Borzoi separation anxiety after DAP spray failed

Separation anxiety is one of the most distressing things for both dog and owner — and when you've already tried something like a dog-appeasing pheromone spray and seen no improvement, it's genuinely demoralising. Products can help, but they work best alongside a behavioural approach, and finding the right product really does matter. Before I point you anywhere, can you tell me a bit more: how bad is the behaviour when you leave — restless pacing and vocalising, or is there also destructive behaviour or self-harm? How long has this been going on with your Borzoi, and is the spray the only thing you've tried so far?

That context is really helpful. A year in, triggered by a routine change, with vocalising and appetite suppression but no destruction — that tells me this is moderate anxiety rather than full panic, which is actually a good sign in terms of what's workable. The spray not helping isn't surprising for a dog like this. Sprays are ambient and diffuse, and a large sighthound with a sensitive but often stubborn nervous system can simply not register them the way a smaller or more scent-focused breed might. Can I ask — does he have a specific place he tends to settle when you are home, and does he follow you from room to room or is he fairly independent in the house normally?

That pre-departure anxiety is key — he's anticipating your absence, not just reacting to it, which means the trigger is cues like keys, shoes, or your routine rather than the moment of separation itself. That also tells me he needs something that works continuously on his nervous system rather than something applied to a surface. My recommendation is the Adaptil Calm collar. Unlike a spray, it sits directly against his skin and releases pheromone constantly, so there's no gap between you leaving and it taking effect. It's also more appropriate for a dog his size because the delivery is consistent regardless of room size or air circulation. It won't fix the anticipatory anxiety on its own — pairing it with some departure-cue desensitisation work will make a real difference — but as a product, it's a meaningful step up from what you've tried.

Yes, completely safe for a dog his age — it's a synthetic version of the pheromone mother dogs naturally produce, so there's nothing pharmacological about it. Most people start noticing a difference within one to two weeks, though the manufacturer suggests giving it the full four weeks of one collar before judging it. If you see no change at all after a month, that would be the point to talk to your vet about whether a short course of something like Zylkene or a referral to a clinical animal behaviourist makes sense. But given he hasn't tried continuous-contact pheromone delivery before, I'd be fairly optimistic this will at least take the edge off.

Good luck — Borzois are sensitive souls and a year of this is hard on both of you. The collar is a sensible next step, and the desensitisation work doesn't have to be complicated: just start making your departure cues meaningless by picking up your keys and sitting back down, putting on your coat and then not leaving, that sort of thing. Done consistently over a few weeks it can shift a lot. I hope you notice a real difference.