What is Canine PTSD?
Content Warning
Before reading, please be aware this article contains disturbing topics. I do not go into more detail than is necessary and I promise there is no gore. Expect mentions and mild descriptions of animal abuse, video and images of scared dogs and people in military apparel, mentions and discussion of terrorist attacks (9/11), death, and other related but potentially disturbing content. Some of the things that disturb people also disturb our four-legged friends.
Did you know dogs can get PTSD? It’s true. Canine Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has various causes, from war to abuse and natural disasters. Canine PTSD symptoms are very similar to human PTSD, with one main difference being we can’t ask a dog if it has nightmares or flashbacks. While it’s not easy to treat, things like training, medication, and patience all contribute to a dog’s recovery. In this article, C-PTSD will refer to Canine Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, not Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which is also a very real and difficult condition.
Despite anthropomorphization being discouraged in the pet care and research circles, and often for good reason, the connection helped researchers figure out what was going on. That these seemingly traumatized dogs really were suffering a post traumatic stress condition. Animals might not be human, but humans are animals. Where anthropomorphization becomes a bad thing is where humans project their experiences on an animal, and that animal’s experience is actually very different. In this case, they are unignorably similar.
Symptoms of Canine PTSD
When put in a real or perceived dangerous situation, humans and animals go through initial freeze, flight, fight, freeze, and fawn responses. Some animals tend to do one thing more than the others. For example, rhinos can not see very well, but have big horns for attack and defense. So, they tend to go right into fight, then flight if that fails. Rabbits tend to go into initial freeze response, then flight, and save fighting for their last resort.
So, what symptoms do dogs have? Traumatized dogs are more likely to experience strange, repetitive behaviors, excitability, excessive barking, fear and aggression towards strange humans and dogs, and attention seeking. The most notable symptom is fear.
The symptoms of C-PTSD vary some depending on both the canine and the trauma experienced. For example, bait dogs are more likely to have fear and aggression towards both dogs and people, while a dog who was tormented by a hidden neighbor with a BB gun while their owners were gone might not fear people, but be terrified of being in the backyard. The nature of their abuse will shape their triggers and fears. Generalization will also play a part. If the abuser was a man, and women were generally nice to the dog, then the dog might fear all men instead of just their abuser.
According to the US Army Veterinary Services, “Veterinary Care And Management Of The Military Working Dog,” from 2019, “Inclusionary behavioral signs are hyper-reactivity to environmental events (such as sounds, locations, people) and hyper-vigilance, attempts to escape and/or avoid situations that were previously neutral or positive, changes in rapport with the handler (positive or negative), and disruption of normal task performance. These behavioral signs are usually static or progressive; the presence of signs that improve significantly over time is normally an exclusionary factor.”
“Please note that all patients suspected of having C-PTSD need to be referred to DODMWDVS Behavioral Medicine Service for evaluation, but this does not obviate the need for timely treatment.” That alphabetical mash-up of an acronym means Department of Defense Military Working Dog Veterinary Service, by the way. Their focus is just like other veterinarians, except they mostly help military working dogs. They also help privately owned canines as slots are available.
Physical Symptoms
Do dogs have nightmares as well? There is evidence for dogs and other animals experiencing REM sleep and sleep cycles, just like we do. With that and other information provides support for them also having dreams. And if a dog can dream, it’s not much of a jump to say those dreams can be good dreams or bad dreams. Bunny from What about Bunny has mentioned what she dreams using her buttons.
Acting Out
Dogs who previously did tasks as trained may refuse when cued, especially for military and police dogs, whose cues may be directly related to their trauma. They might also act out in various ways, feeling stressed and unsafe. Dogs might pee in the house despite solid potty training, be destructive, or refuse to have good leash manners despite doing well before. I encourage you to change your focus on canine trauma responses from excusing bad behavior to understanding the why. This way, you can provide better care for traumatized canines.
Canine PTSD Aggression
Traumatized canines may also show aggression. They might growl, snarl, become food and toy protective, become territorial, have fear aggression towards strangers, and bite unexpectedly. This may give them the bite risk or aggressive dog label.
If in a shelter, this reaction reduces or eliminates chances of adoption. Often, traumatized shelter dogs are put down instead of diagnosed with C-PTSD and treated. It saddens me how a dog can get C-PTSD from being abused, get taken from their owner, and because they developed fear aggression as a trauma response, get euthanasia instead of having a chance to recover and discover a life free of fear. Unfortunately, most shelters lack the knowledge, time, and resources to diagnose and treat the condition, and the dog pays the price.
