Adaptil DAP Collars (Dog Appeasing Pheromone) are a popular solution to relieving your dog's anxiety and preventing undesirable behavior such as inappropriate barking, biting or marking. DAP Collars use synthetic dog appeasing pheromones to calm dogs, using their natural physiology to induce a calming effect. Many users love DAP collars because they're easy to use and highly effective; but, with any product, there is a chance that there will be undesired consequences to its use.
The DAP Collar has a wide variety of benefits—one of which is that it has no known long-term side effects. This can be a great comfort and make the collars a welcome alternative to drug regimens which carry more risk. The DAP Collar is generally safe for all dogs, with the exception of dogs who suffer from excessive skin lesions or open wounds that could be further irritated by the collar.
Unexpected Effects and How to Handle Them
As previously stated, this dog calming collar has no known side effects—however, improper use of the collar or extenuating circumstances may cause unexpected results. Though research disputes that DAP collars are the cause of skin irritation and flesh wounds at the site of the collar, users have reported problems with the collars in product reviews.
Because the active ingredient of the collar is the dog appeasing pheromone, it's clear that any negative reaction to the collar is caused by physical abrasions. Thus, to prevent any ill effects caused by the collar, it's recommended that you ensure that the collar always fits your dog comfortably. An excessively tight collar can hurt your dog even if it does not use the dog appeasing pheromone.
Although proper usage of the collar should warrant no ill effects, not everyone who uses DAP collars experiences their full benefits. Because the mechanism of pheromones relies on a dog's pituitary response to the pheromone, the impact of the collar on a dog's behavior will likely vary between different individual dogs.
Alternatives to the DAP Collar
DAP Collars work sufficiently well to alter the behavior of most dogs; however, for the few that are the exception, there are also other methods of controlling your dog's behavior and relieving his anxiety. Supplements, treats and treatments use ingredients like chamomile to calm dogs safely. Many of these treatments, such as Tranquil Tabs, Tranquil Chews, or BONIES Calming Formula, use only natural ingredients.
Alternative solutions, such as prescription medications are also viable options for pets with severe behavioral problems. Some specialists even recommend administering anti-depressants, such as Prozac, to your pet. Many of these medicines have either been approved by the FDA for pet use or have been reformulated specifically for pets.
Though these solutions are ideal for pets that seem to be immune to the effects of the DAP Collar, the collar does work great for most dogs and their owners. In fact, you can see how well the collar works for by checking out the customer reviews or trying it out for yourself! What do you think of DAP Collars? Let us know in the Reviews!