Using Drugs to Modify Your Dog’s Behavior: Why It Often Fails

A few months ago, I shared a video explaining why drugs are ineffective for treating aggression in dogs. But aggression isn’t the only reason dogs are prescribed medication for behavior issues.

Recently, I worked with several dogs medicated for behavioral problems, including over-excitability. One case involved a 2-year-old Great Dane cross named Dudley, a sweet rescue dog struggling to find a forever home. His new owners took him in but found his high energy and severe separation anxiety challenging. After consulting their vet, who couldn’t recommend a local trainer at the time, Dudley was prescribed three medications: two sedatives and one for separation anxiety.

Dudley’s Case

During our first session, I noticed Dudley was easily distracted and overstimulated. He was fitted with a head halter, which he hated, and it worsened his reactions, especially when excited. I removed the halter, introduced an impulse control leash, and began teaching him basic commands like sit, stay, and recall. The session showed promise.

By the second session, Dudley’s owners reported some improvement, but he would revert to old behaviors when he lost interest in training. This was unusual—typically, dogs calm down as training progresses, and new behaviors take hold. When I confirmed Dudley was still on all three medications, I suspected they were contributing to his issues. Heavy sedation can lower a dog’s threshold for excitability, similar to how intoxication affects humans. This is well-documented with aggression issues.

With the owner’s agreement, we weaned Dudley off the medications over the next week. By the third session, the difference was remarkable—Dudley’s behavior was much easier to manage, and his impulse control improved significantly.

Lessons Learned

While Dudley’s case was more extreme than most, I’ve seen this pattern repeatedly. Normally, I can address problem behaviors in three sessions, but Dudley required six, with a few more planned, including group classes. His family is thrilled with his calmer demeanor and reliable off-leash behavior.

In my professional opinion, medicating dogs for over-excitability is often doomed to fail. Sedatives lose effectiveness over time, and problem behaviors typically return. Vets may increase dosages or prescribe stronger drugs, sometimes leaving dogs so sedated they can barely walk straight.

Training, Not Medication

Training, not medication, is the key to lasting behavior change. Has your dog been prescribed meds for behavior issues? Let’s discuss in the comments!