Shutting Down
Instead of acting out, some traumatized individuals might shut down instead. Their backs may be arched and/or belly on the floor, tail tucked between their legs and ears flat like an airplane. They may try to hide under or behind things, or refuse to come out of a kennel or crate. Shut down behaviors might also present as silence, or as high-pitched whining. They might refuse to approach people, listen to cues, or ignore attempts to initiate play. Generally non-reactive, shut down behaviors are the “lack of” behavior. If I were to compare this to human PTSD, I would say it really reminds me of the freeze response in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. It’s a state of shut down. Often, attempts to run and hide were ineffective, and attempts to fight were either seen as not an option or also not effective. This is where the freeze comes in.
Types of Freeze Responses
There are 2 kinds of freeze I’m referring to so far. The first kind of freeze is the initial “if I don’t move you can’t see me” attentive freeze of a rabbit spotting a predator. The “Holy mother of guacamole” wide-eyed, mouth-gaping stare of a human standing in front of a 70 foot tsunami before it clicks, they should run. The second part of freeze I talk about is the more dissociative part. “I ran, hid, fought for my life, and still was helpless.”
The second part is more prominent in trauma responses, and the first part seems exclusive to initial threat processing. A term for one freeze type in medical literature is “tonic immobility,” or the involuntary paralysis occurring in a state of extreme fear. This happens when an animal is pushed beyond the point when all other options are exhausted. Or, it can be induced by physical restraint, when grabbed certain ways, or put in certain positions. It’s an extreme dissociative state which can cause life-threatening heart arrhythmias, even in humans.
If this happens, it is best to put the dog in a secure and silent kennel, free of restraint, to let them recover on their own. One thesis from 1993 says dogs can be induced into tonic immobility on purpose. It even mentions dogs with higher anxiety were more easily induced. But as you can imagine, I do not recommend this as a method of restraint in any situation.
Flight
Flight is when a dog tries to run or escape a situation. They could try to break out of their collar, bolt out of a room, back up, or otherwise try to make distance from the thing triggering them.
When a dog is unable to run away, they could go into shut down, or become aggressive. It is best, when possible, to not trap a dog in flight mode. Instead, try to remove or get away from the stressor. If in a safe location, like your house, let them run and hide. Do not force them closer to the thing they are afraid of; this will only make them more terrified. Giving them space to calm down will help renew their sense of safety. Trigger avoidance is an anticipatory flight response. Not only will they run once already triggered, but they may make efforts to not be triggered in the future by staying away from it.
Canine PTSD Fawn Response
To fawn is to attempt to appease the threat. It’s saying, “I am afraid, but if I do what you want, maybe I’ll be okay.” It’s a shaking, terrified dog with their back hunched, ears back flat, and tail tucked. They approach, hesitantly. And they may attempt a half hearted tail wag, before laying down and showing their belly. Avoiding eye contact, submissive grooming, and cowering are also fawn behaviors.
Do not pet or get in a fawning dog’s space. They need room and quiet to calm down. Don’t interact if they approach to avoid stressing them further. If in a potentially stressful situation, bring the dog to a safer, quieter area.
Canine PTSD Examples
Quick little disclaimer: these clips are being used solely for educational purposes and the US military does not endorse ReliaPet in any way. Below are some links to videos from an old New York Times article of military dogs showing symptoms of Canine PTSD. These videos are being used strictly for educational purposes.
The First Canine PTSD Video
https://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/images/national/20111118_DOGS/distressed-runs.mp4#media/runs/
The first link has no audio to protect the identity of the soldier. The handler is calling the dog, who is ignoring him. When the dog finally comes more than halfway through the video, they show uncertain/uneasy body language. Their ears are airplaned, back hunched, glancing at and away from the source of fear. The dog sticks very close to its handler. And when the handler backs away, leaving the dog closer to the Iraqi soldiers (Iraqi according to the description) than the handler was, it runs. The handler was closer to the source of fear (Iraqi soldiers), which is likely why the dog hesitated to approach on command. This also explains the dog’s spike in fear and running when the handler gets the dog between them and the Iraqi soldiers and backs away.
