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Regular veterinary visits are essential for your pet鈥檚聽health and wellness, but they can be stressful for dogs. And it鈥檚 no wonder. They usually only go a few times a year, and when they do, they get poked, prodded, and stuck with a needle. But vet visits aren鈥檛 optional, so try these simple at-home exercises and tips to make your dog鈥檚 future vet visits stress free.
The Importance of Handling Exercises
Hopefully, your puppy has already had at least one positive interaction with a veterinarian before you get them home.聽Breeders should introduce puppies to vets聽as part of their聽socialization program. But no matter how old your dog is, your first step is to train them to accept restraint and examination, which will greatly reduce their anxiety when they get to the vet.
Start with simple聽handling exercises. For a dog who is comfortable with touch, add massage into your daily interactions, preferably when your dog is tired. Include the paws, ears, mouth, belly, and tail to simulate a vet鈥檚 exam. Include lots of praise and聽treats聽so your dog learns to associate handling with聽rewards. In time you can become a bit more invasive, for example squeezing the paws, and even add some gentle restraint to help prepare your dog for the real thing.
If your dog is touch averse, you need to be more precise. Your goal is to change your dog鈥檚 emotional response with聽desensitization and counterconditioning. In this case, you should pair every touch with a . In the beginning, you can feed a treat at the same time as you handle a body part to help distract your dog. But as your dog relaxes, you want to touch first then treat. So, for example, you might reach for your dog鈥檚 ear then remove your hand and feed a treat. Next, briefly touch the ear then feed a treat. Next, touch the ear for one second then feed a treat, and so on until your can finally lift and examine under the ear.
Training Can Help Smooth Vet Visits
Besides handling, there are other training exercises that will come in handy at the vet鈥檚 office. The first is to teach your dog a standing position. It鈥檚 far easier for a vet to exam a standing dog than one collapsed in a non-cooperative ball. Stand is easy to teach with聽lure and reward training. With your dog in a聽sit, place a treat at their nose and slowly pull it away to lure them up into a standing position. Once you鈥檝e taught them to stand on cue, you can add聽stay聽to keep them there until released.
You can also聽teach your dog to go to their mat or bed. 鈥淕o to your place鈥� isn鈥檛 specifically for the vet, but teaching the behavior builds strong positive associations between the and rewards. That makes the mat your dog鈥檚 happy place. If you take the mat to the vet visit it will provide your dog with a comforting and familiar place to stand or lie down.
Teaching your dog to nose target聽can also help. 鈥淭ouch鈥� is all about directing your dog鈥檚 nose to the palm of your hand, and wherever your dog鈥檚 nose goes, their head and body will follow. Therefore, you can use 鈥渢ouch鈥� to position your dog for the vet鈥檚 convenience. Additionally, dogs love this behavior because it鈥檚 an incredibly easy way to earn a reward. So, you can use nose targeting to distract your dog during exams or procedures.
If you have a smaller dog, teach them to be comfortable on elevated surfaces as they鈥檒l likely be placed on the examining table for their vet visit. Start with something lower like a coffee table, then move to taller objects. Pair the elevation with tasty rewards to build a positive association. You can also place a non-slip surface on top of the table to give your dog stability, and always keep hold of them so they can鈥檛 try to jump off.
Visiting the Vet Just for Fun
Many dogs only see the vet for exams or when they鈥檙e already feeling sick, so it doesn鈥檛 take long for them to develop a negative view of the office. But what if you took your dog to the vet just for fun? In that case, the office would no longer predict poking and prodding but treats and pats instead. Ask your vet if you can take your dog in just to say hi. Make sure to call ahead to determine the office protocols. Have any available staff stroke your dog and feed a few delicious treats. Sit in the lobby for a few minutes while you feed treats and let your dog pair the food with the sounds and smells of the clinic.
It鈥檚 also important that聽car rides聽don鈥檛 predict a trip to the vet, otherwise your dog鈥檚 stress will begin as soon as you enter the car. Make sure you take your dog out to other places such as the聽dog park聽or even just for a drive. Then, when you are heading to the vet, it will seem like just another fun outing.
Taking the Right Tools to the Vet
Your dog鈥檚 vet visit can be so much easier if you take the right tools. First, pack a pile of your dog鈥檚 favorite treats. Feeding your dog during their exam will help distract them as well as build positive associations. Ask the vet and other staff to feed a few as well. It can also help to take a toy to divert your dog鈥檚 attention away from a needle or other uncomfortable procedure.
贵辞谤听anxious dogs, consider pheromone treatments 辞谤听calming treats. Pheromones mimic the smell of a nursing mother dog which relaxes even adult dogs. Look for a 辞谤听聽so you can take it to the vet with you. can be used before the appointment to provide your dog with relief. You may also try to schedule for a time when the office isn鈥檛 busy so no one feels rushed. Finally, if your dog is really struggling with vet appointments, talk to your vet about other options. It鈥檚 important they can carry out a complete examination with the least amount of stress for your dog.
This article is intended solely as general guidance, and does not constitute health or other professional advice. Individual situations and applicable laws vary by jurisdiction, and you are encouraged to obtain appropriate advice from qualified professionals in the applicable jurisdictions. We make no representations or warranties concerning any course of action taken by any person following or otherwise using the information offered or provided in this article, including any such information associated with and provided in connection with third-party products, and we will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages that may result, including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness or death.