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Healing

Wounded

Emotions

A depressed beagle dog

The Statistics

There are over 80 million pet dogs in America. Unfortunately, there's no database on how many of them have symptoms of post-traumatic stress. There is, however, a database on how many military dogs do. In fact, The New York Times reports that “more than 5 percent of the approximately 650 military dogs in combat zones have developed some form of canine PTSD.” Granted, in military dogs, the symptoms are usually much more severe than what see in pet dogs. But the problem still exists in pet dogs, and in much larger numbers. After all, military dogs are selected and trained for their ability to meet and overcome all sorts of obstacles and traumatic events.

 

Meanwhile, the percentage of people in America who've experienced a traumatic event is roughly 70%, yet only 8% of them go on to develop symptoms of PTSD.

 

Could we apply the same percentages to our pet dogs?

 

Given the number of pet dogs abandoned or placed in shelters, injured in fights with other dogs, and the number who’ve been mistreated or mishandleds, not to mention those who’ve been hit by a car, gotten lost, etc., I'd be very surprised if the number of dogs who’ve experienced some type of trauma wasn’t at least 70%. And the number of dogs who’ve developed PTSD, as a result is probably very close to the figure of 8% found in human beings. In fact, I think you could easily double or even triple that!

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"Heaven goes by favor.

If it went by merit, you

would stay out and

your dog would go in."

― Mark Twain

"Dogs are our

link to paradise."

― Milan Kundera

Treatment Options

A golden retriever exhibiting stress signals.

The Prognosis

There are 4 levels of emotional trauma in dogs which I would liken to bruises, wounds, injuries, and damage.

  

Bruises usually heal on their own, wounds sometimes heal on their own but usually need some form of treatment, injuries require more time and treatment, while damage to the psyche is very difficult if not impossible to undo.

  

Yet despite what most experts believe, many cases of PTSD in dogs can not only be treated but, given time and proper treatment, they can be totally cured.

  

It's not easy, and it can take awhile. But it can be done, and it can be done without the use of Prozac or other drugs. All that's needed is an understanding of how stress affects a dog's behavior and how play is the most successful means of managing and eliminating stress.

  

For more, visit my Canine PTSD blog or contact me.

According to science, there are only three successful options for treating PTSD in humans: Prozac, EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), and video games. Since dogs aren't capable of practicing EMDR or playing video games, the only option seems to be Prozac. But is that true?

  

Not exactly. While dogs with PTSD aren't able to use the control console of a video game or understand the action on the screen, they can play fetch and tug, both of which can have a lasting restorative effect on their emotions. The trouble is, most dogs with PTSD don't like to play tug and fetch.

  

Fortunately, there's help in the form of The 5 Core Exercises of Natural Dog Training, created by Kevin Behan.

      

  • Pushing for Food

  • Collecting the Dog's Energy Onto His Haunches

  • Speaking on Command

  • Deep Tissue Massage of the Shoulders and Haunches

  • Playing Tug and Fetch

   

These exercises will enable you to bring out the sweetness, stillness, and resilience in your dog which, in turn, will help your dog return to a happier, more puppy-like state. Once that happens, the dog will naturally want to play again and his or her symptoms of PTSD will gradually disappear.

A golden doodle being hugged by his owner.
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