In a 2024 review published in Animals, researchers Claire Lorraine Corridan, S. E. Dawson, and S. Mullan explore how trauma-informed care (TIC)—a framework widely used in human mental health—can be adapted to help dogs suffering from anxiety, aggression, or other maladaptive behaviors. The authors emphasize that many behavioral responses, often described as unpredictable or extreme, may reflect underlying trauma from earlier life stages.
TIC recognizes that adverse early experiences (AEE), even if undocumented, may shape a dog’s behavior and stress response. This is especially relevant for dogs assessed in shelters or referred for veterinary behavioral treatment, where background information is often missing or incomplete. A trauma-informed approach encourages caregivers and clinicians to view problematic behavior through a lens of empathy, avoiding interpretations that pathologize or punish the dog for trauma-related responses.
The review outlines how TIC can support both prevention and intervention. Preventive strategies include minimizing negative early experiences in puppies through proper socialization and care. For adult dogs, especially those in shelters or foster homes, TIC-informed assessments should avoid re-traumatization by reducing exposure to triggers during diagnosis and treatment. Caregivers should also be educated about the long-term effects of early trauma and introduced to techniques grounded in the dog’s emotional “window of tolerance.”
This compassionate model may offer practical behavioral management techniques tailored to trauma recovery, fostering resilience and improving the welfare of affected dogs. By adapting TIC from human fields, veterinarians, trainers, and shelter workers may be better equipped to address complex behavioral cases in a humane and effective way.
Source: Claire Lorraine Corridan, S. E. Dawson, and S. Mullan, Animals, Volume 14, January 31, 2024.