The Second Canine PTSD Video
This video has multiple clips. The first is before the trauma. The bomb-sniffing dog eagerly jumps into the back of the van, tail high and wagging. Searches the back seats, then front seats. Jumping in and out of the open doors without issue.
The second clip, the dog is cued to search a van. Immediately, you can see the difference in body language. Back hunched, moving more hesitantly, tail tucked between the legs. The handler repeatedly cues the dog, who hesitantly obeys. Their ears are back, and they task with much less enthusiasm. When cued to go into the bus and search inside, there’s some low tail wagging, but the dog completely refuses to enter.
In the last clip, the dog is indoors and afraid to enter a room despite enthusiastic encouragement. At one point they do enter, but only to turn around and exit moments later. I can assure you this is the same dog as the first clip. The difference is trauma.
So what causes Canine PTSD?
Traumatic Service Work
Military and Combat dogs
A major cause of Canine PTSD is military work. Like humans, when dogs are deployed overseas and put in the middle of a war zone, it can traumatize them. With exposure to sudden loud noises like bombs and gunfire, witnessing people and other dogs getting injured, smelling fear and adrenaline in the air, getting injured themselves, and witnessing deaths in their team and potentially their handler, it’s no wonder.
Between 2008 and 2009, the US used a military dog named Gina and flash bangs to drive out rebels in Iraq. After she became terrified and hypervigilant, she was returned to US soil for professional evaluation. Puzzled professionals compared her symptoms to human PTSD, and her condition, along with others, aided the discovery of canine PTSD.
In August 2010, One dog named Gunner was sent home after 12 months of failed training and therapy. Officials compared his condition to human PTSD, as he avoided his task of bomb sniffing despite being cued to while in Afghanistan. According to one capstone project by Sarah Drobney and Dr. Leah Miller, Gunner continued to suffer from Canine PTSD in August 2010 all the way up to, and potentially beyond, its publishing in 2016.
Police Dogs
Search and Rescue Dogs
Research here is even more limited. Only two studies have reported behavioral issues in dogs after S&R deployment. It is possible for these dogs to be traumatized by falling rubble and other dangerous situations, but finding bodies instead of live people is not the issue.
A Note On 9/11 S&R Dogs
The dogs, at 9/11, most likely did not have PTSD. Two studies studying the deployed 9/11 dogs did a behavior questionnaire called the C-BARQ (Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire) and found no behavioral differences between the deployed dogs and the control group.
The sadness observed by reporters and onlookers was caused by extinction, or the lack of reward despite diligently doing what they were trained to do. These working dogs are not rewarded unless they find a living person. When there are no living victims discovered after long periods of work, their handlers may act in place of one so their dog can find them. This way, they accomplish their goal and can get their reward. This is an essential part of their training, and part of what keeps them being the amazing search and rescue dogs they are.
Cadaver Dogs
These dogs most likely often do not struggle with PTSD caused by finding corpses. S&R dogs are trained to associate the thing they find with a reward. So cadaver dogs associate dead human smell with a ball or their favorite treat, not with sadness. Imagine growing up learning this: every time you smell a dead mouse in the house and tell your parents… You get a delicious cake. You would associate reporting scents of dead mice with excitement and happiness because you’re going to get a cake when you tell mom. It is the same with these dogs.
You Wouldn’t Fire A FireFighter
These dogs are still essential, saving lives and doing what would otherwise be impossible without man’s best friend to help. You wouldn’t fire all the firefighters just because their work is dangerous, and the same goes for these animals. They love their jobs and do so with tail-wagging enthusiasm. What they need is awareness, support, and treatment. If their handlers are trauma informed, they can develop ways to prevent trauma, and be faster to treat it when symptoms appear.
Pet Dogs
Pet dogs are also not immune from C-PTSD. While most times they are not exposed to war or police work conditions, there are various situations which may contribute to C-PTSD in a pet home environment.
Abuse/Neglect
In Characteristics of Canine Victims of Abuse, they studied dogs seized for 3 reasons: physical abuse, neglect, and abandonment. The mistreated dogs were more likely to show fear when being petted or reprimanded compared to control dogs, who were more afraid of umbrellas opening and being brushed. The study narrowed down the dogs to ones who were most certainly abused and/or neglected. Descriptions of each dog are in the study. Some examples are mouth wired shut, embedded collars, being beaten, emaciation… It’s a long, saddening, and enraging list detailing the cruelties of each dog. If it is any consolation, at the time of the study, all of them were alive and rescued by a loving family.
