmatives can make your pet feel better about changes in their life.
Visit any Mud Bay, and we’ll be happy to help you find the exact calmative that will match your pet’s needs. For quick reference, here are some Frequently Asked Questions about calmatives:
Stress affects our pets in a lot of different ways, and it has a lot of causes, some sudden, some gradual. For dogs or cats who are frightened by loud noises or stressed out by changes in routine, calmatives are one way to help take the edge off of stress to help our pets through a tough time.
One can pretty much tell what a calmative is from the name. It’s an item that’s used to help keep an animal calm. A natural calmative is an item that contains herbs or other ingredients that are intended to reduce the symptoms of stress. This doesn’t mean that they’ll cure your animal of anxiety or fix behavioral problems. Instead, calmatives work to help reduce your animal’s experiences of stress, so they don’t feel it quite as strongly. You can think of it as a cushion that helps reduce the impact of what your animal experiences.
Just like stress itself varies, both in the cause and how it’s exhibited, calmatives vary a bunch, too. Some work quickly, and over the short-term. These are great for vet visits, trips to the groomer, and other one-off events. Some have a very slow, gentle impact, and work better for helping our pets adjust to a gradual change.
A calmative might have ingredients that are very recognizable like chamomile, which a lot of us drink to relax and to calm an anxious tummy. That works the same way for dogs and cats. Valerian root is another common one, often used to help relax the nerves. Less common items, like mushrooms and Chinese herbal formulas, help gradually support the body’s ability to deal with stress and feel at home in its environment.
First, start by taking a look at the cause of your pet’s stress. Are you trying to prepare for stress related to a very specific situation, such as going to the vet or the Fourth of July? Or do you have more consistent behavioral problems related to stress, like separation anxiety? Starting by asking those questions helps determine how much help you need, whether from a calmative or another soothing tactic. It also helps you form a baseline for how much you’re able to do on your own and when you should confer with your vet.
We have a tool in our stores that’s designed to help us choose between different calmatives based on how long it takes them to have an effect, the philosophy behind the product’s makeup, and how you administer the calmative itself. Those three factors really help us break down which one to suggest in a different circumstance. If you’ve got a highly discerning cat, for example, chances are pills or powdered herbs may not be as helpful, so a treat or tincture would be an easier route to take.
If we’re talking about anticipating a stressful event like the Fourth of July, your best bet is to prepare a game plan well in advance–including environmental and behavioral techniques—as well as calmatives, to make your pet’s experience more relaxing. Many long-term calmatives, such as air-based pheromones, are not designed to have an immediate effect, so including them early on is very helpful. Testing certain techniques in advance helps your pet get comfortable and lets you know how they’ll react. For example, having a dog try on a Thundershirt for short increments (with lots of treats!) when they’re already calm helps build a positive association, increasing the likelihood it’ll be successful.
It’s going to depend entirely on what format it takes. Once you’ve determined the cause and level of anxiety, then you can decide what types of calmatives work best for you and your pet, being aware of your pet’s preferences and how quickly you expect a calmative to take effect.
Ease of use is why so many people go for treat-based calmatives. They’re much easier to get a cat or dog to take than a pill, especially if they’re already stressed out. The drawback with treats is that they’re more processed, and you may not get as high a dosage. So, some treat-based calmatives suggest you give the minimum dose, wait thirty to forty minutes, then give a second dose if needed.
In cases where anxiety happens in response to specific events that you can predict, it’s also best to start your calming techniques about an hour before the event will happen. Calmatives are often more effective in advance for just this reason—it’s a way to start with a calmer state early on than it is to roll back anxiety that’s already happening.
Updated 6.1.26
It’s never a bad time to chill. 🧘♀️ 🐾
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Swell`s My Chill Time Premium Dog Gelato is made with functional ingredients like chamomile and passion flower tea, which help your pup stay cool, calm, and collected when summer activities makes thier day-to-day a little more stressful. Plus, it includes blackberries, 🥥 coconut milk, ginger, beets, and 🍯 🐝 honey, which are great for digestion and antioxidant support.
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Swell Premium Dog Gelato is not only a tasty treat on a hot summer day, but it also helps keep your pup living their best life and staying CHILL. Shop My Chill Time from Swell in-store or online at Mud Bay this summer. 🌞
#mudbay #swelldoggelato #swell #dogs #chill
Adventure-ready and made for the water, the Ruffwear Float Coat helps keep your dog comfortable during every swim.
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The Float Coat offers a secure, telescoping neck closure that adjusts to fit a variety of dog sizes, while the lightweight foam panels support natural movement and buoyancy in the water, keeping them comfortable and safe.
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Plus, it offers a super handy, low-profile handle that makes it easy to lift your pup out of the water, and reflective accents that add extra visibility for long days at the lake, beach, or river.
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Bring your pup in-store or shop with us online for the Ruffwear Float coat today!
#mudbay #summer #adventures #ruffwear #doglife
🌞 🎆 🎉 Summer brings celebrations, late nights, travel and events that can leave your pets feeling uneasy.
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Mud Bay is here to help, offering products that bring calm and comfort to your cat or dog when things get noisy.
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We carry calming collars, tinctures, treats, and pheromones to help your pets handle everything summer brings—Shop Mud Bay in-store or online to find the right calmatives for your pets.
#mudbay #summer #keepcalm #healthypets #calming
Fluff & Tuff`s #IGIVEAFLUFF is Coming Soon!
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Starting June 8th, National Best Friends Day, our friends at Fluff & Tuff are once again kicking off #IGiveAFluff to help put toys in the paws of shelter and rescue dogs who need them most.
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And we want you to be a part of it, and it couldn`t be easier to participate!
Here`s how it works:
📸 Snap a photo of your dog with their favorite Fluff & Tuff toy.
