11/14/2025
Meds just mask issues. They dont fix root causes. For that you need training! Give your dog a chance to grow and learn how to exist in the world. Meds have a place for SOME dogs but we are seeing a MASSIVE uptick in medicated dogs who just need GUIDANCE and the help to overcome new situations.
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS — FOR THE SAKE OF THE DOGS.
I’m seeing something happen in this industry more and more, and it’s getting harder to stay quiet about it.
Veterinarians good, caring people are giving behavioral advice they were never properly trained in.
And owners, trusting the professionals they rely on, follow that advice…
and their dogs pay the price.
I cannot count how many dogs have come to me over the years already medicated
not because they had clinical anxiety, not because they had neurological issues,
but because nobody taught their owners structure, timing, calm leadership, or emotional regulation.
These dogs weren’t “broken.”
They were under-guided. Overstimulated. Under-structured. Misunderstood.
And instead of being shown the clarity and boundaries they needed…
They were put on medication.
At 6 months old.
At 9 months old.
Some as young as 13 weeks, labeled “aggressive” or “anxious” simply because no one addressed the state behind the behavior.
Medication has a place a very important one
but it should never be the first recommendation for a dog who simply needs clarity, patterning, and a regulated household.
We have an epidemic of:
puppies being labeled “behavioral cases”
normal frustration being called “aggression”
overstimulation being treated like a disorder
lack of training being masked with pharmaceuticals
and owners being told their dog is “dysfunctional”
before anyone even assessed the dog’s environment,
daily routine,
handler timing,
movement patterns,
or emotional state.
This is not veterinary science.
This is a gap in education,
and it’s harming dogs.
And here’s the part that needs to be said:
Dog trainers WE need to stand up.
We are the ones who:
see the dog in motion
see the relationship patterns
see the lack of structure
see the emotional mirroring
see the chaos in the daily rhythm
see how quickly clarity transforms a dog’s entire nervous system
We CANNOT keep whispering about this behind closed doors.
We cannot keep shaking our heads at overmedicated puppies while staying polite and quiet.
If you’re a trainer, call your local vets. Build relationships. Offer them education.
Invite them to see what real state work looks like.
Show them how quickly a dog changes when you work the nervous system instead of the brain chemistry.
This is not about disrespecting veterinarians.
It’s about protecting dogs
and protecting their families
from unnecessary medications, unnecessary labels, and unnecessary fear.
Because here’s the truth:
A dog who has:
inconsistent structure
unclear boundaries
overstimulation
pent-up drive
no place training
no pressure/release understanding
chaotic handler energy
and no predictable daily rhythm
…is going to look “anxious.”
It’s going to look “reactive.”
It’s going to look “aggressive.”
It might even look “uncontrollable.”
But it’s not a disorder.
It’s a dog who has never been shown the way.
We cannot medicate confusion.
We cannot medicate immaturity.
We cannot medicate a lack of leadership.
We cannot medicate a household that has no structure.
We must train it.
We must model it.
We must teach it.
We must help families understand it.
If you’re a trainer reading this:
Speak up. Write the email. Make the phone call. Offer the workshop. Educate the vet techs.
Bridge the gap. Be the advocate the dog needs.
Because until trainers and vets start working together
until we stop medicating behaviors that are really just symptoms of an unregulated environment
dogs will continue to suffer in silence.
And that is something I will not stand by and watch.
The dogs deserve better.
The families deserve better.
And the industry needs to do better.
State. Structure. Symmetry.
Always.
— Michael Fraas
Precision Dog Sport
