"Calming" covers four completely different kinds of product, and the first job is knowing which kind you are buying. There are pheromones, which copy a natural dog signal; nutritional supplements, which supply ingredients like alpha-casozepine or tryptophan; pressure wraps, which work physically; and treats and sprays that sit somewhere between the two. This guide sorts the calming products we stock into those four groups, quotes what each maker actually claims and directs, and is honest about where the evidence is stronger and weaker. It is not a substitute for a vet or a qualified behaviourist for a dog with serious anxiety.
Start with the situation, not the product
Storms and fireworks, being left alone, car travel, vet visits, a new baby or a house move, and general nervousness are different problems, and the makers position their products for different ones. Before buying anything: a dog that is destructive, self-harming, not eating or aggressive when anxious needs a vet, who may prescribe medication and refer you to a behaviourist. The products below are for the everyday and mild-to-moderate end, and the makers themselves say they work best alongside training and routine.
1. Pheromones: Adaptil
Adaptil is a synthetic copy of the dog appeasing pheromone, the signal a mother dog gives off to reassure her puppies. Adaptil's own FAQ describes it as odourless and only perceived by dogs, so it does not affect people or cats. Its products differ by delivery:
- Adaptil Calm Diffuser Kit (and the refill): plugged in where the dog spends most of its time, with at least 1.2 m of clear space above it; one 48 mL vial covers up to 70 square metres and lasts about 30 days, run continuously. Adaptil's guidance is a minimum of one month, with many owners seeing results within the first seven days.
- Adaptil Collar (small and large): the dog's body heat releases the pheromone, so it must sit snugly with no more than two fingers between collar and skin; each collar lasts about four weeks. This is the one for dogs whose triggers are outside the house: walks, travel, kennels.
- Adaptil Spray: 8 to 10 pumps on bedding, the car or the crate, never on the dog, at least 15 minutes before the dog goes in; each application lasts four to five hours. For short, predictable events.
Adaptil states it is safe for dogs and can be used alongside other products; if a dog is on medication, Adaptil says to ask your vet before adding its chew.
2. Nutritional supplements
Zylkene. The ingredient is alpha-casozepine, which Zylkene says is derived from the milk protein casein and supports the pet by sending calming messages to the brain through the body's natural messenger system. Zylkene is explicit that it is not a sedative and will not make the pet drowsy. Dosing is by weight: 75 mg for cats and dogs up to 10 kg, 225 mg for 10 to 30 kg, 450 mg for 30 to 60 kg, with 225 mg chews for dogs up to 30 kg. The capsule is given whole or opened and sprinkled on food. Zylkene's timing advice: start one to two days before a known event or change; for long-term use, give it daily for a month, then reassess. Zylkene says it can be used alongside pheromones.
PAW by Blackmores Complete Calm. Complete Calm chews are fish and chickpea chews with 180 mg of tryptophan per chew plus B-group vitamins and a multivitamin blend, which PAW positions for medium and large dogs to help alleviate signs of stress and anxiety, fed daily by weight; about 60 chews in the 300 g tub. Contains fish meal.
ZamiPet Relax & Calm. Relax & Calm chews (30, 60 or 100) combine L-tryptophan, valerian root, chamomile, L-theanine and magnesium citrate, which ZamiPet says supports a healthy nervous system and may reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety without drowsiness. Fed daily per the feeding guide, about 5 g a chew; ZamiPet states they are not suitable for pregnant or lactating bitches.
Vetalogica. Hemp Clinicals Calming Treats are made with organic Australian hemp seed and hemp seed oil, chamomile and L-tryptophan, grain free, which Vetalogica says are crafted to help maintain calmness during travel, separation or environmental stress; hemp seed is non-intoxicating. Canine Tranquil is its chew-form formula; follow the label.
Natural Animal Solutions. NAS Calm & Relax is a powder added to food and Health Bites Calm are chews, both positioned by NAS for everyday unsettling moments such as car trips, visitors and storms. Vitarapid Tranquil is the daily-treat version from the same family of products.