📱 Share it on social media using #IGiveAFluff.
🐾 Fluff & Tuff donates a toy to a shelter or rescue dog.
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Since 2015, with the support of pet parents like you and the generosity of Fluff & Tuff, over 22,000 toys have been donated to shelters and rescue dogs. Want to participate, but you need a Fluff & Tuff toy? Take a tip from Frank and stop by your local Mud Bay or visit us online. Click the link in our bio to learn more about #IGIVEAFLUFF
Canagan canned cat food is grain-free and made with your cat in mind, using high-quality protein from chicken, salmon, tuna, and more.
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It’s inspired by what cats are naturally built to eat, with a focus on animal protein and no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.
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It’s also an easy way to add moisture to your cat’s routine—something many cats don’t get enough of—which can help support your feline friend with kidney and urinary-tract health.
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🛍️ Shop Canagan Complete Cat Food in-store or online at Mud Bay.
Summer is coming, so be like Goose 🐕 and stay cool 😎 ❄️ on every outing with the Swamp Cooler Harness from Ruffwear.
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Whether she’s out on a trail or enjoying a long walk or run, this harness is built for warm-weather adventures, offering cooling comfort and secure control in one breathable design.
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Shop in-store or online at Mud Bay.
#mudbay #adventures #pnw #dog #summeriscoming
Mud Bay Memorial Day Hours ⏰
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Today, Monday, May 25, all Mud Bay locations will be open from 10 am to 6 pm.
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Delivery orders placed after 2 pm on Sunday will arrive on Tuesday. Store pickup and Instacart will still be available. 🐈 🐕 🚚
#mudbay #holidayhours #healthypets #mudbaydelivery #pets
🐾🌷The Ruffwear Front Range Flex Collection
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Meet Harley, out in the tulip fields and ready for her next outing in the Front Range Flex Harness, Collar, and Leash.
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Whether it’s a walk through the neighborhood or your next PNW adventure, this collection is designed for everyday use and changing conditions:
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Lightweight and built to handle wet conditions
Easy to clean, just hand-wash and air-dry
Made with durable materials for every outing
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Harley picked her look… now it’s your turn.
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The Ruffwear Front Range Flex Collection is now available at Mud Bay. Shop in-store or online today!
#mudbay #ruffwear #adventure #dogwalk #pnwdogs
This cheese-flavored 🧀 💊 pill wrap helps make giving medicine easier for both dogs and cats. 🐕 🐈 Simply tear, wrap, and serve. It’s quick and mess-free.
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The soft texture can be torn to fit any pill, and the cheese flavor makes each dose easier to give. Now with pumpkin, and always free from grain, gluten, and soy.
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Stashio’s is a woman-owned company from Minnesota that creates simple solutions for daily pet care.
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You can find Stashio’s wrap-ups at Mud Bay, both in-store and online.
#mudbay #stashios #wrapup #healthypets #pnwpets
Let your dog relax 💆 and unwind with a Puptail.
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After a walk, run, hike, or just because, this brunch-inspired Puptail is a fun way to help your pup slow down and take it easy. It’s easy to make and flexible, so you can mix and match to make it your own.
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Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Green Juju Golden Blend
- 1 tbsp blueberries
- 1 tbsp banana slices
- 1/2 cup Primal Raw Goat’s Milk Cranberry Blast
- Swell Dog Gelato Banana and Peanut Butter (for topping)
- Wagster Banana and Toasted Coconut Biscuits
- Green Juju Freeze Dried Vitality Blend
- Furvor Concentrated Beef Bone Broth (for ice cubes)
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Optional Extras 🐕 🐶
Blueberry and bone broth ice cubes
Wag and Bright Supply Co. Spirulina and Beef Collagen dog chew
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Directions
1. Add Green Juju Golden Blend as your base
2. Layer in blueberries and banana slices
3. Pour in goat’s milk between layers
4. Repeat layers as desired, then freeze or serve as is
5. Top with gelato, biscuits, and freeze-dried blend
6. Add ice cubes and extras for a cool finish
#mudbay #treatyoself #pup #summeriscoming #puptail
Furvor bone broth is made with 100% human-grade ingredients and is up to 30 times more concentrated than regular broths. It provides protein, collagen, amino acids, and important nutrients to help your dog’s gut, joints, skin, coat, and overall health.
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The 20 oz bottle provides more than 20 servings, making it an easy way to add beneficial nutrition to your dog’s daily routine at home.
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If you’re out and about, Furvor’s single-serve pouches will help keep your dog hydrated, with a pep in their step wherever you go. They’re great for summer, hikes, walks, or days by the water.
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Just tear open, squeeze, and serve. You can mix it with water, pour it over kibble, or give it on its own. You can buy them one at a time or in a pack of six.
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Shop Furvor Bone Broth in-store or online today! 🛍️ 🐾
#mudbay #furvor #healthypets #pnwpets #bonebroth
Capstar Oral Flea & Tick Treatment
🐾When fleas show up, it helps to act quickly. Capstar is an easy-to-use oral treatment that starts working in about 30 minutes and can kill most fleas within the first few hours. It’s a simple way to bring fast relief and can be used alongside your dog’s regular flea and tick routine.
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Vetality Flea & Tick Monthly Topical Treatment
🐾 For ongoing protection, Vetality Avantect offers vet-quality coverage at a great value.
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These broad-spectrum topicals kill and repel fleas, flea eggs, ticks, and mosquitoes, while also targeting all stages of the flea life cycle. It also helps repel biting flies and kill lice. Available in four weight ranges and a four-month supply for continued protection.
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🛍️ Shop in-store or online today.
#mudbay #fleaandtickseason #healthypets #dogs #fleafree
