Hey Rachelle, I hope meds will help. If you can find and use a veterinary behavorist that would be best. Most of them understand behavior, anxiety and the role a medication can play. Do not use Trazadone. It does not stay in the system. It is good for a specific episode, but not long term. Good luck.

@@EverythingDog I use trazadone and it makes my dog sleepy/calm. I can finally leave my house for a couple of hours though she still doesn't like that I'm gone. I work from home, but still need to go to gym, etc daily. The plus side is when we walk after her naps she's sooo much better than without the Trazadone and the walk is actually enjoyable instead of torture. Is there anything else you can recommend that's natural and better for long term? I really don't want to keep using the Trazadone if I don't have to but then both of us are going to go crazy🤣

@@teetee19768 Well, this sounds like a good use for Trazadone! If it helps her be calm while you leave that is what matters. And because she isn't working herself up emotionally she's able to enjoy your walks. I'd keep using it. There is NOTHING wrong with helping our dogs with the right medicine right? If she needed antibiotics you'd give her that without thinking twice. If she was a diabetic you'd give her insulin right? Her brain and body need the extra help from Trazadone I'm happy that you found something and it's working for both of you!!!!

Haley, great to hear this.

Glad you found it helpful. Good luck with your anxious dog.

Hey Dee M, He maybe too old and it may not work, BUT you will not know until you try it AND document on a daily basis. His behavior will change gradually. I usually suggest starting at half the body weight dose so his body can adjust and you can see how he does, but keeping a journal. If not change you can increase by 5 mg. Wait another few weeks, keep a journal etc. Good luck.

Hi Nicole. So glad the video was helpful to you. I recommend all my clients keep a journal of start date and amount of meds, then document ANY behavior, eating changes. The only way to know if meds help is to watch your dogs behaviors and sometimes the behavior change happens so slowly you may miss it, but if you document it, it can be so helpful! All the best.

You are welcome. Be sure to keep a journal of your dog's behavior so you can document what he/she is doing. It's easy to forget. Start at a low dosage and increase gradually as needed.

So glad to hear that you are trying anxiety meds with your dog. It's a bit of a long road so don't give up too soon. Just a note, Trazadone is not, in my opinion an effective anti-anxiety med for what you described. Prozac or Zoloft are better choices. Start at a 50% of max amount dosage, wait 6 weeks then adjust up or down accordingly. Changes will happen slowly and in small steps. Be patient and be your dog's advocate. It's a sucky quality of life to be afraid of all those things.

Yvette, so glad the video was helpful! Best, Denise

You are welcome. Glad I could help.

Sounds like a good decision. I would suggest Labeling and feeding as well. Tell him, What's about to happen. Im going to vacuum, and toss him a handful of chicken etc. Then turn it on and off and be done with it. Also keep him far away to help reduce his reaction. GRADUALLY, you'll get him closer and for longer periods of time. Can he wait outside or in your car while you vacuum, etc?

@Everything Dog thank you for this suggestion. My husband is home, so he washes, etc. Levi actually sees him grab the Hamper, so he immediately takes off to other end of house. But we will telling him what we are doing and giving chicken, etc. Yes, we do send him outside when we vacumn. Normally, we do this when both of us are home, so then one of us is outside, too.

Leslie, why are you guilt-ridden? You didn't cause your dog's sound sensitivity? It's most likely genetic. Mom or dad or grandparents are sound sensitive. What could you have possibly done to cause such behavior? Sileo is GREAT! Not sure why you are terrified. It's super easy to use. It saved the life of one of our dogs who had SEVERE thunder phobia. We would also drive our dogs out of town on fireworks night so they couldn't hear them.

Sounds like you are on the right path. And yes, our dogs can pick up our anxiety, it's called social learning. WE can use it to our advantage by demonstrating being calm and talking to our dogs. Wish you all the best.

How is she doing now? And medication did they prescribe? Our Yorkie has severe separation anxiety and we’ve tried everything at this point😔

Hey Aqua, These are great question and Id ask your vet about them. If the dosage works, that's great.

