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Peace Without Prozac: How to Treat Anxious Dogs

Sometimes we take dogs for granted, thoughtlessly consigning them to the margins of our attention without taking into account their own needs as unique creatures.

One of the more unfortunate by-products of a lack of structure in your dog’s daily life is anxiety. Like any feeling or emotion, anxiety can and often does drive behavior. Mildly nervous people might bite their fingernails, for example (so do certain dogs), but anxiety can also cause more damaging behaviors, which—for both people and dogs—can include self-destructive actions.

Hard figures on this aren’t kept, but the number of dogs that suffer from separation anxiety, or that constantly act fearful, complete with whining and pacing, has increased markedly over the decades. Today, we meet all too many dogs that will chew at or lick themselves partially bald for no reason that can be medically diagnosed.

A Google search of the phrase “Prozac for dogs” returns nearly six hundred thousand hits. Prozac—or its generic, fluoxetine—is sometimes packed alongside toys and treats that owners bring for their dogs that come to our board-and-train facility. For the most part, these drugs are prescribed appropriately for dogs that have seriously abnormal behaviors, such as severe separation anxiety. Other times, however, Prozac is used instead of a steady regimen of exercise to calm dogs that have excessive pent-up energy.

That said, let’s start this discussion with a couple of important statements. First and foremost, we are not veterinarians, and whether your dog should be medicated for anxiety is a conversation you’ll need to have with a vet. We’ve seen abundant cases in which antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs have contributed to an enhanced quality of life for some dogs. Some veterinarians have confided to us privately, however, that they occasionally prescribe the drugs to mollify clients who are agitated about their dog’s behavior.

The anxious dog may be frightened of one specific thing, such as thunderstorms. Or that particular fear may combine with others to form a more general fear of loud noises. The Fourth of July is a holiday dreaded by many dog trainers and owners. Those of us who have fireworks displays nearby tend to close windows and run air conditioners and fans along with loud music in an attempt to drown out the noise. That seems to work for some dogs but not for all.

Dogs can also become fearful of places or people that they associate with loud noises—a construction site or sanitation worker, for instance.

Some breeds, including herding breeds, seem to be predisposed to this type of anxiety. The dog learns to be anxious after experiencing trauma that he associates with the noise. Other times, medical issues such as ear infections or joint pain can trigger what appears to be anxiety.

MARC I first met Sheena in my veterinarian’s office. I’d gone there to pay a final bill after having lost my beloved Doberman, Diablo, to old age. Sheena, a German shepherd, was a pile of bones with hair, lying in the corner. As I sat on the couch waiting for Dr. Deb, the dog began to creep toward me. She didn’t have the strength to get up and walk, so she dragged herself to me. I put out my hand, and she laid her head in my palm, then collapsed so I had to hold her head up for her. That’s when Sheena looked up at me with a pair of what appeared to be pleading eyes.

The recent loss of Diablo, and now this poor dog in my hands, was a bit much for me. I teared up and was still sniffing when Dr. Deb walked into the waiting room.

Dr. Deb Rykoff rescues dogs. This dog’s owners had nearly starved the German shepherd to death and had left the poor dog outside chained to a tree in all sorts of weather, including thunderstorms. Even when the owners mowed the lawn, Sheena stayed chained to the tree. They simply ran the lawn mower around the terrified dog.

My eyes still wet, I looked up at Dr. Deb. “What’s wrong with her?” I asked.

“She’s had every parasite known to man, and also has heartworm that I’m treating her for,” the veterinarian said. “Her name is Kate.”

“No,” I said, stroking the dog’s head. “Her name is Sheena.”

“You have to wait three days to take her,” said my vet. “Because then we’ll know if she’ll make it.”

Sheena not only lived but recovered fully, with no physical scars whatsoever. I took her home a few days after this incident and, with the doctor’s help, nursed her back to health. Sheena has been with me as my constant companion for more than eleven years now. She’s a people lover and gets along well with other dogs. The only sign of her ordeal is a phobia related to thunderstorms and lawn mowers. It’s an understandable fear, yet many dogs get over these fears with time. Sheena did not, although now that she’s an older dog and starting to lose her hearing, those particular sounds worry her a lot less than they once did.

Her anxiety isn’t what we would call general. Most of the time, Sheena is content to go about the normal business of a well-adjusted dog. Her anxiety surfaces only in the presence of the trigger issue. You might call it a form of canine PTSD.

