My wife, Susan, and I had long-suspected that our Lilly, the Boston terrier, was “under socialized” during her critical early months of development.
Hearing those exact words from the veterinary behaviorist — and knowing that this was a major contributor to her spinning, lunging and nipping when unknown dogs drew near — was like being thrown a lifeline. The “why” could keep us afloat as we braved the cross-currents of intervention.
Unfortunately, a medical work-up to rule out physical contributors was months away (our new vet was booked solid). Lilly benefited from her professional training, but appeared to “top out.” So, we held her sessions pending results of the behavioral vet’s management plan.
We started conservatively. Pheromone collar and probiotic “composure” chews for 30 days along with training strategies learned to date. The intensity of Lilly’s reactions decreased somewhat but were no less frequent at 25 feet or less.
Time to dial in for pharmacology. Susan and I were planning a trip to NoCal where Lilly would share close quarters with her cousin, Joey. The two had played together years before on neutral ground. But much had changed in their lives since then. We needed some fast-acting assurance of mutual safety.
In 2011, Nicholas Dodman, Director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at Tufts University, discovered that low doses of Clonidine significantly reduced the flow of noradrenaline in dogs, thereby reducing their reactivity. We “road tested” the short-acting psychotropic at the lowest therapeutic dose (0.2mg) given about two hours before Lilly and Joey’s reunion. One flash scuffle quickly resolved. Given the frequent changes of scenery on our week-long trip, we decided to dose her daily. Lilly’s reactivity to other dogs within 10 feet was negligible.
Upon our return to Oregon, we started Lilly on the lowest dose of the long-acting Fluoxatine (Prozac, 0.5mg) while maintaining our training regimen. Within three weeks, the frequency and intensity of Lilly’s outbursts around other dogs decreased about 80 percent; her “force field” shrunk to five feet. Lilly was 100 percent responsive to “call-to-front” commands or she simply plopped her butt down on the sidewalk and looked to us expectantly for a treat whenever a dog appeared. Our anxiety about handling Lilly dropped dramatically, making for loose-leash walks.
During one such walk, we stumbled upon a free-roaming Australian Cattle Dog and her human family playing in their unfenced yard. “Zelda” gazed at Lilly with relaxed eyes. Lilly hiked her front paws on the yard’s short retaining wall. The two exchanged sniffs. No hint of fear or aggression. We stared in disbelief, then shared Lilly’s story with Zelda’s kind family. We’ve returned several times to visit. Once, Lilly backfired like a cranky muffler when Zelda met her head-on, but that was it. Zelda’s family invited us to visit again.
We’d seen how Lilly did on-leash. On a recent trip to Washington, our hosts invited Lilly to romp off-leash with their four rescue dogs in their sprawling backyard. Our hearts soared as Lilly rolled, fetched, barked gleefully and herded the host fur-family (themselves herding breeds!).
Susan and I were apprised of the psychotropics’ possible side effects, most commonly appetite changes and GI upset. Seizures were also possible. However, our behavioral vet assured us that the benefits far outweighed the risks. Lilly did have notable trembling when we increased the fluoxatine from 0.5mg to 1.0mg as prescribed after the first three weeks, but her symptoms abated when we reduced back to 0.5mg. They’ve not returned since.
Lilly resumed and completed her course of professional training. We no longer have to cross the street when another dog approaches on-leash. Call to front or hurry-by maneuvers using chicken as bait virtually assure safe, smooth passage. Lilly is more relaxed than ever — and so are we.
Lilly is ready for another meet and greet with Zelda — perhaps an inch or to closer next time.