There is one I would like to mention. A one-year-old Bichon Frise and Maltese mix bought for a 7-year-old by their parents. So the child could learn to care for an animal without parental intervention. I think it goes unsaid: a 7-year-old child is not old enough to care for any animal on their own. However, it is a common practice to get a child a pet so they can learn responsibility. This case is a perfect example of why not being prepared to take over care of the animal if the child fails is essential. According to the report in the study, the neighbor often saw the emaciated dog, “outside without food, water, or bed”, and crying. Eventually, the neighbor took the dog and nursed it back to health.
Other Causes
There are many other reasons a dog could develop canine PTSD, and this is not an exhaustive list. If the dog was in real danger, or believed it was in danger, and later shows symptoms parallel with canine PTSD symptoms, there is reason to suspect.
Natural Disasters
Studies on dogs after the Fukushima earthquake revealed dogs got C-PTSD from the disaster. Another earthquake study confirmed the phenomenon.
Unintentional Traumatization
What about accidental/unintentional traumatization? This is when a dog develops C-PTSD with the cause having the intention to train or otherwise help the dog. Or if the intent was not to harm or scare the dog, but the dog developed Canine PTSD, anyway. Causes include unintentional absences like the owner being jailed, extended hospital stays, and owner death. Dog to dog aggression. Bad experiences at the vet. Fireworks. Fear based or abusive training methods.
I would like to reiterate here that just because a dog is exposed to a terrible experience, it does not guarantee they will get canine PTSD. Humans can bounce back from near-death experiences without gaining PTSD, and dogs can, too. A human must be exposed to a traumatic experience and meet the DSM-5 or ICD-11 criteria for symptoms of PTSD to be diagnosed. Both, not just one. And the same will go for canines. A dog or human can be scared in the initial encounter, and have no symptoms after. But that is not PTSD. Still, the possibility should be noted and measures taken to reduce or prevent traumatization or re-traumatization. Being trauma informed will help reduce and prevent psychological trauma.
Canine PTSD Prevention
Is it possible to prevent a dog from getting canine PTSD, or make them more resilient in the face of trauma? To some extent, building resilience is possible. However, nothing will prevent severe enough trauma. And if a dog ends up in an abusive or neglectful household, these resilience exercises will probably not be done.
Novel Exposure And Socialization
Being properly socialized and exposed to new things in a positive way as young as a couple weeks old builds a strong foundation to a well-rounded dog. This is why it is important to get working dogs from solid, ethical breeders who take those important steps. Because you only get one chance to train a dog when it is that young, and the breeder does it. This training continues beyond the breeder and on to the new owner as the dog continues to develop. For example, learning new people are not scary early on builds confidence for stranger encounters when they’re older.
That is not to say rescue dogs can’t be amazing and well-rounded working canines. There are successful teams with rescued or adopted dogs. However, the chances of success from an ethical breeder, especially one breeding selectively for working dog traits, skyrockets. Teams using rescues have to be prepared for the higher likelihood of the dog washing out of training. And that’s not a bad thing. It is well known rescues are a shot in the dark when turning them into working dogs. Most handlers are more than willing to take these animals into their care regardless of the result.
Fulfilling Enrichment
Make sure your dog gets all their needs met, including enrichment needs. Have a toy rotation which stimulates all their sensory and tactile needs, and provides mental challenges like puzzles. This will decrease boredom induced stress, repetitive kennel behaviors, and build more resilience against mental/emotional trauma.
Quick Response
If a dog is in an abusive situation, responding early to change or remove them from it is the best way to prevent them from developing canine PTSD. Contact animal control and be the squeaky wheel about it. Because dogs can’t talk, they are at the mercy of those around them, including onlookers who allow it by inaction. Don’t let the bystander effect get to you. See something, say something. All sorts of fancy jargon for this… Just be their advocate, because they can’t.
Avoid Fear Based Training Methods
Training methods with yelling, jerking the leash, and constant use of fear or pain will only reinforce your dog’s tendency to live in fight-flight-freeze mode. If you find out your trainer is using abusive methods, get them out of there and find a fear-free compassionate trainer who teaches based on reward instead of harsh punishment.