3. Pressure wraps: ThunderShirt
ThunderShirt applies gentle, constant pressure around the torso, which ThunderShirt compares to swaddling an infant, and its FAQ says this calming pressure is helpful for over 80 percent of pets. It is recommended by the maker for thunder, fireworks, separation, travel and vet visits. The fitting rules matter: snug like a hug, two fingers under the neck straps, first wear for 5 to 10 minutes, checked and removed every one to two hours the first few times, and taken off at least twice a day if worn for long periods. It does nothing chemically, which is its strength: it can be combined with anything else here.
4. Botanical sprays and flower essences
ThunderEssence is ThunderWorks' botanical spray, which the maker describes brand-wide as natural essential oils of chamomile, lavender and Egyptian geranium, sprayed on bedding or a bandana rather than the dog. Rescue Remedy Pet is a Bach flower essence preparation; it is not a registered veterinary medicine and we make no therapeutic claim for it. Both belong at the mild, everyday end.
Cats: Feliway
Feliway is the cat equivalent of Adaptil, a copy of the feline facial pheromone. The Feliway Diffuser is the home version, the spray is for carriers and vet trips (a few sprays about 15 minutes before, on objects only, never on the cat), and Feliway Friends is the multi-cat formulation. Zylkene's 75 mg capsule is also labelled for cats.
Which to try first
- Storms and fireworks: ThunderShirt on, Adaptil diffuser running from the start of storm season, Zylkene started one to two days before a known fireworks night.
- Home alone: Adaptil diffuser for a month, plus training; a chew supplement if the vet or trainer agrees.
- Car and vet trips: Adaptil spray on the bedding 15 minutes before, or the collar for a dog that travels often.
- New home, new baby, renovations: Adaptil diffuser continuously, Zylkene daily for the month, reassess.
- General nervousness: a daily nutritional chew for a month, then judge honestly. If nothing changes, that is information for the vet, not a reason to buy three more products.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best dog calming product in Australia?
There is no single best; the four kinds work differently. Pheromones (Adaptil) and Zylkene are the two with the clearest maker directions and the most specific claims; ThunderShirt is the physical option, which its maker says is helpful for over 80 percent of pets; nutritional chews are the everyday layer. Match the product to the trigger using the list above.
Do calming treats actually work for dogs?
The makers claim support for calm behaviour from ingredients such as tryptophan, chamomile, L-theanine and hemp seed; none claims to fix serious anxiety, and none is a sedative. Give one consistently for a month and judge by behaviour, not by hope.
Will Zylkene make my dog drowsy?
Zylkene says no: it is not a sedative and will not make the pet feel drowsy.
How long does Adaptil take to work?
Adaptil says many owners see results within the first seven days, and to use it for at least a month; the diffuser runs continuously and the collar lasts about four weeks.
Can I use a ThunderShirt with a supplement or pheromone?
Yes. The wrap works by pressure, Adaptil states it can be used alongside other products, and Zylkene says it can be used alongside pheromones. If the dog is on prescription medication, check with the vet before adding anything.
Are these products for cats too?
Feliway is the cat pheromone range and Zylkene's 75 mg capsule is labelled for cats. Adaptil is a dog pheromone and, per Adaptil, is not perceived by cats.
Shop next: Dog Health & Wellbeing · Adaptil Calm Diffuser · Zylkene 225 mg · ThunderShirt · Cat Health & Wellbeing
Sources
Product facts in this guide are taken from the manufacturers' own pages listed below and from the product listings on this site; general care points are given as practical guidance, not veterinary advice. Last reviewed 17 September 2026.
- Adaptil: FAQs (Australia)
- Zylkene: Product FAQs (Australia)
- ThunderShirt: FAQ
- PAW by Blackmores: PAW Complete Calm
- ZamiPet: Relax & Calm supplement for dogs
- Vetalogica: Hemp Clinicals Calming Treats for Dogs 225g