One simple addition to your dog’s diet could reduce stress and anxiety

When your dog follows you from room to room, do you think it’s because they love you? Sadly, it’s more likely a sign of anxiety than it is unconditional love. Holistic vet Dr Kathy Cornack says that this shadowing behaviour and a host of other signals – everything from yawning to jumping up and down with excitement – often go unrecognised and could actually mean your pet is anxious.

If anxiety is not dealt with, in the short term you’ll have to deal with barking, scratching and escaping. But in the long term, the anxiety can become more deeply embedded and affect your dog’s overall health. Not to mention the special bond you have with your trusty companion.

When it comes to dealing with anxious behaviour, seeing a behavioural vet for a diagnosis is a good place to start. However, that’s not the only thing you can do to help your four-legged friend. An Australian-owned pet supplement company has now released a range of vet-formulated health jellies for dogs – and one of the products has been formulated to specifically target anxiety.

“They’re just like the Aeroplane jellies we loved as kids, but for dogs. And healthier,” says Bestie Kitchen founder Amanda Falconer.

The jellies come pre-mixed, so all you need to do is add water, stir and pop them in the fridge to set. The jellies can then be dropped into your dog’s meal or fed as a treat, so you’ll no longer need to trick your dog into swallowing a pill! And, better yet, all of Bestie Kitchen’s products are made in Newcastle using mostly Australian ingredients that are natural or naturally derived. Unlike other products, they contain no synthetic vitamins or fake animal flavourings.

Don’t just take our word for it though as the jellies are also based on science and, having reviewed hundreds of research papers and relevant trials, the company approached nationally-recognised holistic vet Dr Kathy Cornack to build on the research and develop the formulations.

One of the research studies on which The Om anxiety jelly is based, involved 24 dogs who displayed anxious behaviour. After 10 days of adding a nutraceutical supplement to their diet, there was significant improvement in the times spent active and at rest and an overall significant improvement in clinical and behavioural symptoms. Those symptoms include marking, diffidence, irregular biorhythm, reactivity, activation, irritability, alertness, environmental exploration, body exploration, attention requirement, dandruff, itchiness, flush, seborrhoea, changes in fur, vomiting, diarrhoea, flatulence, tearing, and anal sac issues.

Sydney dog owner Clare, whose moodle Molly had been anxious for a long time, took part in a small trial of The Om bestie health jellies. Clare says Molly was even more hyper than usual as she transitioned into working from home for her busy advertising agency, but credits The Om jellies with helping to soothe Molly.

“They were super easy to make and definitely helped keep her calm in a time of change, with a new puppy next door and working from home,” she says.

Anxiety isn’t the only chronic condition the NSW-based company is taking on though, as Bestie Kitchen has also created a range of other jellies which target everything from stinky breath (halitosis) to immune system stress and even cognitive decline in senior dogs.

Many of these conditions arise because dogs and cats – like their humans – are living longer, leading to a series of chronic conditions. For instance, cognitive decline affects 28 per cent of dogs between the ages of 11 and 12 years, and 68 per cent of dogs over 15 years. One in five dogs over the age of seven has arthritis, and a massive 72 per cent of dogs have at least one sign of anxious behaviour – and this tends to get worse as dogs age.

Sydney dog owner Virginia has a senior dog, Arie, who’s just turned 15. She took part in a trial of Bestie Kitchen’s The Einstein jellies, designed to target cognitive decline.

“I believe he [Arie] is in a better state of mind,” Virginia says. “I am super-relieved to report that the inside ‘number-two’ bathroom episodes stopped about eight days after starting with the jellies.”

The Einstein ‘brain support’ jelly, is based on two research studies. One showed that rate learning and memory decline can be delayed with antioxidant supplementation. The other showed that supplementation with gingko, reduced geriatric behavioural disturbances.

Falconer’s own 21-year-old dog has also taken part in trials too. “At 21, he’s obviously getting on a bit!” she says. “But since he’s been on the jellies – both The Om and The Einstein – he’s spending less time standing around in a daze, and being startled by sharp sounds.”