Impact of Abuse on Shelter Dogs
Abused dogs are haunted dogs. They’re haunted by their past, and that affects their future. In shelters, this effect is amplified. According to McMillan, dogs taken from abusers by authorities had a much lower adoption rate at 38.5%, and a correlated higher euthanasia rate at 61.5%.
Despite this and surprisingly, the same study also mentioned the satisfaction rate for adopting abused dogs in the follow-up survey was 96.2%, and 100% said they would adopt the same dog again if they knew at adoption what they currently know. It also says the satisfaction rate was lower in the 22% of participants who refused the follow-up survey.
Yet, that is still 88% who are very satisfied with their human-dog bond despite the dog’s haunted history. Perhaps people see abusive dogs as more trouble than they’re worth, when 88% of the time, that is not the case? Maybe these dogs just need that second chance to prove themselves, even if they’re slow to come out of their shell.
Common Treatments
Owner and handler awareness and response is important in identifying the initial issue to get diagnosis, and managing the condition after diagnosis. Therefore, I believe the best way to be prepared for a potentially traumatized dog is to be educated on canine PTSD. Being able to look through the lens of trauma instead of defaulting to “Bad dog!” will help prevent reinforcing the trauma, act in a more compassionate way, and understand more may go on than what meets the eye.
These dogs are not misbehaving just to spite you. They are so terrified and stressed they lose the capability for rational decision making. They should not be punished because it will only reinforce their fear. When a dog pees in terror, they lose control of their bladder, just like humans peeing themselves in a scary situation.
When in this terrified state, they can not learn tricks or good behavior. Their fear will either be reinforced or reduced. You will either re-traumatize them, or slowly reduce their trauma response. Only when they no longer fear will they be able to truly learn in the situation. Patience and understanding trauma are your strongest chance to help them feel better.
Have awareness of the likelihood of your dog having C-PTSD. If your canine is from a shelter or a backyard breeder, they are more likely to have experienced trauma. If the shelter says they have a history of abuse or were taken from a neglectful environment, that goes up. If you are rescuing former military canines, that number is around 10%. If you buy from a neglectful puppy mill breeder with dirty cages full of dogs, that likelihood goes up.
Remember, a dog with canine PTSD is struggling because of very real traumas some people refuse to believe exist. Be ready. Be compassionate. Be patient, think critically, and don’t give up on them too soon. If you don’t want to deal with a traumatized dog, go through an ethical breeder you asked the hard questions of and they answered without hesitation. And know what questions to ask potential breeders.
Training
Training and behavior modification may help with canine PTSD. I highly recommend doing this with a trainer knowledgeable about working with traumatized dogs, if possible. If not, look for a fear free trainer and discuss your focus and goals. Most trainers likely will be experienced in working with fear behaviors, as this is a common behavior issue.
Please do not use the following as your only information when working with a traumatized dog. They are meant as an introduction, not an instruction manual. Do a lot more research than just this article and find someone with experience handling traumatized dogs. If you see red flags: don’t doubt them, look for another trainer. A quote from Alupo, “According to the authors’ previous unpublished observations, for training to be effective, the dogs need to be receptive. Severe PTSD may inhibit learning, even making training counterproductive. General PTSD symptoms and the dog’s overall mental health often need to be addressed prior trigger training.” Therefore, it is important to have the full care team, including veterinarians, involved before attempting treatment for a traumatized dog.
Desensitization and Counterconditioning
Some things you might do with your trainer are identifying fear behaviors and triggers, then doing desensitization and counterconditioning, or exposure and reward therapy. This puts the dog in a controlled environment and exposes them to a manageable/tiny amount of stress from their stressor/trigger. When they stay calm and look at you, they’re rewarded. Be very mindful in this kind of training, not to flood them with the stressor and give them more than they can handle, as this will only reinforce their fear. Again, it is best to do this with an experienced trainer or canine behavior specialist. If they’re experienced with ex-military dogs, all the better.
Clicker Training
Clicker training may also be helpful when helping train a traumatized dog to not fear and to focus. When exposed to an uncontrolled fear, you can click and treat, click and treat good behavior until the trigger is gone. Do not count on this to be fool proof on its own, but it is useful combined with other methods.
