Can my dog make progress without medication in her current state of mind?

Two weeks have passed since I started weaning Lucky off Fluoxetine. Here’s what I’ve noticed: she seemed slightly more nervous around guests last week, especially at first. She rarely chatters her teeth, but she did so more often than usual. I’m unsure if it’s due to the weaning or just extra excitement from having more people over. Outdoors, she hasn’t changed much—still anxious, but no worse than before. Overall, things haven’t really become easier or harder for us.

As for VB, the earliest available appointment is in a month, so I won’t know much more about other medication options until then. From our last session with Margo and the guest trainer, however, it seems like Lucky might not need meds at all—this might be more about habits at this point.

We’ve both reached a level where we’re “managing.” Lucky has become somewhat “stubborn” or “lazy” about making further progress. It’s almost habitual now: she goes out, gets anxious, and anticipates or searches for things to fear, linking any sound or movement to something negative. So, our focus now is on slowly pushing her forward to break these ingrained habits, though it will mean a lot of work ahead.

Since I’m not as desperate now and feel more confident handling things with Lucky, I’ve noticed I’m a little less motivated to train intensely. But I don’t want to let this slide—I still want to help Lucky become a happier, more relaxed pup outside. I believe that with a committed effort over the coming weeks or months, she’ll gradually become less anxious.

The following are the key areas I need to keep pushing myself on.

1. "Disco"

The sound-treat-sound-treat method hasn’t been very effective, so instead, we’re replacing treats with something more “clear” to support the counter-conditioning: sound-fun cue-sound-fun cue.

This means a few seconds of fun whenever I shout “disco!” Lucky follows my hands with treats, catches them, plays with a toy, or we play in other forms.

Starting at home (as usual) with someone making unpredictable sounds, we’ll gradually move this practice outdoors so she begins to associate unexpected noises with something enjoyable.

This is our toughest exercise because it requires a training assistant for varied sounds, and the process is extremely gradual.

2. "Ready, steady, go!"

Lucky now knows that “steady” follows “ready,” and when I say “go,” she gets a treat. This routine gives her a sense of predictability and helps train her focus.

It’s easy and fun—until we take it outside. Lucky always tries to rush through the section between our home and the empty park, almost as if she’s taking a deep breath, holding it, and trying to quickly swim through the “scary place” to get to our safe park.

To work on this, we do the exercise in short sessions. I pick one or two sections, just a few meters each, during our walks where we go back and forth to practice.

The hardest part? Patience. Since Lucky is so scared, she doesn’t respond well to me right away, so I have to help her calm down before asking her to focus on me.

3. After-walk exposure

Whenever we come back into our building after a walk, Lucky usually shakes off her stress, feeling relieved that we’re safely inside again. That’s when I take her straight back out briefly—just a few meters—before returning indoors —BAM, SURPRISE!

Just kidding. I know this feels counterintuitive to what we typically think of doing with anxious dogs. But this short exposure keeps things manageable and helps her see that she can handle stepping outside and still be safe, without feeling the need to “hold her breath” (as I mentioned earlier).

We’ve been working on this, but it truly tests my patience. Lucky tends to be more reactive if we step out and immediately encounter a car. So I have to calm her down and repeat the exercise a few times. Meanwhile, I’m also managing my own anxiety about possibly running into neighbors in the hallway!

4. Having a meal outside

This involves bringing a familiar, well-loved routine from home into the park—though only to a spot where Lucky already feels somewhat comfortable. We’ve tried this off and on, with some days being more successful than others.

The idea is to make outdoor spaces feel more familiar and safe by associating them with something Lucky enjoys. With repetition, this could support her in feeling more secure, even in less predictable environments.

It’s something we need to do more consistently, but it’s admittedly a lot of effort. I have to heat up her meal, pack it, and bring it with us on morning walks—something I often feel too rushed to do. However, if this approach works, it might get us closer to our goal of having a peaceful picnic in the park together.

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Training can take so many forms and requires a level of patience I often feel I don’t have—nowhere near what’s needed.

Our list of training exercises can feel overwhelming, so what’s helped me is breaking things down into small, manageable steps.

Over time, these steps may become habits, and all those small moments of progress will eventually accumulate into something bigger.