“Today, I want to shed some light on a sometimes confusing, often maligned topic in the field of dog training – namely, the use of medication to treat behavior problems.”
By Debbie Jacobs, Fearful Dogs
The physiological effects of fear can impact a dog’s health. Chronic fear, anxiety and phobias should be treated as serious medical conditions.
Read more… Medications For Fear & Anxiety
There are a variety of supplements and other non-prescription products that can be used to help your dog. In some cases the effects are obvious and in other cases the effects may not be as noticeable, but with time may help your dog. Use caution when adding anything new to your dog’s diet. Never assume that because something is natural that it is either better or safer than a prescription medication available from a vet. Never combine herbs, supplements or medications without first talking to a veterinarian. There can be life-threatening complications even with all natural products. If something is powerful enough to affect a change in our dog’s behavior, it may also be powerful enough to cause harm.
Read more… Calming Products
If you think meds should be a last resort please see this page. Warning – Graphic images!
By Suzanne Clothier, Suzanne Clothier’s Relationship Centered Training (RCT)
Paradoxically, however, there are owners who buck hard against the concept that their dog might benefit from well chosen medications or nutritional supplements such as Lactium. These owners subscribe heavily to the “just train them” mentality that is surprisingly prevalent, even among trainers who ought to know better. They resist medication as “unnatural” or tell me they fear “side effects.” I sometimes point out gently that sky high cortisol levels for chronically stressed/distressed animals is not natural and has some very nasty side effects indeed.
Read more… The 3 P’s: Does Your Dog Need Medication?