For some dogs that have experienced extreme anxiety because of traumatic situations, the best course of action is to do very little intervention. This was the case with Sheena, who, though she still paces some, is mostly fine now, as long as she is not contained in a crate during a major storm. Sheena will do some worried pacing as a storm approaches and eventually hide in a small, dark alcove at the bottom of the stairs. Any attempt to soothe her or to stop the pacing actually results in an increase in symptoms rather than the desired decrease.

In comparable circumstances, some dogs may benefit from being wrapped in a tight T-shirt. There are commercially available anxiety vests that serve a similar purpose. Sheena will simply remove such articles.

In extreme cases of phobic behavior, where the dog may harm himself, some veterinarians will prescribe a canine-appropriate form of Xanax to quickly but temporarily reduce anxiety. Xanax is not a magic fix, however. It can produce side effects, especially in improper dosage. The most common side effects are sleepiness and clumsiness, but prolonged use of Xanax can cause your dog to become addicted. In rare cases, Xanax produces an opposite result of hyperactivity. Remember never to give your dog human Xanax, which can cause serious illness and even death in dogs. Your veterinarian is the expert here.

Phobia produces anxiety. It is understandable that a dog that has spent a year chained to a tree might fear storms and lawn mowers. Yet there are dogs that feel anxiety most or all of the time even though there is no specific reason for it. Symptoms of such anxiety include excessive barking, aggression, a need to escape, and even panic attacks, and no two dogs present in the exactly the same way. Two of the more common symptoms are constant whining and obsessive licking.

Constant whining. This type of whining should not be confused with the type of complaining a dog might do at something specific—through a window at a squirrel, for instance. Rather, whining related to anxiety seems endless and is often accompanied by pacing and failure to settle down. Unlike the dog that’s whining because he wants to eat (and stops as soon as the bowl hits the floor), the anxiety-ridden dog is not looking at or for anything in particular. He doesn’t actually know what he wants. That’s a critical distinction.

Obsessive licking. Even worse, perhaps, than pets that constantly pace and whine are pets that obsessively lick themselves or the floor. They may actually do themselves damage by abrading the tongue or by causing lick granulomas. The situation can deteriorate if the dog begins to chew at himself, which may cause significant harm.

If your dog experiences any symptoms such as the ones described above, you should certainly consult your vet. That’s because undiagnosed pain can cause many if not all of the symptoms we’re discussing here. Sometimes blood work, X-rays, or a thorough physical exam will uncover a heretofore undiscovered medical condition that can be treated and remedied, or at least managed with an eye to mitigating pain levels. Today, we also understand that the thyroid gland can play a critical role in the psychological well-being of dogs.

Dr. Jean Dodds is a veterinarian who has gained national prominence for establishing Hemopet, a nonprofit animal blood bank, the first of its kind in North America. Dr. Dodds currently sits on the board of directors of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association and has published more than 150 research papers. Her research shows that hypothyroidism in dogs has reached astounding proportions, especially in certain purebred populations.

According to her book The Canine Thyroid Epidemic: Answers You Need for Your Dog, the most common behavioral signs of hypothyroidism in adult dogs are aggression (unprovoked toward other animals and/or people), seizures (sudden onset in adulthood), disorientation, moodiness, erratic temperament, hyperactivity, hypo-attentiveness, depression, fearfulness and phobias, anxiety, submissiveness, passivity, compulsiveness, and irritability.

We recommend that veterinarians implement Dr. Dodds’s protocols when conducting a complete thyroid profile, especially in dogs that show unusual anxiety or aggression. When this blood test yields normal results, as it often does, we can then rule out thyroid as a cause. However, thyroid problems are uncovered with surprising regularity, especially in high-risk breeds. In such cases, a daily regimen of thyroid medication usually assists in reducing unfounded anxieties.

MARC I know a woman who owned two border collies, one twelve years old and the other just one year old. The dogs appeared to be the best of friends and never fought over any of the typical high-value resources like food, space, or human affection.

However, the younger dog began to exhibit anxiety symptoms for no apparent reason. He was sufficiently exercised, well fed, and overtly healthy. Yet there were times when he couldn’t seem to settle. He’d pace, whine, and seem unfocused on anything in particular. Anyone who has ever owned a border collie will tell you that they can be antsy when bored—they are not a sedentary breed. The owners of the dog were keeping him sufficiently busy, yet he was hyperactive and would periodically attack the older dog when that dog was sleeping. I recommended the complete thyroid blood panel be run on this dog. As it turned out, my suspicion was correct. The border collie had hypothyroidism. When he was treated daily with thyroid medication, his symptoms abated.