Tattle training
Tattle training is getting triggers to be cues. Whenever your dog sees something that stresses them out, they turn and come to you. This stops them from hyper fixating on their stressor and freaking out. One study mentioned this being perceived as one of the most effective treatments, alongside Behavior Adjustment Training (BAT) and counterconditioning.
Medication
Medication is another mode of treatment which can be used alone or combined with the other options. Anti anxiety meds, antidepressants, cognitive agents, central nervous system depressants or stimulants, anxiolytics, some supplements, or off label options may be picked by your canine behavioral medicine specialist or general veterinarian. These medications are meant to help the dog feel calmer, and the vast majority are also prescribed to humans with PTSD, depression, and anxiety disorders.
In some cases, training and recovery can not be done without being on medication first. If the trauma is too severe, any attempt to reduce it without meds may just worsen and reinforce the fear. It could be too overwhelming to face otherwise. Medication is not something to leave as a last resort, but to consider as a tool to help.
Please make sure if your dog is prescribed these medications, that they are given as the vet instructs you to. If these medications are only given when the dog seems upset, they will not work as intended, if at all. Many of these medications have an adjustment period, and then a period of best effect afterwards. If you stop and start as you think instead of as the vet says, the dog may never get past the adjustment period, which may have various side effects the best effect period does not have. If you struggle to get your dog to take medication, you can try putting it in a pill pocket, wrapping it in floppy bacon (cooked but not crispy), putting it in yogurt, adding it with their kibble (as long as they eat it all instead of grazing), and other methods.
Aggression Management
If a traumatized dog shows aggression, muzzle training should be used to both protect the dog and the surrounding people. Muzzle training includes teaching the dog to put their nose in the muzzle, and associating it with good things. They can be used during training and trauma rehabilitation, but should also be used during happy experiences so the dog does not associate them with negative things.
Compassion and Patience
You won’t find any scientific references for this. However, as someone with experience with PTSD, compassion and patience from the owner and main caregivers will make a world of difference.
They are already terrified. Their baseline is not “calm and happy” anymore. Their baseline is “but what if they’re like them?” or it is hypervigilance. They’ll constantly be looking for aspects of the thing they fear in you. Not because of you, but because of their trauma. Because they are trying to avoid being re-traumatized and having it happen again. Everything you do which causes fear will reinforce their existing fear, and build that fear’s direction towards you. Be mindful that being in a state of fear does not automatically mean everything you do will reinforce it. They might react in terror to you reaching gently towards them, or gesturing in their direction. But if that slow gesture is setting a treat on the ground near them, or reading a book across the room, eventually they will notice your behavior is not like the human in their past. That’s where you can get your foot in the door.
The Pup Sets the Pace
Go at their pace. It may take days before they do not cry in the back corner of the room or kennel when you try to approach. It might take weeks or months. This doesn’t mean they’re going to be this way forever. But let them begin approach, contact, ect… and only break this if absolutely necessary, like for vet intervention or to prevent imminent harm. And keep in mind that might cause a set back. But that’s okay, you’ll go at their pace. If one day they approach you and sniff all over, don’t reach out to pet them right away. Wait and maybe don’t do it at all the first few times. When you go to pet them, move slowly, and constantly watch their reaction. If it’s negative or wary or they freeze or move away, stop. Being in tune with their body language will make or break your progress.
Use fear-free training
You can train without causing fear. Without grabbing their face and scolding them with maintained eye contact. Without poking them, domineering, jerking the leash, or otherwise using fear based methods. When your pup is misbehaving, do not use harsh tones or domineering training methods. Do not shove their nose into their potty if they go inside, do not “half heartedly scoop kick” them with your foot to get them to move. Don’t yell at them. Don’t make them scared of you when you’re trying to teach them their belief that this world is a terrifying place is incorrect.
That sounds like a no brainer… isn’t it? But 33% of the owners with traumatized dogs in this study from SLU used domineering or abusive punishments in an attempt to control their dog, and over 60% used punishments even when their dog was responding to a stressor.
My initial guesses were: they got frustrated, or angry, and lashed out without thinking. Or they were raised with their childhood dogs being raised that way, or being raised that way themselves, and thought it was okay. Unfortunately, the article stated these people were encouraged by trainers, family members, and other people to punish fight or flight/triggered fear behavior.
