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Keeping your dog calm in stressful situations matters for their wellbeing, and calming treats are one of the tools a lot of owners reach for to help take the edge off anxiety. Below is a comparison of 12 calming treats sold in the UK, listed alphabetically rather than ranked, each with an honest description so you can weigh them side by side. The only product we link to is our own, Calmdogs® Bites, because it’s the one we can tell you the most about — the other eleven are named and reviewed fairly without sending you off to a different shop’s checkout to compare.
| Product | Format | Key actives | Suits | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adaptil Chew | Soft chew | L-tryptophan, green tea extract | An immediate stressful moment — Adaptil describe it as fast-acting | Some dogs may not like the taste |
| Calmdogs® Bites (ours) | Soft chew | Organic chamomile, valerian root & L-tryptophan, glucosamine HCl, organic passionflower, L-theanine (Suntheanine®), organic ginger root, ashwagandha, magnesium citrate | Everyday situations like travel, fireworks or separation-related stress | Won’t suit a dog that’s a fussy eater of treats generally |
| Dorwest Herbs Scullcap & Valerian Tablets | Tablet | Scullcap & valerian (herbal) | Fireworks, thunderstorms, vet visits or general nervousness | A tablet rather than a treat, so some dogs find it less palatable |
| Dr. Senst Calming Dog Treats | Soft chew | Passionflower, L-tryptophan | Dogs that take to a peanut butter-bacon flavour | — |
| Greenies Calming Chews | Soft chew | L-tryptophan, L-theanine | Chicken-flavour fans wanting a familiar, widely stocked brand | A newer line alongside Greenies’ long-running dental chews, so less of a track record for this specific product |
| Nutripaw Calming Treats | Soft chew | Nine natural ingredients including organic passion flower and chamomile | Anxiety, stress and hyperactivity | — |
| Pooch & Mutt Calm & Relaxed Treats | Soft chew, wheat-free | Chamomile, valerian root | Anxious dogs generally | Comes in a small pack size |
| Purina Pro Plan Calming Care | Probiotic powder | Probiotic blend, mixed into food | Dogs that are fussy about chews, or owners who’d rather build it into mealtimes | May take around six weeks of daily use to see results |
| SettleMe™ Calming Support Chews | Soft chew | Blend aimed at anxiety, smoky bacon flavour | Vet visits or grooming sessions | May not suit dogs with specific dietary restrictions |
| VetIQ Healthy Calming Treats | Soft chew | Chamomile, lemon balm, L-tryptophan | Puppies from eight weeks old | Formulated for puppies, not an all-life-stages option |
| YuMOVE Calming Care for Adult Dogs | Tablet | L-theanine, lemon balm, fish hydrolysate | Adult dogs with general anxiety, car journeys or loud noises | Some dogs need consistent use before owners notice a difference |
| Zylkene Calming Chews | Soft chew | Natural milk protein casein | Challenging situations inside or outside the home | May take a few days of consistent use to see an effect |
Adaptil Chew
Adaptil Chews are designed to provide quick relief from stressful situations. They help support calm behaviour in dogs during events like fireworks or travel, and contain L-tryptophan and green tea extract. Adaptil describe them as fast-acting. Some dogs may not like the taste.
Calmdogs® Dog Calming Treats
This one is ours. £14.95 on Calmshops.
Our own Calmdogs® Bites are a soft, turkey-flavoured chew with organic chamomile, a relaxation blend of valerian root and L-tryptophan, glucosamine HCl, organic passionflower, L-theanine (Suntheanine®), organic ginger root, ashwagandha and magnesium citrate. They’re a complementary feed designed to support relaxed behaviour, and many owners reach for them around travel, fireworks or separation-related stress. As a soft chew rather than a liquid or powder, they won’t suit a dog that’s a fussy eater of treats generally.
It is also the one product on this page we can answer detailed questions about, because we sell it. Full ingredients and feeding guidance are on the product page, and if something is not answered there, ask us.
