What Are the Treatments for Fear Aggression in Dogs?

It's hard to love a dog that behaves aggressively, but if she lowers her tail, pulls her ears back, looks away, and offers a warning growl before she bites, chances are she's acting out because she's afraid. Randy Grim, author of "Don't Dump the Dog" and owner of Stray Rescue of St. Louis, says you can conquer fear aggression by gradually teaching your dog to stay calm in situations that challenge her.

  1. Counterconditioning

    • Practice rewarding your dog for relaxing indoors and outdoors.

      Counterconditioning limits fear by rewarding your dog for achieving a relaxed state of mind. Debra F. Horwitz, an animal behaviorist working with Veterinary Behavior Consultations in St. Louis, advises asking your dog to sit and stay. Give your dog a food reward only when he relaxes after following your command. Once your dog reliably relaxes on command in a comfortable place, move on to a variety of locations and situations, including the place or places that scare him. Once he masters that, you can begin the second phase of training: desensitization.

    Desensitization

    • Public places offer a more intense challenge for many fearful dogs.

      Take your dog to a professional animal behaviorist to identify the source of her fear, says Dog Problem Solutions. Similar to a human behavioral psychologist working with phobias, an animal behaviorist will show you how to slowly expose your dog to mild versions of the thing that scares her. Desensitization gradually increases the dog's exposure to her fear trigger, creating a sense of security as she learns to face her fear. Desensitization should be combined with counterconditioning.

    Drug Therapies

    • According to Ilana R. Reisner's 2003 article on human-directed aggression in dogs, drug therapy is especially helpful for dogs whose aggression is based in fear and anxiety, and should be used alongside behavior modification training. Your veterinarian may recommend antidepressant drugs like fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil) or sertraline (Zoloft) to help calm fear aggression in dogs. Sedatives might also help relax your dog during training. Reisner notes that, as in some people, antidepressants can agitate dogs, so make sure you pursue any drug therapy under the close supervision of your veterinarian.

    Delay Neutering

    • Some veterinarians recommend neutering your male dog as a partial solution for his aggression. According to David Appleby, visiting behavior counselor at the Queen's Veterinary School, Cambridge, neutering will not help fear aggression because the problem is not caused by testosterone. Some experts suggest that the trauma of surgery may increase your dog's fear and anxiety. For this reason, neutering should be delayed until you've had time to address the behavior through training.

    Natural Remedies

    • Jan Allegretti and Katy Sommers, authors of "The Complete Holistic Dog Book: Home Health Care for Our Canine Companions" recommend the use of flower essences for fearful dogs. Use aspen, mimulus, rock rose, red chestnut or larch flower essences alongside behavior modification training. Dilute 3 to 6 drops of the flower essence in two teaspoons of brandy and an ounce of water. Place a few drops of the dilute solution on your dog's tongue, or rub it onto the skin at the back of her neck.