If you get angry, freeze. If you get frustrated, still yourself. If you can not prevent your anger from adversely affecting your traumatized dog’s recovery, you need anger management intervention. And you probably need to let someone else help your dog in the meantime. Be humble and willing to admit when you need to step away. Stepping away is not giving up; it is giving yourself a chance to cool down, think, shift gears, and avoid regrets. No one is perfect, but everyone has the choice to work on improving themselves.
If others encourage you to use harmful methods in an attempt to force a dog with C-PTSD to stop their fear/triggered/stress behavior, stand up for them. You don’t have to argue on their behalf with everyone you meet, but you don’t have to take their advice, either.
Trauma Informed Care
In the article talking about trauma informed care, it is suggested TIC may improve a dog’s outcomes in pet homes and adoption rates in shelters. TIC, or trauma Informed Care, shifts the question from, “What is wrong with you” to “What happened to you?” It recognizes trauma’s role in a dysregulated autonomic nervous system and a dog’s (or human’s) sense of danger. It seeks to reduce re-traumatization and improve reactions to triggers.
Especially in veterinary and shelter settings, successful attempts to counter-condition the fear response into a positive response would help them reduce their C-PTSD symptoms. Use the 4 R’s: realize, recognize, respond, resist re-traumatization. Realize the widespread occurrence of trauma and learn about it, recognize trauma when it presents itself, respond in a trauma informed way with every approach, and resist re-traumatizing the dog (and people) in question. I believe if this starts with the traumatized dog’s owner, it will set a strong foundation and create a support net made of all the people in the dog’s life: their trainer, veterinarian, family, and any medical specialists.
To further explain, I specify the owner/main handlers because they are around the dog most often. They will experience most of the dog’s reactions and fears first hand. Most of the dog’s training will come from them. The trainer teaches the handler as much as the dog themself.
While it is crucial for all aspects of a dog’s care team to be trauma informed, I think the handler is one of the most important people among this team to have the training. But currently, not everyone knows about canine PTSD, let alone trauma informed care’s positive impact on traumatized dogs. If shelters, veterinarians, and trainers are all informed about C-PTSD and trauma informed care, they could implement practices and teach the owners that come to them to help improve the traumatized dog’s quality of life.
Mae's Anecdote
Below is a personal anecdote from a friend, Maelissa Kluckman, with personal experience owning a dog with Canine PTSD. Maelissa works in human behavioral health. She also created the infographic to help educate people about canine PTSD and its symptoms. Because of her dog Sheba’s behavioral change, Mae’s mom brought Sheba to a vet. No physical causes were found. While Sheba was not formally diagnosed with Canine PTSD, at the time of the vet appointment, the condition was not widely known. Sheba shows many signs of canine PTSD and has a behavioral change after a traumatic experience. I believe her experience will help you understand the condition from an owner’s perspective.
“Eventually though, her behavior definitely changed. She would almost get scary if you tried to touch her while she was eating. She would play tug of war and seem like a savage animal. What really let us know that something was up though, was when she started peeing indoors. Our home had a doggy door and she had been potty trained for a long time. Our mother sent Sheba to live with our dad for a while to re-potty train her.”
“Our dad had a neighbor with dogs at the time. Our neighbors dogs barked a lot but they weren’t super aggressive or mean, regardless Sheba got really scared and nervous about going into the backyard which didn’t help. She would also flinch anytime something fell on the floor or there was a loud noise. Our dad fortunately is a very kind and compassionate dog owner. So, eventually she was re potty trained and her aggressive behaviors went away.”
“She is nearly 15 now. She is very gentle and has almost no issues with going inside anymore but she is still very easily scared. We joke that she is a bit of a scaredy cat. She lives in a much safer environment these years with our father but she still reacts like every loud sound is a threat on her life. I can’t judge her, either, because I can see my own hypervigilance in hers. When me and my younger brother were young, she kept us from harm. Now, her years of protecting people are gone and it’s okay that whenever something scares her, she goes to hide, whining and shaking. It’s our turn to protect her.”
Maelissa added more in a later discussion. She says Sheba also had a lot of really avoidant behavior. Her ears pinned back a lot, and she’d sometimes just sit there, completely unresponsive and staring off into the distance. Mae said, “She has gotten better over the years, but we still see a lot of that in her on a day to day basis, tbh.”
Could My Dog Have Canine PTSD?
