VERY interesting articles.

Re medication: I don't have enough experience with it to have a strong opinion either way, but I like to think I'm open-minded enough to consider all options when dealing with dogs and their individual needs, whatever that may entail.

Still, I think the behavioral/training route, kept as positive and upbeat as possible, is the only place to start with solving problems. It's not a step you can skip, and is more often than not the only step that would need to be taken.

I had a rescue-nervebag for almost eleven years. After about four years of trying everything (though not anti-depressants, I admit), I realized he wasn't going to be rehabbed in any appreciable way, so then it became about management. A well-managed nerve-bag can live a happy life

Jenni and Lisa, the situations you describe are just NUTS (pun only partially intended) but unfortunately all too common. It's sad when people take on something they know nothing about and have no interest in learning about, and then try to medicate it in to submission. That's abuse IMHO.

When usually I would like to be closer to US to get access to all this great stuff you have available there, I currently am glad that I live faaar away from nutty people like described here! If I were to go to a vets office and ask for medication because my dachshund barks, I would most likely get a reaction like I was a pink elephant asking directions to the train station. My only chance to get a prescription would be to rely on the fact that many vets in my town know me and that I am not a lazybutt with zero idea about dog behavior. Just made me living aaaallll the way here a bit easier Thanks!

We had a rescue who was a nervebag, she was a basket case and becoming dangerous. We made the decision to PTS because even though we had her from a young age she was never ok with life.

I do medicate as needed for Nico's severe storm anxiety but that is as a last resort and certainly better than a dog who is in a state full blown panic. It can be thundering half a state away and somehow she knows.
She shakes, drools, and will urinate and deficate on herself during the worst of our oklahoma storms.

But that is used maybe 12 to 15 times a year at best, since most storms are over before she gets to the full blown state of emergency.

I can not imagine medicating a dog on a daily basis for aggression, that is absurd.

Not to mention the fact the medications like prozac can have pretty profound side effects on people, and the poor dog can't communicate how they are feeling on the meds.