Christina Blume is an herbalist in Elizabeth CO

Christina Blume is an herbalist in Elizabeth CO. She teaches a variety of herb classes throughout the metro Denver area, Denver Botanic Gardens and Arapahoe Community College. She also does a spot every other Sunday on the local ABC affiliate, KMGH TV. One of her favorite courses is All Natural Care for Our Four Legged Family Members. In that class she spends a great deal of time discussing the use of flower essences for behavioral/emotional traits in our pets that we would like to work on. She can be reached by email for questions.
Flower Essences for Behavioral and Emotional Issues

In Our Family Dogs

As an herbalist, I was very skeptical about flower essences until I began using them 8 years ago. You don't have to "believe in" flower essences for them to be effective. The animals have certainly proved that. Flower essences are not contraindicated with any other form of health care. They will not interfere with pharmaceuticals, herbs or homeopathy. They are safe for all animals, all ages and weights, even in pregnancy. You cannot overdose with flower essences.

Flower essences are a form of vibrational or energetic medicine as is acupuncture and homeopathy. Unlike homeopathy however, flower essences cannot be antidoted with coffee, mint or other strong flavors or scents. Flower essences are a small one ounce bottle of liquid with a dropper top. They are filled with water which has been energetically imprinted with the properties of a particular flower by the sun. Brandy is added as a preservative.

For dogs the standard dosage is 4 drops directly into their mouths, in the community water dish or added to a small dish of chicken or beef broth. It is easy to put 4 drops on their paws, nose, or anywhere they might lick it off. You may also put 12 drops of the essence in a 4 ounce atomizer bottle filled with distilled water and spray the essence, brushing or rubbing it into their coat. It is not quite as effective to give it in their food or on treats, but I do this when I have to. You cannot overdose on flower essences. They are most effective when given frequently- 4-8 times per day is ideal.

Trauma Remedy essence is the flower essence that I recommend everyone should have on hand. I have bottles of it all over the house and car. Trauma Remedy is for any kind of emergency, trauma, accident, or stressor, large or small. It is sold in health food stores under many names, Rescue Remedy, Trauma Remedy, Five Flower Essence and Natures Rescue. It is the remedy I recommend when you don't have "specific" essences on hand. Trauma Remedy is immediately calming to any animal or person. I think the key is remembering that you have the flower essence and remembering to use it. I gave a bottle of Trauma Remedy to a friend to take with her to a large dog show in Texas a few years ago. It is calming to the dog and handler just before going onto the floor. Something happened with a dog in heat just before the show began and it was pandemonium. My friend said that she went around to all the dogs and their people, dosing them with the essence, like little birds, waiting to be fed. I think the stores in Dallas must have had a run on flower essences that weekend. I received many phone calls and emails asking where flower essences could be purchased. We often forget to treat ourselves as well as our dogs. A car struck a puppy that I had rescued from the highway. I gave him several doses of Trauma Remedy but didn't think to take any myself. The puppy was fine; I was the one in need of the essence!

Fear essence, is one of my favorite flower essences because it is so remarkable to witness its effectiveness. Animals and people who react strongly to thunderstorms and firecrackers on the July 4th are helped dramatically with this essence. I have gotten the most heartwarming calls and emails from people who tell me they "have a new animal" after the Fear essence. I've gotten calls about dogs who would literally dig through a door to get inside during a thunderstorm when their people were away. I find that 2-3 doses of the flower essence is remarkable in calming the animal's fears. One woman wrote to me that for the first time in 5 years her dog did not tremble and whimper on July 4th. Some groomers have used the fear essence for many of the dogs they worked with who were labeled as "aggressive" either by other groomers or their people. Often the dogs are not aggressive at all, but reacting in a manner, seen as aggressive, out of fear. Several weeks ago I got an email from a man who was visiting friends in Gunnison, CO. He was from San Diego and told me that his dog "lost his brain" when a thunderstorm passed through. He said the family he was visiting had Fear essence and he gave a dose to his dog. He was so taken with the results that he drove 5 hours to Parker Co. to get 2 bottles to take home with him. I also suggest this essence for animals who are anxious when going to the vet.

Five years ago I got a curious call from my neighbor that prompted me to make a blend of Fear essence and Trauma Remedy. Libby called at about 8:30 that morning. I don't think she would mind my telling you that she is not really a "critter person". She was new to pets. She adopted Samson as a guard dog for her property. She explained to me that she was late leaving for work and Samson had been barking an unusual and frantic bark all morning. She said she didn't have time to check him closely, but it seemed when she glanced at him that he had a moustache. Any guesses? If you guessed porcupine, you're right. The poor thing had a face full of porcupine quills. I examined him through the fence. He was in a great deal of pain, frightened and to top it all off there was a stranger on his property! I opened the bottle of blended essence, took 4 drops myself and then literally threw it into his open mouth by the dropperful, as he snarled at me through the fence. I had never used an entire bottle before. I waited about 2 minutes while talking to him in a soothing manner. He calmed noticeably so I opened the gate and attached a lead to his collar, helped him into my truck and took him to the hospital. This is another example of a human needing to take the essence along with the animal. Holly Essence is specific for jealousy. When I kept my sons two large dogs for two weeks while he was out of town I noticed some food aggression between his dogs and mine. The evening feeding took forever trying to separate the dogs. I dosed them all with a combination of Holly and Quaking Grass ( an essence that helps animals to accept new members of the household, litter or herd). I generally like to mix Holly and Quaking Grass essences whenever there is a new addition to the home. This works well for permanent additions and for temporary conditions such as pet sitting and visiting pets. I put the essence on treats, dosed the water bowls outside and yes, I dosed the toilets inside, their favorite watering spot. I gave the essences directly to them, a squirt in their mouths, and put it in a little beef broth and dunked their paws in the broth so they would spend a good deal of time licking it all off. Day 2 was an improvement and day 4 was great. Chamomile Flower essence is calming for barking puppies and general nervous upset. I got a call from a couple in Vail who would take their two pot bellied pigs to be boarded whenever they went on vacation or had to travel. They said it almost wasn't worth it. The pigs would scream the entire two and a half hour car ride to the boarders. I suggested they try chamomile essence. They did and informed me that their lives were changed, they are able to travel in peace so vacations are now anticipated with joy. Prickly Pear is a sweet essence for animals who may suffer from loneliness when its person(s) needs to be away for extended periods. Animals, like us, have different levels of sensitivity. Some dogs are lonely if we need to leave them for the weekend while others may be lonely during the day while we are at work. Prickly Pear in the water dish alleviates some of this loneliness.

Another favorite essence is Self Heal. This essence is used when the animal is sick or recovering. Self Heal brings out everything the dog has inside for recuperation and the will to live. It is an essence I definitely give just before and after a dog has surgery. After surgery I also give homeopathic arnica which is remarkable in reducing swelling, bleeding and bruising. The flower essences work nicely along with the homeopathics. I have and use about 70 different flower essences. I've only discussed a few here. Flower essences can be very specific. To read more about flower essences I suggest the following: