The role of medication in canine behaviour management

Many people feel hesitant when the conversation about medicating their dog comes up. There’s a common worry that it might change their dog’s personality or just mask deeper issues rather than truly addressing them. I want to discuss these concerns and clear up any uncertainties about using medication for dogs. My aim is to help you understand how these treatments can support your dog’s emotional well-being, allowing them to lead a happier and healthier life.

While the idea of medicating your dog might be scary, it’s important to understand why it’s sometimes necessary. Dogs grappling with issues like anxiety, aggression, compulsive behaviours, or emotional imbalances can make home life quite challenging and sometimes frustrating. It’s equally important to recognise that the emotional struggles dogs experience can be overwhelming for them too, just as they are for the human members of the family.

A dog’s lack of confidence and limited life skills can make it hard for them to cope with various challenges and everyday situations that we, as humans, see as normal. These difficulties can lead to increased stress for a dog, as they may feel overwhelmed or unsure about how to handle situations that seem unfamiliar or demanding to them. Giving your dog the support they need through management, guidance, and training is crucial. This will help them build confidence, develop important coping skills, and improve their ability to manage everyday experiences in a more positive and comfortable way.

Medications prescribed by veterinarians help to regulate neurotransmitters and brain chemistry, stabilising a dog’s mental state. This can boost the effectiveness of behavioural training and create a more supportive environment for positive learning experiences.

Medication can significantly reduce anxiety and stress responses in dogs. Anti-anxiety medications help lower overall anxiety levels, allowing dogs to maintain a better sense of calm when faced with stimuli that would usually trigger fearful or reactive responses.

Additionally, medication plays an important role in supporting the learning process. Dogs struggling with fear, reactivity, anxiety, or over-arousal may have impaired impulse control, making it difficult for them to learn and respond when you are trying to help them. Medication helps create a more receptive mental state, helping dogs absorb and retain behavioural training more effectively.

Furthermore, medication can help increase a dog’s tolerance to triggers by reducing the intensity of their emotional responses. This assists dogs in managing their emotions more effectively in challenging situations, supporting their overall emotional regulation.

Lastly, medication contributes to a dog’s overall well-being. Dogs who continuously bark, are reactive, and become easily triggered when overwhelmed, or shut down and go into learnt helplessness, often experience chronic stress, which can have adverse effects on both their physical and mental health. Medication helps alleviate this stress, ultimately promoting a better quality of life for the dog as they undergo behaviour modification.

Veterinarians may prescribe various anti-anxiety medications for dogs, depending on the nature and severity of the anxiety. Before determining the appropriate treatment, a thorough examination is conducted, including blood work, to ensure there are no underlying physiological issues influencing the dog’s behaviour.

Through a thorough examination, the vet gains an understanding of the dog’s health and behaviour, identifying potential causes of anxiety. After completing their assessment, the veterinarian can determine the next best steps. This may include referring the dog to a specialist, such as a canine behaviourist, who can provide strategies to manage the dog’s environment, modify behaviour by changing the dog’s emotional responses to triggering stimuli, and implement training. Often, medications are used alongside a behaviour modification program to provide comprehensive support for the dog’s well-being. Behaviour modification strategies and environmental management are strongly recommended to work in conjunction with medication for the best possible outcome.

Medication on its own is not ideal as it will not help the dog learn to cope in life situations that they find triggering and overwhelming.

The idea for a dog going on medication is to help ‘take the edge off’ which can alleviate the heightened reactivity response and reduce the intensity of their reactive behaviour. This, in turn, helps support better emotional regulation, allowing a conducive environment for learning and forming positive associations.

The primary goal is to alleviate immediate stress for the dog and help them get to a point where they feel confident and comfortable dealing with stimuli and events that triggers emotional stress.

To end this post, we live in a world where science has evolved so much to benefit us, as long as it’s used appropriately. Medication should be understood and not feared as it can greatly improve the emotional well-being of our dogs, helping them live more comfortable and happy lives.

Dr. Karen Overall, Pharmacological modification of behaviour in dogs and cats, https://www.karenoverall.com/…/Veterinary-Focus-2009…, 2020

AVMA, Treating anxiety to prevent canine aggression, https://avmajournals.avma.org/…/treating-anxiety-to…, March, 31, 2022

Vca, Behavior Counseling – Medications and Consent Form: VCA Animal Hospitals, https://vcahospitals.com/…/behavior-counseling…, 2023

DVM360, Your guide to understanding how behavior medications work, https://www.dvm360.com/…/your-guide-understanding-how…, February 1, 2007

Dr. Jen’s Dog Blog, Behavior Medication: First-Line Therapy Or Last Resort?, https://www.drjensdogblog.com/behavior-medication-first…/, December 21, 2016

Merck Veterinary Manual, Behavior Modification in Dogs – Dog Owners, https://www.merckvetmanual.com/…/behavior-modification…, February 29, 2024