Behavioural Medication + Modification 101

With the rise of veterinary prescriptions issued for behavioural reasons the topic of medication and it’s interaction with the training and behavioural modification process is a hot topic.

Misunderstandings and misconceptions regarding the medication of dogs for these reasons are rife in the dog training community, with many trainers failing to understand the potential benefits and contingencies of  a multi-disciplinary approach to achieving better outcomes for dogs and owners.

Many owners are simply prescribed these drugs by their veterinarian without sufficient explanation of the reasons, and without sound direction on how to proceed towards reaching their desired behavioural modification goals.

This event represents a rare opportunity to learn from two highly experienced professionals that work at the coal face of creating behavioural change from two very different yet closely interrelated perspectives.

This workshop is particularly suited to the following groups:

• Owners of dogs currently prescribed medication for behavioural reasons
• Owners of dogs with anxiety and aggression related behavioural issues
• Trainers beginning work with dogs with behavioural issues
• Veterinarians and vet nurses with an interest in dog training and behavioural modification

This workshop is designed to offer a uniquely useful resource for those that own and/or work with dogs that have been prescribed medication for behavioural reasons, and will cover the following areas:

• Classes/types of drugs commonly prescribed to dogs with behavioural issues
• Common misconceptions and misunderstandings about what these drugs do
• Types of behavioural issues that can benefit from pharmaceutical intervention
• Layman’s description of how these compounds offer positive benefits
• Side effects and contingencies of commonly prescribed medications
• Some ground rules for establishing an effective medicative regime and dosing protocol
• Short, medium and long term uses of various compounds
• Understanding mood, and how it can impact training and conditioning processes
• Practical considerations for those undertaking behavioural modification work with medicated dogs
• Establishing strong vet-trainer communication to aid in the care and stewardship of a medicated dog
• Expectation management for owners of medicated dogs

Significant time has been dedicated to a Q&A period to allow those in attendance the ability to have questions answered in a forum environment.

Please note that this a ‘dog free’ event, and as such it is not suitable for you to attend with your dog.