Your Dog's Limbic System
The Power of Scent: How Essential Oils Support Emotional Healing in Dogs
Our limbic system is the part of the brain responsible for emotions, memory, and behavior. It imprints experiences based on scent, which is why certain smells can instantly transport you back to childhood, remind you of a loved one, or bring back memories of the holidays.
Dogs experience this even more intensely. Their sense of smell is estimated to be 10,000 to 100,000 times more powerful than ours, making scent a primary way they process the world. This is why the smell of a veterinarian's office, a shelter, or even the car ride leading there can trigger fear and anxiety in your dog—those scents are linked to past experiences.
This is also why I encourage pet parents to introduce new essential oils when their dog is in a calm state of mind. By associating a new scent with relaxation, safety, and positive experiences, we help shape how the dog responds to that smell in the future.
Using Essential Oils to Release Trauma and Emotional Baggage
The fascinating thing about essential oils is their ability to help release emotions, reduce stress, and support deep emotional healing—not just for your dog, but for you as well.
One crucial piece many pet parents overlook is that your energy, emotions, and mindset directly influence your dog's healing process. If you are holding onto a story about your dog’s trauma—reliving the past, feeling guilt, or reinforcing a limiting belief—you may unknowingly be keeping them stuck. Dogs are incredibly intuitive and often mirror our emotions.
This is why, when choosing essential oils for dogs, I also evaluate the guardian’s emotional state. More often than not, the oils I recommend for the dog are the same ones their person needs!
How to Choose the Right Essential Oils for Emotional Healing
If you know your dog’s history, you may be able to select oils based on their specific trauma. For example, a rescue dog with a history of abandonment may respond well to grounding and comforting oils.
If you don’t know their full background, that’s okay—don’t make up a story! Instead, evaluate the dog in front of you today and choose essential oils based on their current emotional state.
Energy work, muscle testing, and animal communication can also help us determine what your dog truly needs.
Pre-Made Essential Oil Blends vs. DIY Blends
There are some incredibly effective essential oil blends specifically designed for emotional release in animals. These blends are not the same as mixing a drop of this and a drop of that at home. Professional blends are created with precise formulations that work synergistically to support emotional balance.
I'll be teaching more about these blends soon, but in the meantime, if you're interested in learning how to safely and effectively use them, reach out to me!
Want to Take This Further? Schedule a Raindrop or Emotional Release Session
I offer Raindrop Technique and Emotional Release sessions for both dogs and their guardians, using high-quality essential oils to help release stored emotions and restore balance.
For those who want to learn to do this at home, I teach my members how to perform Raindrop and Emotional Release techniques for their family and pets. And of course, I’m here to support you with any follow-up questions.
If you’re ready to help your dog (and yourself) move forward emotionally, let’s connect. I also offer Reiki and Raindrop for both pets and their people—because often, the emotions we carry are shared. (See Energy Healing For Dogs)