DAP Spray - Dog Appeasing Pheromone

DAP spray is a great 'quick' way to help calm your dog in stressful situations and for travel. The price tag is a bit steep for one bottle, but the pump is a micro-mister, and used judiciously (3-7 pumps per use), will last a long time. I use the spray on dog beds, crates, and even bandanas as collars when my dogs need some calmness.

The DAP spray is shorter-lived and overall not as 'powerful' as the DAP collar, which remains my favorite DAP product.

What is DAP and What is it Used For?

DAP, or Dog Appeasing Pheromone, spray is a natural and non-toxic aid to calm dogs stressed by loud noises such as fireworks and thunder. DAP is also useful for a variety of other stressful situations, such as car rides, meeting new people or a new baby, separation anxiety - at home or in a kennel, and busy holiday times.

DAP spray, like the DAP collar, contains a synthetic version of a pheromone secreted by the mother during lactation. This pheromone, aptly named 'dog appeasing pheromone,' gives the puppies a sense of well-being and reassurance while nursing.

DAP is often used to reduce stress for adult dogs, but DAP may also be used during puppy training, to create a sense of calm and confidence as the puppy is socialized, house-trained and obedience trained.

Is DAP Toxic?

This pheromone is odorless and non-toxic, and is not detectable by any species other than dogs, though other mammals have their own species-specific version of this type of pheromone. For many dogs, the calming effect present at birth/early puppyhood remains through life, creating a sense of calm and confidence in stressful or fearful situations.

DAP Spray Uses and Effectiveness

DAP spray has a much shorter duration than the collar; 2-3 hours versus 30 days. I use the spray for 'short acting' applications - a few sprays on the dog bed, a crate, a Thundershirt, or even a bandana if I do not have a collar handy. Do not spray this product directly on the dog. The spray has an immediate effect in these situations, and I use it alone or in addition to a DAP collar or DAP diffuser.

It is important to note that the spray has an alcohol base, so I always spritz a few sprays then let it dissipate for a few minutes before putting the item on or near the dogs.

My dogs - two Greyhounds and Sophie, my noise-phobic dog, do very well with DAP. So well, in fact, that one of them - I suspect Argos the Greyhound - found the DAP spray bottle and completely chewed off the plastic pump. The bottle is glass, and thankfully no damage there, but a good reminder to put the DAP spray up and out of reach.

Related: The use of DAP collar to reduce stress during training of police dogs

Manufacturer web site: DAP Spray by Ceva

I purchased this product for use on my own dogs.