Below is a list of breeds most often afflicted with canine thyroid disorder.

Alaskan Klee Kai

Beagle

Borzoi

Boxer

Chesapeake Bay retriever

Cocker spaniel

Dalmatian

Doberman pinscher

English setter

Eurasier

German wirehaired pointer

Giant schnauzer

Golden retriever

Great Dane

Havanese

Irish setter

Kuvasz

Labrador retriever

Leonberger

Maltese

Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever

Old English sheepdog

Rhodesian ridgeback

Shetland sheepdog

Staffordshire terrier

The Arm & Hammer Dog

Some people are more sensitive than others. There are, for example, people who feel at ease wherever they find themselves. They fall asleep easily on planes or in hotels, and don’t give a second thought to the change in surroundings. Others find it difficult to relax in new locations and may carry something familiar with them when they travel, such as a favorite pillow, to ease the transition.

The same goes for dogs. We meet dogs that are happy-go-lucky regardless of what novelties are thrown at them. Put them in a new house, and quickly they’re right at home. Add a family member, and they’re the welcoming committee. These dogs seem to be able to handle any alteration in their environment. Other dogs? Not so much.

Trainers frequently see breakdowns in training when a new puppy is added to the household, for example, or when a grown child moves out to go to college, or when the family moves to a new home. Events such as these can cause dogs to regress to old puppy patterns of behavior, including housebreaking accidents and chewing.

Emotional shifts in a dog’s environment can have an even more devastating effect than physical ones. Even emotional variations that humans might not give a second thought to can affect a dog.

When you have an argument with your boyfriend on the phone, your dog knows you’re angry but doesn’t know at whom and may think you’re angry at her. You might compound the problem by turning your dog into a crying towel, holding and petting her. A happy-go-lucky dog can tolerate these circumstances with no ill effects, but other dogs will break under the pressure.

Over the years, we have noticed that one particular type of dog reacts more profoundly than any other to emotional changes in his environment. We call this type of dog the Arm & Hammer dog.

Although the famous brand of baking soda has many purposes, its most common use is to absorb odors in the refrigerator. Put a box of Arm & Hammer in the fridge and you can be assured it will absorb the smells of onions, garlic, cheese, and any other pungent foods to which it is exposed. A month later, the box will be redolent with undesired scents. At that point you throw the box out, because you can never rid the baking soda of those smells it has absorbed.

Unlike the box of baking soda, however, once an Arm & Hammer dog is full, it begins to exhibit a range of symptoms that may include trembling, constant whining, sudden-onset crate phobia, loss of housebreaking, destructive chewing habits, new leash aggression, glassy-eyed staring, failure to engage in normal exploring and scenting behaviors, and vocalizing in response to simple problems such as a foot caught in a loop of leash or the approach of another dog.

Sadly, though the results are hard to miss, the steps leading up to these breakdowns usually go unrecognized. Families under stress often punish or get rid of dogs in this condition, unable to cope with their pet’s behavior. Yet we can usually cleanse the mental state of an Arm & Hammer dog, restoring him to mental health and good behavior.

BROTHER CHRISTOPHER I will always remember Milly the Maltipoo. At the time we first saw her, she was spayed and two years old. Though she had been trained to accept her crate, and had good house manners and proper housebreaking, Milly had begun to develop separation anxiety in the crate that produced a great deal of trembling and drooling. The family felt bad for her and began to leave her out of the crate when they weren’t home.

Out of the crate, Milly began to chew the house apart and to eliminate inappropriately. When we first observed Milly, we noticed that while on the leash her entire body was tense and her gait was cramped and shortened. At rest, she could not settle, alternately lying down, standing, and trembling. Her eyes were also slightly glassy. When we crated Milly, her trembling increased and she began to drool. As a test, we tossed high-value bits of food into the crate. The anxiety symptoms instantly stopped, and Milly foraged, then ate the food. As soon as the food was gone, the neurotic behaviors resumed.

This led us to believe that Milly’s case was different from simple misbehavior. The symptoms were real and dramatic. But her brain could override them in the presence of certain scents. This is not typical of anxiety caused specifically by confinement or separation. Dogs with true crate or separation anxiety will ignore treats in the crate. But as soon as the door is opened, they’ll try to bring the treats out with them.

