Overview

“Maybelle” is a 6-month-old German Shepherd/Lab mix. Her owner, Jack, acquired her at two months old from a breeder. He called me requesting a consultation for obedience training. However, he primarily wants to reduce her extreme resource guarding. When Jack, his wife or their young son approach Maybelle, sometimes she’s pleasant but mostly she growls and snaps at them. Jack wants to keep her and not re-home or give her up for adoption. But his priority is the safety of his family. He realizes he may have to relinquish Maybelle if training alone doesn’t make a difference. During the consultation, I observe that Maybelle is highly anxious and fearful as evidenced by her prolonged barking, lunging and nipping at me. When I attempt to take away a forbidden object from her, she growls and bares her teeth at me. After two training sessions using behavior modification with no obvious improvement in resource guarding, I suggest that Jack call his veterinarian and inquire about pharmaceutical intervention for Maybelle.

Prescription Medication for Dogs

Why does a dog need medication for a behavior issue? Behavior modification alone works to improve inappropriate conduct, right? Not always. Jack’s veterinarian concluded that Maybelle’s fear and anxiety prevents her from learning new behaviors through training alone. To help her move past the fear and anxiety, the vet prescribed fluoxetine, more commonly known as Prozac. Fluoxetine is an anti-depressant and has been safely prescribed for dogs with fear and anxiety issues for over 30 years.

SSRIs

Serotonin, a neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of happiness and euphoria, floods the blood system of dogs experiencing something pleasant. In canines who are fearful and anxious, serotonin is quickly reabsorbed. This doesn’t allow for long-lasting feelings of pleasure. Fluoxetine (Prozac) is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, or SSRI. It prevents the fast reabsorption of serotonin. This means that serotonin lasts long enough to help dogs with extreme reactivity learn to make changes in behavior. It allows dogs the opportunity to deal with their triggers and thresholds in a less intense manner. A trigger is anything that causes a dog to react in an extreme way. A threshold is the point at which a dog can be near a trigger and not react.

An Easy Way to Understand How SSRIs Work

Think of the function of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor like this: you’re eating dinner at a restaurant. Before you finish the food on your plate (the serotonin), the server quickly removes (reuptakes) your plate from the table. You’re mad and frustrated because you’re still hungry (not enough serotonin). If you can prevent (inhibit) the server from removing your plate until you’ve finished your meal, you’ll be able to eat until you’re satisfied (more serotonin).

Conclusion

If you’ve tried professional training and your dog still experiences fear and anxiety, make an appointment with your veterinarian. Some behavior problems have physiological roots and it’s prudent to get your dog medically checked out. If you balk at the idea of giving your reactive pooch medication, consider this: it may improve your dog’s quality of life as well as improve your life living with your dog.