When Behavior isn’t Just Behavior: Medication for the Anxious or Aggressive Dog
Originally published May 2020. Updated June 2024.
I once read that behavioral medication should not be a last resort for dogs. I couldn’t agree more.
Dogs whose behavior problems are impacting quality of life (for dog and humans!) should receive all the help they can get as soon as they can get it.
Concerns are common.
It’s not uncommon to feel uncertain about behavior medication for your dog.
You may worry it will change what you love about your dog or that he’ll be “drugged” all the time.
These worries and others may lead owners to delay behavior medication until they’ve worked as hard as they can on training alone.
Is that you? Has your dog trainer mentioned medication, but you’re unsure or feeling guilty for not practicing as much as you should?
Here’s the thing.
I want you to know that changing your dog’s behavior should not be a part-time job.
You shouldn’t have to devote three hours a day to training just to see progress.
If it feels like you’re giving 150% during practice and your dog is only giving you 25% back, something is wrong.
Sometimes behavior isn’t just behavior.
Sometimes big feelings or physical problems are feeding (or even causing!) the behavior.
You could be the best track coach in the world and devote 8 hours a day to coaching your athlete, but if her leg is broken, your skills and dedication won’t get her very far.
All the dog training in the world will not solve a fundamentally medical problem.
Is my dog a candidate for behavior medication?
Possibly!
The decision to utilize behavioral medication is ultimately up to you and your vet.
Dog trainers cannot tell you to medicate your dog, but they can recommend a conversation with your vet based on their experience working with many dogs and their observations of your dog and his response to training.
These are some of the factors that might lead your trainer to recommend that conversation:
Many triggers for the problem behavior
A lifestyle or living situation in which it’s not feasible to control or avoid the dog’s triggers
Inability to create a training set-up where the dog succeeds
Low resiliency/long recovery after experiencing a trigger
Training dogs with one or more of these factors can feel extremely frustrating and defeating as they may make slow to no progress with training alone.
With the appropriate medication on board, these dogs can actually learn and make progress.
Medication misconceptions
Medication is not a magic wand. Behavior doesn’t usually change just because the dog goes on medication. Change happens as a result of appropriate behavior medication + training.
The medications used to support training plans should not completely sedate your dog. Medication is meant to help your dog learn — sleeping dogs cannot participate in training sessions.
Medication doesn’t have to be forever. Some dogs take meds for a time and then wean off of them. Always consult your vet before changing medications or dosing schedule.
For more on this topic, check out this resource from Debbie Jacobs, author of “A Guide to Living with and Training a Fearful Dog.”
Now what?
There are a lot of behavior medication options, and not all vets are behavior-savvy.
If your vet doesn’t specialize in that area, there are a couple of options:
Behavior consultation for your veterinarian. These are available through Animal Behavior Clinic and Veterinary Behavior Consultations.
Local behavior-savvy vet. I recommend Dr Krista Sirois at Paz West if you want to work directly with a veterinarian who specializes in behavior.