Attempting to understand where Milly’s stress came from, we embarked on a delicate conversation with her owners. To understand the dog’s stress, it helps to understand the family’s stresses. When we asked if the family was experiencing any emotional difficulties, we learned that the mother had an advanced case of breast cancer. Both she and her adult daughter were, understandably, frightened and depressed. The father was angry that life had delivered such a blow to his family.

Milly had simply absorbed the scary emotional content in the home. We prescribed a regimen for her that included increased walks, exercise, and tethering. As we have indicated multiple times, tethering is a very effective calming exercise that can reap enormous benefits for a dog. In Milly’s case, we intended it to provide structure and stability, keeping her in close proximity to her owners without overt displays of affection or attention. Tethering simply teaches a dog to be quietly present with the owner.

We also suggested that Milly be fed every meal in the crate and that she be given a raw meat bone whenever the family would be gone from the house for more than a few hours. The bone was intended to give Milly a primal, doglike activity to perform in the crate, one she could look forward to. In addition, we suggested there be a few quiet times per day, during which the family would spend time with Milly but refrain from talking, touching, or even having eye contact with her. Physical stimuli can exacerbate a dog’s anxiety, and simple quiet togetherness can be healing.

As it happened, adhering to the regimen was not possible for Milly’s family. And we really couldn’t blame them. They had enough distress to deal with without worrying about controlling their emotions around Milly.

A couple of weeks after our consultation, the family decided to place the dog with a retired couple, who then called us for advice. We recommended a week of tethering and the other therapies mentioned earlier. A week later the couple came to see us. The change in Milly was remarkable, and we could see it from the moment she jumped out of the car. Her gait had opened up to full stride. When we all sat down at a table, Milly easily settled at her new owner’s side, with no trembling. Later, we crated her with a bone and she gnawed without drooling or trembling. She looked and behaved like a completely different dog. She was no longer so affected by the emotional turmoil present within her previous family.

In consulting with owners of dogs that have telltale Arm & Hammer signs, we ask if there is trauma in the family. We are not therapists (though many dog trainers might dispute that statement), but we do need to find the root cause of the dog’s problems. If we believe that emotional trauma is the problem, then we suggest a treatment of focused exercise where the owners spend time with their dog quietly and calmly. Tethering creates an emotion-free zone in which a dog can recoup lost emotional resources.

This period of decompression, as we call it, can take a while. It’s kind of like when you go on a vacation and for the first few days you find it difficult to relax and almost impossible to break away from your emails and work texts. Eventually you realize you haven’t even worn shoes in days, let alone checked your email.

For dogs, however, decompression can take fourteen to thirty days, depending on the case.

Exposing the Arm & Hammer dog to stable dogs—on walks, for instance—can help speed up decompression, but only if the circumstances are very controlled. Don’t make it a playdate. Regular outings with a group that will allow the anxious dog to integrate and socialize in his own time frame can be very helpful. Eventually, the anxious dog will want to socialize, and you can permit this in small snippets of a few moments each until she shows that she will not panic. Then you can slowly extend the time allowed for her to socialize.

For trainers and dog owners alike, rehabilitating an Arm & Hammer dog can be very rewarding work. It requires compassion and skill rather than coddling. But the end result is a dog restored to a happy outlook on life.

For humans, stress can cause anxiety if you haven’t learned good coping mechanisms such as meditation, working out, or reading and relaxing to clear the mind. But a dog has to rely on its owner to provide ways to ease her stress. Therefore, you must provide the necessary coping mechanisms for your dog. Sometimes it’s as simple as being sure that she eats, potties, and sleeps at the same regular intervals every day.

Many dogs arrive at our kennel barking and whining like a jumpy bundle of nerves. They can actually disturb the peace of the dogs that have been at the kennel for some time because those dogs have absorbed the rhythm and routine of residency and have become calmer because of it. Several days later it is the dog that arrived with the jumpy nerves that is perturbed when a barky “new kid” arrives, shattering the calm.

It is wonderful to see anxiety-ridden dogs learn to relax and actually be able to focus on their work, profit from their rest, and enjoy play with their owner or with other dogs. In this regard, when you notice your dog acting nervous, you should go through a brief mental review to make sure all of his obvious energy needs have been met. When is the last time we took a run? Played fetch? Went for a long, long walk? More than just exercise, however, it’s important to allow your dog to explore his dogness. Not allowing a positive outlet for your dog’s natural tendencies will ultimately lead to some sort of neurosis.

