It was love at first smell when Vicki attended a weekend intensive on essential oils in 1992. She’d been diagnosed with fibromyalgia after a whiplash injury 4 years earlier, and was inspired to start making massage oils and bath salts to address her constant pain and stress. Because she was pregnant and had a 5-year-old at home, everything had to be safe for everyone, and Vicki applies that same level of responsibility to formulating for dogs.

In 1996, she founded Earth Heart® Inc. to help others learn how to safely and effectively use herbs and essential oils as part of everyday life. For several years, products were developed for massage, skin, body and baby care – with family and friends as sometimes unwilling products testers!

Vicki wrote a monthly column for a local health magazine, had a small holistic practice, developed and taught continuing and community education classes for 14 years, Aromatherapy for Bodyworkers at the community college for 8 years. Her aromatherapy and herbal certifications are through Jeanne Rose Herbal & Aromatherapy Studies, and she is a long-standing member of the American Herbalists Guild, the Alliance of International Aromatherapists, and Women in the Pet Industry Network.

Things started to change in 1999, when Vicki was approached by a kennel owner who wanted help with calming her canine visitors. The dogs missed their families and felt anxious, agitated, angry or depressed. The formula now known as Canine Calm® was developed to diffuse in the kennel – and it helped from day one! Boarders noticed that their dogs were calmer when they left the kennel, and didn’t fret so much when it was time to go back. They asked how they could take that calming experience home with them, so Vicki started making the Canine Calm mist. The other blends for dogs (which are also safe for their human and equine families) followed.

Vicki understands that a happy and healthy dog brings peace of mind to pet parents. Topical aromatherapy products can support the human-animal bond, facilitate behavior modification and improve health. An added benefit is that the remedies used for your dog can have the same effect on you!