The development and management of social phobias in dogs (abstract)
Article loaded in February 1997, modified the
18 March 97, 25 Dec.2001- http://www.joeldehasse.com/a-english/dogphob-abs.htm
©Dr Joël Dehasse
3 avenue du Cosmonaute,
1150 Brussels, Belgium
joel.dehasse@skynet.be
Social phobias are defined as
phobias (pathological fear or fright
reaction in presence of a known non-aggressive stimulus -
resulting from a sensitisation process) in presence
of a specific social interaction proposal (for example: of
being looked at, of being touched,...). These phobias are
originated in the ontogeny (deprivation syndrome), the
prepuberty or puberty desocialisation period, from of
psychic or emotional trauma, or are activated by endocrine
affections (like hypothyroidism).
Social phobias accompanied by (anticipatory)
defence aggression evolve in unpredictable hyperaggression
in 80% of the cases.
Social intraspecific phobias may be
misdiagnosed as intraspecific intermale or interfemale
aggression, in which case anti-hormonal drugs may be
effective in the early reactive stages.
The management of social phobias and
especially unpredictable hyperaggression is particularly
sensitive and of long duration. The treatment associates the
use of drugs, behavioural therapy and the removal of the
cause (when there is a dysendocriny). Several drugs are
useful: drugs that reduce the noradrenergic (propranolol or
clonidine) or dopaminergic (sulpiride, thioridazine)
neurotransmission, drugs that increase the serotoninergic
neurotransmission (fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, clomipramine),
drugs that activate the GABA and that reduce noradrenergic
neurotransmission (carbamazepine). The behavioural therapy
is based on counter-conditioning. The dog is taught an
activity that opposes the excitement-aggression process. I
have found very effective to teach the dog the simple
following training in the presence of the stimulus: just
"sit" followed by an alimentary reward; this
reward has to be out of the ordinary to interest the dog.
This training focus the dog's attention on the trainer (the
owner). It does not need any punishment and can be
implemented by anybody. It does not need any advance
training by a professional trainer. The only difficulty
resides with the number of repetitions (several dozen times)
to obtain the new conditioning.
Results are not quick. The first thing to do
is to stabilise the phobia and avoid the degradation in
hyperaggression or generalised aggression. Then the dog may
improve on a two to six months basis.
Dr Joël Dehasse
Behaviorist veterinarian
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