We’re reminded of Gus, Central Park Zoo’s famous polar bear. Gus died a few years ago (not long after his longtime companion, Ida, died), but there was a time when Gus was the main attraction of the zoo—and not for the best of reasons. In his nondescript surroundings (think of a housing project for a polar bear), Gus exhibited neurotic behavior from the start of his stay in New York, including swimming identical figure-eight patterns for twelve hours straight and seemingly stalking children through his pool’s glass wall. The press dubbed him the bi-polar bear, and his antics drew crowds of onlookers both curious and concerned. In 1994, with their star attraction garnering national negative attention, zoo officials decided to consult an animal behaviorist. The behaviorist suggested a routine of training, play, and mental tasks such as having Gus forage for his food. They also remodeled his pool. Although his city habitat never came close to resembling the polar cap, his newly renovated environs gave Gus places to explore, including an extension called the toy room, which was filled with rubber garbage cans and traffic cones.

Guess what happened? Like ice that melts in the spring, Gus’s neuroses began to fall away. He never completely gave up his figure eights, by most accounts, but he lived long and more contentedly, and did so simply by being allowed to be who he was.

Like Gus, most dogs don’t want or need very much. But if they are denied the simple things that keep them mentally and physically fit—exercise, shared time, and challenge—that is, if they’re denied their nature, it’s impossible for them to be happy.

Fear of Humans

Sadly, certain dogs are frightened of people. Some have a particular aversion to men; others fear most people regardless of gender. Such dogs often have at least one trusted human family member. Or they have more than one and may also get along fine with other dogs. But when encountering people who fall into their fear parameters (male, children, or whatever they fear), the terrified dog will attempt to flee or hide.

Under extreme circumstances, the frightened dog may bark, growl, or lunge at an unwanted person. This type of aggressive behavior differs from the aggression exhibited by a confident dog. Instead of steady forward motion, aggression by a fearful dog includes a retreat posture, in which the dog’s weight is not constantly placed on her forequarters. The dog’s weight is either divided between front and rear, or is solidly placed on the rear quarters, in preparation for flight.

What causes this problem? An abusive background, genetics, or poor socialization may be responsible. Whatever the cause, it is critical to treat this condition without begging (or demanding) that the fearful dog just get over it. Again, long periods of quiet tethering on a leash is your best bet for building trust. Call a professional if aggression is involved, but many fearful dogs will improve if you just take the right steps. Fight-or-flight mode is a default state of mind for these dogs, and the idea is to stop this physiological reaction. Over time, you can prevent your dog from choosing fight-or-flight mode. Here’s how you can help build that trust.

As often as possible, tether the dog and go about your business in or out of the house.

If the dog is afraid of you, tether but do not talk to, make sustained eye contact with, or try to touch the dog.

Crate the dog to stop hiding behaviors when you cannot tether on leash. Ignore the dog in the crate rather than trying to engage, which will only make her feel cornered.

If you are the trusted family member, do not pet or reassure the dog when she is acting fearful.

Use a martingale-style collar so the dog cannot back out of it while tethering.

Ignore the dog for her own good, and require everyone else to ignore her as well until she begins to relax.

Feed in the crate for a week, but in the second week, without talk or eye contact, try to feed by hand while tethering.

Once the dog starts taking food this way, continue to feed by hand without looming, talking, or staring.

Do not skip meals to make the dog hungrier, but you can motivate him more with chicken or high-value food.

Many dogs respond positively within a week. Others take weeks or months. Be patient.

Unfortunately, there are some instances in which generalized canine anxiety has no basis in a medical condition. The dog’s inability to relax and be at ease is due to either genetic or psychological issues. In these cases, we look closely at the dog’s lifestyle to determine if he is receiving the right measure of what a dog needs. What he needs is a structured life with the components of work, rest, and play, a life in which he’s encouraged to participate in the joy but also to respect his owner’s control over his resources.

In this chapter we have revealed the various faces of anxiety found in today’s dog, along with a variety of means to preemptively treat or cure these conditions. Anxiety can prevent your dog from living a full and happy life because it robs him of the simple pleasures of eating and sleeping and romping. It can also cripple his chances of forming healthy relationships with both humans and other dogs. So many of our friends and clients express one simple wish: “I just want my dog to be happy.” A dog can’t fix an anxiety problem by himself. Rather, you must help him build the confidence that prevents anxiety by providing a coherent structure and the trust that allows your dog to feel safe.