Medicating for anxiety and behavioural issues in dogs

As a trainer, I see many dogs who are medicated or have been recommended medication for anxiety and behavioural issues. Sometimes medication is warranted. Sometimes there is a neurological or physiological issue that absolutely requires medication, and a health check is always a good place to start when behavioural issues arise. For a dog who is extremely anxious, medication can sometimes help when implemented in conjunction with a good training and behaviour modification plan. However, I am concerned about what appears to be a growing tendency to use medication as a one size fits all approach instead of education about dogs, how to communicate with them, and how to meet their individual needs through training and enrichment.

There is not always an underlying medical basis for anxiety.

To medicate healthy dogs because they are overstimulated, pull on the lead or “don’t listen” is unnecessary. To medicate puppies and adolescent dogs for typical challenging behaviours associated with their growth and development is denying them the opportunity to learn how to live harmoniously in our human world. Bratty behaviour, such as jumping up, mouthing, and destroying items around the home, that has been inadvertently reinforced or left unchecked because there is an assumption that the dog will “grow out of it”, doesn’t require medication; it requires (to use a human reference) good parenting.

Where these things have gotten out of hand and aggressive behaviours towards owners, other dogs or people have emerged, medication is no substitute for a good rehabilitation plan involving behaviour modification and training. Where lack of structure and boundaries has led to uncertainty and debilitating anxiety in a dog, it is not always necessary to jump straight to medication, although there may be a temporary role for it in some cases.

It is important to understand that, just like in humans, animal medications can have side effects. If psychotropic drugs are making a human feel uncomfortable in any way or they are experiencing negative side effects, they can say so and be given the opportunity to trial alternative medications until a suitable one is found. A dog cannot tell us what he is experiencing. We have to rely on what we see, and most humans don’t have the best track record when it comes to reading our dogs. Some of the known possible side effects of psychotropic drugs include hyperactivity, restlessness and agitation, which means there is a risk of making some behaviours worse. When a dog is already on medication, it can be very difficult to see the real dog and what is needed to address the behaviours. Being medicated can also get in the way of learning: it is hard to take in and retain information if your brain is foggy.

The truth is, in the majority of cases, it is we humans that need to change both our own behaviours and our mind set about our dogs in order to truly help them. Medicating the dog is not going to achieve that.

All behaviour is essentially a combination of:

• Genetics (breed, temperament, disposition). Simply put, you can’t change the genetics of your dog, but you can work with it by taking into account breed traits and known behavioural tendencies, first in your decision to even bring a certain breed into your home and then in your day to day interactions, play and training. (Note: responsible breeding plays an important part too, but that’s too big a topic to go into here).

• Learning/experience (prior and current). Like humans, any prior learning or experience will affect how a dog sees and reacts to certain situations or events. While early learning and experiences during a pup’s critical periods of development can have lifelong impact, we can generally teach our dogs new skills and create new experiences to change their mind set in order to see things differently and therefore react differently.

• Environment / current situation (health, physical environment, daily life and interactions). Where we live physically and how big or small the space is, our daily routine, our levels of exercise and mental stimulation, the number of people and other animals in the houseand their personalities, whether we feel well or are in pain, will all affect how we feel and react. And so it is with dogs.

If any of these things are significantly at odds, yes it can lead to anxiety and yes, anxiety affects behaviour.

The environment we provide for our dogs should depend in part on the genetics of the dog, what he was bred for and what he needs to thrive and grow. What and how we teach him from the moment we bring him home will also depend on his genetics and the environment we live in.

We are responsible for our dogs’ health and welfare. We need to provide activities and an environment that suits their breed, we need to teach them how to live in our world (because we generally expect our dogs to behave in ways that don’t come naturally to them), and we need to create structure and boundaries for them that provide safety and certainty and enable them to develop trust.

Knowing how to live and work with dogs isn’t something we are born with or taught at school. Sometimes we need help and unfortunately this realisation usually comes after undesirable behaviours have manifested themselves.

There are a number of ways to get help and for many the first port of call is their vet. It makes sense, especially if the vet has been a constant on our journey with our dog since puppyhood. However, not all vets in general practice know a lot about behaviour and yet many (not all) are prescribing medication for behavioural problems that could be addressed through training and behaviour modification. To be fair, with behavioural problems a major and growing cause of dog abandonment, surrender and euthanasia, vets must be feeling the pressure to help owners avoid such outcomes.

Then there are veterinary behaviourists which, as I understand it, are veterinarians with a special interest and/or additional qualifications in animal behaviour. In my experience, vet behaviourists tend to see the majority of behavioural problems as having an underlying medical basis and therefore the prescription of medication in the first instance is highly likely. This seems to me to be in conflict with what science tells us about behaviour, not to mention expensive and potentially unnecessary.

Whilst my recommendation would be to start with a good trainer who has sound knowledge of behaviour and behaviour modification, this can be a minefield too. Methods and tools employed by trainers are also the subject of much discussion in the companion animal industry and of course the industry is divided on that too. Unfortunately, that division enables a well-resourced sector of the industry to promote highly expensive services and medications as welfare or science-based solutions for behavioural issues.

If we truly care about the welfare of dogs, we need:

• To put prevention first through good quality and balanced education programs for dog owners, commencing before they even bring a puppy or dog home and then from puppy school onwards.

• Trainers, vets, behaviourists, vet behaviourists, and owners willing to: put the dog’s needs first; work together to get the best outcome for dogs; and refer on, or call in additional expertise, when they do not have the skills or experience to deal with a particular situation (or when a dog is ready to go the next step in its rehabilitation).

• Good trainers who offer a comprehensive behavioural consultation, and provide tailor-made, holistic training plans for individual dogs.

• Owners who are prepared to put the work in to give dogs what they need and not just what is easiest for the owner.

• Responsible prescription and use of medication, when it is warranted, and wherever possible an associated plan to deal with the behaviours and wean the dog off the medication.

Of course, these things do already exist, but not on the scale that is needed to stem the growing tide of serious and potentially dangerous behavioural issues and the rate of surrender, abandonment and euthanasia that we are seeing now.

Rehabilitation of dogs with severe anxiety or serious behavioural issues is not always simple or straightforward and requires significant commitment from owners under the guidance of a good trainer or behaviourist. Many people don’t have the time or inclination, but that is no reason to condemn a dog to a life of drugs. Sometimes, and with a dog’s welfare truly at heart, it may be best to consider whether the dog is suited to the environment he is in or the family he is with. Responsible rehoming - not dropping him off at a shelter - may be the best option, and there’s a whole other blog in that topic.

If you need advice or help with your dog’s behavioural issues, contact us.

If you are struggling personally with anxiety or depression, contact Beyond Blue or

Lifeline.

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Jacqui Triggs, Trainer

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