There are many medical diagnoses which alter a dog’s behavior. Neurological diseases, cardiac and vascular diseases, various toxicities, head trauma, endocrine, thyroid, pancreatic, and adrenal issues are just some ailments affecting behavior. A few others are fungal, bacterial, infectious disease (ex. rabies), and anything painful. If you suspect your dog has canine PTSD, take them to their regular vet for a full checkup to rule out medical issues first.
After a clear check-up, take your dog to a vet specializing in canine behavioral medicine. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior has a list of veterinarians trained in behavioral issues. If you have a military veterinarian nearby who has a slot open to treat privately owned dogs, call them. Another option is to bring them to a vet, who is experienced in ex-military and combat dogs and familiar with canine PTSD. Keep in mind canine PTSD still is not widely known. Bring up your concerns during the visit, and why you suspect it may be the issue. Be open to differential diagnosis. It is possible your dog could have both, or that your dog went through a traumatic experience without getting PTSD. Remember, adverse symptoms have to be considered clinically significant to get a C-PTSD diagnosis.
References and Further Reading
Alupo, C. (2017). PTSD hos hund: En enkätstudie om psykiskt trauma hos hund [PTSD in dogs: A survey study on psychological trauma in dogs]. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). https://sesambandet.se/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Caroline-Alopu-PTSD-hos-hund.pdf
Brait, E. (2015, November 11). Canine PTSD: How the US military’s use of dogs affects their mental wellbeing. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/nov/11/canine-ptsd-us-military-working-dogs
Corridan, C. L., Dawson, S. E., & Mullan, S. (2024). Potential Benefits of a ‘Trauma-Informed Care’ Approach to Improve the Assessment and Management of Dogs Presented with Anxiety Disorders. Animals : an open access journal from MDPI, 14(3), 459. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14030459
Dennis, P. A., Dedert, E. A., Van Voorhees, E. E., Watkins, L. L., Hayano, J., Calhoun, P. S., Sherwood, A., Dennis, M. F., & Beckham, J. C. (2016). Examining the Crux of Autonomic Dysfunction in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Whether Chronic or Situational Distress Underlies Elevated Heart Rate and Attenuated Heart Rate Variability. Psychosomatic medicine, 78(7), 805–809. https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0000000000000326
Hare, E., Kelsey, K. M., Niedermeyer, G. M., & Otto, C. M. (2021). Long-term behavioral resilience in search-and-rescue dogs responding to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 234, 105173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105173
Kovács, E., Kosztolányi, A., & Kis, A. (2018). Rapid eye movement density during REM sleep in dogs (Canis familiaris). Learning & behavior, 46(4), 554–560. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13420-018-0355-9
McMillan, F. D., Duffy, D. L., Zawistowski, S. L., & Serpell, J. A. (2015). Behavioral and psychological characteristics of canine victims of abuse. Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS, 18(1), 92–111. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888705.2014.962230
Ong, R. M. (1993). Tonic immobility by dogs: A thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Veterinary Science in Veterinary Ethology at Massey University [Master’s thesis, Massey University]. Massey Research Online. https://mro.massey.ac.nz/items/984cc720-e65f-4f39-bef9-68b42a8c8b6c
Otto, C. M., Downend, A. B., Serpell, J. A., Ziemer, L. S., & Saunders, H. M. (2004). Medical and behavioral surveillance of dogs deployed to the World Trade Center and the Pentagon from October 2001 to June 2002. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 225(6), 861–867. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.2004.225.861
Salden, S., Wijnants, J., Baeken, C., & Saunders, J. H. (2023). Disaster response and its aftermath: A systematic review of the impact of disaster deployment on working dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 265(Suppl 1), 105987. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2023.105987
Wendt, J., Löw, A., Weymar, M., Lotze, M., & Hamm, A. O. (2017). Active avoidance and attentive freezing in the face of approaching threat. NeuroImage, 158, 196–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.06.054
Yamamoto, T. (2003). Unusual behaviour and a post-traumatic stress-like syndrome (PTSD) in dogs after a vigorous earthquake on a seismic scale of 5+. Journal of Veterinary Medicine, 56(6), 535–541 https://eurekamag.com/research/003/997/003997411.php?srsltid=AfmBOoryMz_Oym2jI9jcmd6GDfcTtMSZ7Hup3-8kWYSbi499DpLETTjk
