Valley of the dogs?

Anybody remember the Saturday Night Live commercial satire "Doggie Downers"? For pooches who are hyper?

As the skit unfolded, it was suggested that if one's dog was in a depression, they could be given "Puppy Uppers."

A New York Times Magazine explores the world of pet pharmaceuticals in a story you can find here.

Veterinarians and dog behaviorists discuss the causes of a growing trend toward medicating companion animals.

Research estimates at least $15 million was spent in 2005 on behavior-modification drugs in the United States. Pfizer alone has seen its share of the market increase to $1 billion since 2003, up 57 percent.

Kate had separation anxiety, something that now I could have medicated her for. We worked on it, with a trainer. It took times and there were setbacks along the way, but we did it.

She is afraid of thunderstorms and fireworks. (So am I.) But I don't want to have her spend the entire spring and summer in a Prozac trance.

Is it easy just to pop a pill rather than work on modifying a behavior? Probably.

If the dog is in imminent danger to itself or to others, including humans, then obviously a long- or even a short-term process of training isn't enough. Medication may be the only answer other than putting the animal down.

But my feeling is that all training options should be explored before you medicate for behavior. And if you are planning on getting a dog, seek out a trainer to work with you so that problems can be prevented. It's easier to teach a dog the right way to act than to correct behavior that has become ingrained.

As I said, there are times when medications are surely necessary and lifesaving, but let's not turn our pets into little over-medicated humans.