Natural Dog Behavioural Problem Help

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L-Tyrosine is s naturally occurring amino acid ( building blocks of protein), which is being used in people, and now for pets for treating anxiety, behavioural problems.

L-Tyrosine is natural amino acid that seems to decrease symptoms of anxiety while improving mood and helping people maintain a positive outlook.

L-Tyrosine can be found in food sources such as chicken, turkey, fish, soy and dairy products, peanuts, almonds, avocados, bananas, milk, cheese, yogurt, lima beans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds.

L-Tyrosine has been promoted as an effective treatment for people who experience General Anxiety Disorder. Users have found that taking a small dosage of this supplement every day can help them cope with their anxiety symptoms and counteract some of the negative effects of other conventional drugs. L-Tyrosine influences the synthesis of a number of neurotransmitters and hormones within the brain that control stress levels.

Tyrosine for Dogs

This is a summary of a recent paper.

Tyrosine as a Training Aid

Certain canine behaviors (eg, easy distraction, low attention span) can resemble those of children with ADHD. Catecholamine levels (which might be correlated with ADHD) and training ease were examined in 3 dog breeds (ie, German shepherd dogs, Labrador retrievers, toy poodles) given oral tyrosine, which can increase catecholamine levels in the brain. Peripheral catecholamine levels were seemingly unchanged after daily oral tyrosine administration; however, the number of successful reactions to commands and reaction times to unknown stimuli in the shepherd dogs and retrievers improved significantly, suggesting the potential importance of neuronal catecholamine for appropriate attention levels.

Sources:
1.Oral tyrosine changed the responses to commands in German shepherds and Labrador retrievers but not in toy poodles. Kano M, Uchiyama H, Ohta M, Ohtani N. J Vet Behav doi:10.1016/j.jveb.2014.12.009.

Doses: L-Tyrosine use a dosage range of 100-150mg/kg bodyweight for people, but doses vary widely.

L Tyrosine is typically sold in 500mg capsules. A suggested starting dose is 10-20mg/kg divided twice daily.

My 50lb (25kg) dog would take 1-2 capsules daily.

Best Wishes,

Andrew Jones, DVM

2 thoughts on “Natural Dog Behavioural Problem Help”

  1. I have IG dog she is five yrs old. She is also kennel trained. For some reason when I go out and she in her kennel with food water which she tips her dish of water over all the time. She also has her bone and toys. When I come home after a couple of hrs. I get told that she is barking for a very long time. But when I come home I don’t hear her barking. Is they anything else that I can do so she doesn’t bark. She only in the kennel when I’m not home. I hope you can help. Thank you

    Debbie

  2. Poor dog, obviously she does not like to be in the kennel. The kennel was to train her. Try letting her lose and get out for 10 minutes and come back. Do that as many times as you can and increasing the time you are out. And when you come back, just ignore her. My neighbors upstairs have a Shitzu and the minute they leave for work the dog starts barking all day. When they get home they behave as if they were gone for a month and the dog stops barking. Giving too much attention when you leave and come back is not very good. So let her lose like I said and do not give attention when you leave and when you come back.

    If that does not work, take her for longer walks and/or play more with her. A tired dog will go to sleep.

    And if that does not work, she definitely have anxiety. Start giving her chamomille or valerian in her water.

    Buy a bowl of water that she cannot tip over.

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