Dorwest Herbs Scullcap & Valerian Tablets
A well-known herbal supplement from Dorwest Herbs, a long-standing brand in the UK pet market, for dogs dealing with anxiety caused by fireworks, thunderstorms, vet visits or general nervousness. It comes as a tablet rather than a treat, so some dogs find it less palatable.
Dr. Senst Calming Dog Treats
Dr. Senst is designed to provide a calming effect with ingredients like passionflower and L-tryptophan, in a peanut butter-bacon flavour.
Greenies Calming Chews
Greenies offers chicken-flavoured calming supplements with ingredients like L-tryptophan and L-theanine, which some owners use to help settle mood in dogs. It is an easy-to-find brand and widely stocked, though the calming line is a newer addition alongside Greenies’ long-running dental chews, so there isn’t as long a track record for this specific product as for some others here.
Nutripaw Calming Treats
Nutripaw offers calming chews with organic passion flower and chamomile, nine natural ingredients in total, aimed at anxiety, stress and hyperactivity.
Pooch & Mutt Calm & Relaxed Natural Dog Treats
Pooch & Mutt’s treats are natural and wheat-free, with chamomile and valerian root, and are designed to help anxious dogs stay settled. They come in a small pack size.
Purina Pro Plan Calming Care
Calming Care is a daily probiotic powder from Purina, mixed into your dog’s usual food rather than given as a separate treat — worth considering if your dog is fussy about chews or you’d rather build it into mealtimes. Purina suggest around six weeks of daily use before you see results.
SettleMe™ Calming Support Chews
These chews are designed to ease anxiety and calm behaviour, making them a popular choice for vet visits or grooming sessions. They are smoky bacon flavour, which may not suit dogs with specific dietary restrictions.
VetIQ Healthy Calming Treats
Formulated for young dogs from eight weeks old, these treats use chamomile, lemon balm and L-tryptophan. Being a puppy formulation, it isn’t the right pick if you want one product to carry on using as your dog grows into adulthood.
YuMOVE Calming Care for Adult Dogs
Designed by YuMOVE, a well-known UK brand, these calming tablets use a blend of L-theanine, lemon balm and fish hydrolysate. Aimed at adult dogs dealing with general anxiety, stress during car journeys, or fear of loud noises. Some dogs need consistent use before owners notice a difference.
Zylkene Calming Chews
Zylkene offers a calming supplement in chew form, using the natural milk protein casein, to help dogs cope with challenging situations both inside and outside the home. It may take a few days of consistent use to see an effect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions customers may have about this topic.
What ingredients do calming treats for dogs usually contain?
Most of the treats in this list contain natural ingredients such as chamomile, valerian root, L-tryptophan and passion flower, and a few use L-theanine or lemon balm instead. These are the ingredients most commonly associated with helping a dog feel more settled during stressful events like travel, thunderstorms or vet visits.
Are these calming treats suitable for puppies or only adult dogs?
Some treats in the list, like the VetIQ Healthy Calming Treats, are formulated for puppies from eight weeks old, with gentle natural ingredients. Many others are aimed at adult dogs, so it’s worth checking each product’s own guidelines before use.
How quickly can I expect calming treats to make a difference?
This varies by product. Some, like Adaptil Chews, are described as fast-acting for an immediate stressful moment. Others, like Zylkene Calming Chews, are generally used for a few days before owners notice a difference.
Can I use calming treats for specific situations like grooming or fireworks?
Yes, several of these treats are aimed at particular stress triggers such as grooming, vet visits, fireworks or travel. SettleMe™ Chews and our own Calmdogs® Bites are both examples of treats owners reach for around that kind of event.
Are there dietary considerations to check before choosing a calming treat?
Yes. Some products may not suit dogs with specific dietary needs — SettleMe™ Chews, for example, are smoky bacon flavour, which may not suit every dog. It’s worth checking the ingredient list against your own dog’s diet before buying.
