It’s a hard pill for some folks to swallow, but it’s 100% true.
If you punish the very behaviours that allow you to infer the dog is feeling anxious in the first place, then using the absence of that behaviour in that context as a basis to claim that the dog is no longer anxious is…well, proof that the person making these claims understands little if anything about dog training, dog behaviour, and the emotional lives of dogs.
Sadly, this bullshit is still all too commonly peddled in the dog world.
❌ Where this is the case it is almost always by some hack dog trainer that lacks empathy and understanding, and relies almost entirely on punishing behaviour they consider undesirable as the primary means of bringing dogs under control.
✅ If you’re following somebody making these claims on social media, then do yourself a favour and upgrade your information sources.
Building pro-social coping strategies the dog can action in a given situation helps to reduce his anxiety into the long term, due to a perception in the dog of increased control and predictability.
There is no trainer in existence that can train anxiety away, or punish a dog to the point where it no longer feels anxious.
Does an anxious dog just need more training?
Not necessarily. Veterinary behaviour specialists say more complex behaviour problems, such as maladaptive fears and anxiety, “are not due to lack of training”, and can reflect an underlying medical diagnosis that needs management and treatment (ANZCVS). That’s a good reason to start with your vet.
The Australian Veterinary Association calls anxiety “fear of a possible threat or danger”, and says it can be normal and even useful in certain situations. Too much anxiety, or anxiety about the wrong things, can have bad consequences (Australian Veterinary Association).
What are the signs of anxiety in a dog?
The Australian Veterinary Association says the signs are subtle and often missed, and that an anxious or fearful dog is more likely to bite. Signs it lists include:
- licking lips, looking away, ears to the side or being “on guard”
- panting, moving slowly or away from you, or moving around continuously
- refusing to eat, barking continuously, destroying furniture or urinating in the wrong place
- aggression or biting
If this sounds like your dog, the Association says it needs to be assessed and that you should talk to your vet.
What helps an anxious dog?
The Australian Veterinary Association says managing the environment, behaviour modification and appropriate medication can often stop a pet’s fear from developing into a severe phobia. It also says the best time to deal with fearful or anxious behaviour is as soon as it starts.
- See your vet first. Your vet can assess your dog and talk you through treatment. Any decision about medication is your vet’s to make.
- Get help with the behaviour. Canine Services International in Boronia, Melbourne’s east, is led by Brad Griggs, canine behaviour specialist. As the business puts it: “Most problems are not solved by suppressing them. We build the dog underneath, so it can feel and act differently.”
- Read up on your dog’s situation. If the anxiety shows when you leave, see our guide to separation anxiety in dogs. If it shows as reacting to dogs or people, read can a reactive dog be fixed?
To talk through what you’re seeing, book a call or phone 0483 983 647.