Ellisa, wow, this is intense. Trazadone is used for individual episodes. It does not stay in her system. There are a couple of ways to treat this. Get a doggie camera, set it up and practice with it so you are confident you can use it when away from the house. You will need to practice going away - and coming back in very short intervals. Tell her you are leaving and you'll be right back. Leave her a very high-value yummy. She may not eat it but leave it anyway. Watch her on the camera, note when her anxiety begins, immediately, 5 minutes after you leave, 10 minutes etc. Return BEFORE she is freaking out. Walk in calmly, no fan fair, do not get all excited to see her. BE CALM The goal of these practice departures is too keep her calm and not trigger a full anxiety attack. Id start with 1 SHORT session every 3 days depending on her response. if she has diarrhea, wait a few days, do it again, but this time returning sooner. Medication can certainly help, but I would look at a prozac, not trazadone. Traz is given for an episode and my gut is that she needs more help with her anxiety than what Trazadone can provide. If you want to get a complete behavior plan you can book here: everythingdog.as.me/VirtualBehavioralConsultation

Hey Gerry, I would give her time to adjust to the car in short intervals as well as just take her someplace, close by, sit with her on a bench and let her observe her world, then go home. GRADUALLY increase the length of time she is out and about. It sounds like she is on sensory overload and she hopefully, won't need meds if you go slowly with her.

Wow, that is a traumatic event. Humans can think and reason but dogs can not. I would get her on a Prozac type medication ASAP.

Wow, that is a lot of anxiety. I would go sit with him some where quiet and keep your distance from water fountains etc. Bring, chicken, meatballs etc. As he looks at something label it for him and feed him. "It's just a water fountain, feed, It's a water fountain, feed" Then go home. Wait a day, and go again. DO NOT WALK HIM AROUND. Just find a quiet place, tell him about what he sees, then leave. he needs a context a framework just like babies do when they are looking around their world. We lable EVERYTHING for babies, do the same for your dog. Meds may also help, but it's not the only thing. It's not a magic pill!

@@EverythingDog I will give that a try when we go to the park this afternoon, thank you

Wow, that's a lot of stress your dog is dealing with. Hard to say if meds will help without all the info. Talk to your veterinarain or find a veterinarian behaviorist.

Christina, I can't say over youtube whether or not medication will help. If her aggression was caused by a traumatic event, I would begin by supporting her, meaning keep her away from other dogs. She does not understand that she is safe unless you keep her safe. A dog's trauma is just as serious as ours.

Hey Coffee384, if your dog is anxious around new people it could be a reason for Prozac, but Id really need to know more. It might be nice to just put your dog "off duty" with something yummy to chew on when novel people are around. Many people can not follow our directions when around our "tricky" dog. Many people will say "Its ok, I like dogs" or "I have dogs" or "dogs like me" and reach to pet a dog who is really just getting information (sniffing) Id speak to your vet. A therapeutic dose is 50% of max dosage, based on weight. Keep a journal and know that meds are not a magic answer. Watch for signs that they are making him worse. It's rare, but can happen.

Hi Kim, sorry, you'll have to reach out to your vet. There are LOTS of new meds that will help dogs in this situation We used Sileo, gel form on our EXTREMELY thunder phobic dog. It made all the difference in his quality of life during a storm. Got to get it from the vet.

@@EverythingDog thanks

Sounds like a good idea!

Robert meds can be one piece of the pie. Meds will not magically make your dog happy to see guests. Breed matters. If your dog has genetics that tells him to guard his space, then this needs to be addressed with an "off-duty space" so he can chill out with lots of yummy, delicious chewy things while you socially signal to him that everything is ok. Remember, dogs have a personal space bubble of 7-10 feet.

Hey Beck, Trazadone is an "event" medication. Meaning give it before a nervous event. It is not for long-term use or for dogs that are generally anxious. I would suggest going back and asking for a doggie prozac or finding a Veterinary Behaviorist. Generally, they are great with meds. Good luck.

Thank you for your response. I will try calling tomorrow

@@beckp5456 Welcome

Fino, I suspect your dog doesn't like the taste of the food. Experiment with other foods. Pills can be given in cheese, wet dog or cat food, peanutbutter. Good luck.

@@EverythingDog will do. There are so many experiments I haven't done for my dog. Thanks

Im very sorry to hear about the passing of your father. The age of your dog currently is important to my answer. Even though he's been there many times, this time is different, your dad is missing and you and your mom are grieving, which is not lost on your dog. (People smell different under stress) If your dog is under the age of 2 he is going through a huge developmental stage which means there are a lot of changes happening for your dog. Be calm and lable and feed him for everything he is worried about. Ex: "Oh silly boy, it's just mom. See Mom walking towards you?" Give him lost of treats from you, not from your mom.

