More and more dog owners are experiencing anxiety in their pets.
When they reach out to a trainer they expect that training will resolve these issues and fail to understand that anxiety is a medical condition.
Anxiety is driven by many factors including genetics, undiagnosed brain disease that can slowly grow and therefore changes occur gradually, a combination of fear periods in young dogs, and a lack of understanding of how to modify behaviours alongside medical intervention.
Once a call for help is placed, often as a last resort the behaviour has already escalated to the point where the dog may be unable to cope alone and unable to be separated from its owner, ripping holes in walls, howling or barking as soon as other dogs/people are away from it, chasing its tail or mutilation of body parts in extreme cases.
Professionals such as positive response focus on an overall approach and will recommend appropriate actions. Where we believe medication is required, we will refer you to the appropriate specialist that we believe can assist you.
Medication is not a sign of your failure, it’s a clear indicator that without it your dog will suffer and struggle. There are dog owners with real resistance to using drugs however without them, a trainer can not modify behaviours.
Medication and a behaviour modification program must go hand in hand and often it is not fixable, just a way to manage and give your dog the best life you can.
