Is your resistance to using medications holding your dog back?
Among the challenges we face training dogs struggling with problem behavior is the size of the margin of error we have to work with. Training can be done without medications, and should be done along with their use.
Medications serve multiple purposes. They can provide the animal with relief. Extreme anxiety, chronic startling, debilitating inhibition and an inability to settle can be addressed with medications. As important is the potential for medications to have a prophylactic effect that can prevent the learning of new fears. The closer to the edge an animal is the easier it will be to push them over. Adding new fears to existing ones, or constantly repeating fearful responses is not making their lives any better or easier. It’s learning in action. What is being learned is the unwanted behavior you are observing.
The Sooner The Better
Rehoming and other transitions can require some time for settling in. If we know they have the skills necessary to be a successful pet, waiting to see how they get on may make sense. But new people and environments may be scary for those without skills.
Don’t wait until sparks set your roof ablaze to start wetting down the shingles. We know what happens when animals feel threatened. Some fires are very hard to put out once they get started.