@@EverythingDogthanks so much for your advice. He is actually 7 years old. There definitely is a lot of stress in the house. For now I’ve removed him and he’s staying with my partner at our house. However for Xmas I will need to bring him back here overnight. My vet also now prescribed gabapentin for this purpose. Im still very nervous. We have relatives coming over, and there will be a lot of noise. Should I keep him in a separate room or something?

@@zinamussmann4861 Manage him the best you can to keep him safe. 7 yrs marks the beginning of becoming a senior dog. If you feel this is a very sudden change, Id encourage you to have a full work up done, pain? Blood work etc. Sudden changes in behavior can indicate an undiagnosed physical issue. Just a thought.

Sepia, anti-anxiety meds will be given daily. They must be weaned if the dog needs to come off of them. How old is your foster puppy? What trauma has she experienced? You may want to look at Jean Donaldsons' book Mine before you try meds. Some behavior work first will help you gauge if the meds are helping or not. Please remember, for some dogs, meds can make things worse, but you won't know until you try. Good luck and thanks for fostering.

Lisa, a 10-week-old puppy doesn't need medication. Just putting that out there since this video is about medication for extreme anxiety. a 10-week-old puppy is still a baby-baby and learning the ways of our human world. Being picked up is a human thing...NOT a dog thing. In the wild, or natural world dogs are not picked up. Does that make sense? I would suggest that only people she likes and KNOWS pick her up. She is communicating that she doesn't like it. Please honor her communication and stop allowing others to pick her up. Have them sit in a chair, and if NEEDED, you pick her up and place her on their laps. The best thing would be for friends and family to sit on the floor and let the puppy decide if she wants to visit. Young puppies like this need a LOT of CHOICE AND CONTROL, so they will feel safe in our human world. Don't do thing to her (Like picking her up) simply because you can. It's not fair to her.

@@EverythingDog thank you so so much I was hoping u said that as I didn't want to give her any kind of medication just yet but I understand about people picking her up she ok with me or my children and a couple of friends she will go to just screams when others pick her up like this morning the breeder came to take her for her 2nd vaccine and she screamed the vet has said its anxity of others and peoples appearances I also have her sister which she is also doing great and like all people

😂😂😂😂😂

Not really. Most anxiety meds are not expensive.

Hmmm, you need to ask your veterinarian. I can't Rx. Good luck.

Lydia, it can be a bit disappointing, embarrassing, and frustrating to find ourselves with a dog who may not have the personality we were hoping for. For you, it's to be a service dog so the potential loss is even bigger. I don't know enough about your situation to tell you she needs meds or not. Most reactivity is based in fear. It is very possible our dog is worried or afraid of other dogs. She could be this way from "Over" socialization and/or genetics. If you want to discuss in much more detail, please use this link: everythingdog.as.me/ wishing you all the best.

Matt, this is very common. Even veterinarians have a hard time seeing "mental illness" just like human MD's. Im glad you advocated for your dog to get him/her the meds needed. Starting dose is 50% of max dosage based on weight. No need to start at the Max dose. The goal is to find the sweet spot in the meds so that learning/training can be maximized. Some dogs can be weaned in a couple of years and be successful without the meds.

Wesley, Im not a veterinarian. I can't answer your question. Call your veterinarian or call have a consultation with a veterinarian behavorist.

@richardc.bailey5168 I couldn't agree with you more. We must look at the WHOLE Dog, the genetics, history, trauma, environment etc to effectively treat the dog. With that being said there are some dogs that medication can give them a boost, but it doesn't have to be for their lifetime and it certainly will not replace providing the dog with consistent routines and support (training) Thanks for the comment.

No! Always consult your veterinarian.

Im not as familiar with this drug. Keep a journal and watch for small improvements. Good luck

how is it going? my dog is also scared of walks in ppl and has severe separation anxiety. it’s like i can’t take him anywhere, i can’t go anywhere, and no one can come over,,, very isolating:(

@@jerseymxnette6176It doesn't sound like either of you are having a quality life. Your dog is suffering daily. I would suggest talking with your veterinarian and starting your pup on Anti Anxiety meds. Start at 50% of Max dose. Let his system adjust to it for 6 weeks before making an adjustment. Keep a journal.

SimsForever, what makes you believe your Pom has Separation Anxiety?

@@EverythingDog He gets very anxious when we are about to leave and when are leaving he barks the whole time.

@@simsforever791 What does he do while you are away? Have you videoed?

@@EverythingDog I haven't got any video of what he does when are away but when we are get closer to the house. He can't see or hear us. He is still barking. So I assume he must have been barking quite alot

He doesn't like being alone in general