Case Study 3
Wags
Age: 8 months, SEX: F/S, Breed: Labrador X
1 .Agitated behaviour directed toward unfamiliar dogs
Alprazolam (Xanax, Kalma) 1mg as soon as possible after a particularly stressful event.
Fluoxetine 20mg once daily for 7 days and then 30mg once daily with food could be considered if progress is not satisfactory over the next couple of months
“Wags’” history is consistent with frustration/anxiety based behavioural problems. “Wags’” genetic make-up, her experiences and learning up until now and the environment that she is in influence her behaviour. “Wags” was not exposed to many dogs during her critical period for socialisation and she may also have quite a strong genetic predisposition toward being easily frustrated. We can modify “Wags’” environment and future learning to bring about a reduction in the unwanted behaviour that “Wags” is exhibiting.
- Avoid stimuli that induce an unwanted response whenever possible
- Remove “Wags” from any situation that induces a marked agitated response as quickly and quietly as possible
- Practise the relaxation and self control exercises in several short sessions each day
- “Wags” should “look” and “sit” for all of life’s good things and attention seeking behaviours should be ignored
- Reward spontaneous relaxed and calm behaviour, especially when visitors are present
- Make good associations with the appearance of unfamiliar dogs
- Follow the procedures for desensitisation and counter-conditioning in the supplied handouts.
- Enrich “Wags’” environment as much as possible
“Wags” has never shown overtly aggressive responses but you are wise to be concerned about the level of agitation she exhibits when she sees other dogs. There is a significant risk of aggressive responses if she is not managed carefully. It is never possible to guarantee a dog’s future behaviour. It is important that you carefully consider the degree of risk you are willing to take, as the final responsibility for “Wags’” actions rests with you.
In the short term it is ideal if “Wags” does not have an opportunity to practise her unwanted behaviour - this will mean avoiding situations where you feel she may become agitated. Once “Wags” is progressing well with her exercises then you can gradually introduce her to more challenging environments. Try to err on the side of caution and give her the best opportunity to have rewarding interactions with dogs, even though these will be at a distance to begin with.
Having “Wags” sit quietly for the things she enjoys in life and practising the relaxation exercises will be beneficial in building a safe and secure relationship for “Wags”. It will assist her in looking to you for direction in stressful situations, and to learn that being calm and relaxed is rewarding. Encourage and reward eye contact regularly. Also reward her when she is spontaneously relaxed and calm (i.e. doing nothing) without any direction from you; especially when visitors are present. This is an exception to the rule that she should sit and look for attention.
If “Wags” is agitated or confused, the foundation exercises will help her to cope better because she has direction from you. In most instances it is better to give her something you do want her to do, such as sit and look to you, rather than simply telling her “no”. This direction will relieve her anxiety and allow you to reward the better response which should become more frequent over time. It was lovely to see how responsive she was to you at the time of my visit.
I strongly recommend a Gentle Leader head halter for “Wags”.
My preference would be a head halter. An alternative or adjunct piece of equipment would be a front-attach harness. A front-attach harness makes it easier to control any pulling on the lead. It does not provide the type of control that a head halter can give, but would be preferable to a regular harness. The website www.premier.com will allow a search for easy walk harness and you can see all the details about the harness including instructions for fitting. These harnesses are now readily available in many pet shops and vet clinics.
Once the basic exercises have been successfully completed by “Wags” you should feel more confident that you are in control and that she is more likely to look to you for direction in situations where she currently shows agitation. The idea is to gradually introduce her to those settings that have previously been problematic.
Try to err on the side of caution and give her the best opportunity to have rewarding interactions with dogs, even though these will generally be at a significant distance to begin with.
If it is possible to choose an area where you can alternate between her being able to see a dog, and then having the dog go out of her view, that is a good place to start. Allow her to see the dog and treat, treat, treat as long as she is relaxed. Then when the dog moves out of view become very boring, by ignoring her entirely. Bring the dog back into view and treat, treat, treat again. Ideally, we want to build the association that dogs = Fun, no dogs = Boring. If “Wags” becomes agitated or fearful, then say “too bad” and move away.
The general routine to follow on walks is :- The moment “Wags” sees a dog - treat her; ask her to sit and look to you - once she does so, treat again. However, if the dog is approaching rapidly and will be too close for “Wags” to remain settled, the better choice is to do a U turn and walk “Wags” away to a place she will remain settled. You know you are making good progress when she begins to look to you as a dog approaches without having to be prompted.
A tired dog is often a good dog! You already provide a good level of exercise and activity for “Wags”. You can consider adding in some of the recommendations in the attached flyer to provide more mental and physical stimulation for “Wags” each day. You can experiment to see which of the activities she enjoys the most. I have also attached the “Fetch and Recall Game”, which can be played when it is raining or slightly stormy, to build positive associations with these events.
If “Wags” has a panic or severe fear episode then giving alprazolam after the event can be useful in reducing her memory of being stressed. This means the bad experience will have less influence on her future behaviour. The alprazolam will likely increase her appetite for a few hours. Beware of any temporary increased risk of aggression after dosing with alprazolam- it may temporarily predispose her to be more aggressive around food in particular. For this reason, she should be left alone to settle after it is given. This side effect may not be seen – if it is, it will subside as the medication is metabolised over 6-8 hours. You should obtain this medication from your regular veterinarian.
If you have any concerns about a deterioration in “Wags’” behaviour with respect to thunderstorms please advise me, as the alprazolam can also be used prior to these noisy events.
“Wags” may benefit from the use of the anti-anxiety medication called Fluoxetine if her progress is not satisfactory in the coming weeks. This medication is not registered for use in dogs but has been shown to assist dogs with problems like “Wags’” to improve. Fluoxetine will occasionally cause some lethargy or a decrease in appetite or vomiting but most owners report no side effects. This medication is likely to assist “Wags” in learning new, more appropriate behaviours in settings that now trigger her agitation. It will also give you a better chance of redirecting her to more positive activities. A trial of at least 6 weeks is recommended to give the medication a chance to reach therapeutic levels. Some dogs need to stay on the medication indefinitely but most can be weaned off once they have learned more appropriate behaviours. This medication could be considered in future if needed.
Follow-Up
You might find it useful to keep a diary of “Wags’” behaviour, to aid in monitoring her progress. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any queries or difficulties with the programme. Otherwise I will contact you in about 2 weeks for an update.
You are welcome to attend some behaviour modification sessions at a scout hall in Ashburton. These are an opportunity to introduce “Wags” to known friendly people and dogs in a controlled and safe environment. The sessions are all on-lead. Janice Hopper will send you further details about these sessions.
“Wags” is a lovely dog. She is fortunate to have you to help with her behavioural issues. I wish you well with her until next we are in touch.
Best regards
Debbie Calnon BSc BVMS MACVSc (Animal Behaviour) CMAVA
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