Until recently I was nothing more than a callous cat lover, indifferent to the ways of the pooch.

Then I moved next to Max. A ten-year old blonde golden retriever, Max is effectively my neighbor's dog, but when I take him on walks around the neighborhood I often pretend he's mine. As passersby stop to "ooh" and "ahh" over him, I smile that smug smile of ownership and make sly comments like "You're such a flirt, Max." I'm attributing my arrested appreciation for dogs to my inability to accept the untraditional treatments currently available for canines. I know there are dogs currently battling depression with Prozac [1] and other dogs on a regimen of alternative therapies, but I've had a tough time accepting it as reality.

It's nothing but reality for Sevi Kay, the creator of Mundo Botanica [2], a canine herbal products company. While searching for a cure for her German Shepard's itchy skin condition, she experimented with aromatherapy with successful results. Today Mundo Botanica features a lavender mist for doggie skin aliments and a citrus spray that adds a lovely all-natural aroma to furry coats. My personal favorite is Liquid Calm [3], a relaxing mixture of neroli and chamomile that is used as a mellowing agent. As in the human world, the oil is dropped on the dog's neck or placed on tissue paper next to its bed.

Kay is not alone. The Humane Society of Harford County [4] uses lavender and chamomile to calm dogs boarding at the shelter. Cats, unfortunately, will not be benefiting from aromatherapy any time soon. According to Kay, essential oils cannot be metabolized by cats or birds. "It's just like giving your dog chocolate," she told the Baltimore Sun [5].

via Baltimore Sun [6]

Image: dog-pictures.co.uk