Preparing Your Dog for a Vet Visit
Sooner or later, it's time to go to the vet. To vaccinate, X-ray the hips or if your puppy gets injured or ill. Give your puppy positive experiences of the vets before a negative one might be unavoidable. You want your puppy's first few experiences at the vet to be injection and pain-free. A prepared dog will handle vet visits with ease. A puppy who is used to handling will receive better care than ones the vets find hard to handle. So help your puppy by practicing what vet visits entail. You, your dog, and your vet will benefit from the results for many years.
1. Make vet visits positive for your dog
If you only go to the vet when your dog is unwell, the clinic may become associated with discomfort. Turn the statistics around by visiting the vets just to have a nice time. This gets your puppy used to the smells, sounds, waiting room, and staff. Most vets and animal nurses appreciate it when dog parents give their pups a reason to enjoy vet visits. Read more about dog socialization.
2. Train your puppy on the examination table
Your puppy may need to be placed on an examination table during an examination. It can feel scary if you haven't experienced it before and under calm conditions, so table-train your puppy. Place a towel or doormat on the table as a non-slip surface. Have your puppy on a leash and say "Up" before you lift your puppy onto the table. Keep one hand on the collar or harness, so your little friend doesn't fall. While on the table, your puppy can enjoy some treats and be petted and handled before you say "Go ahead" and lift your puppy to the floor. Repetition is key, once is never enough. If you have a larger breed that will be able to jump onto the table as an adult, practice at the vet instead of on the kitchen table.
3. practicing voluntary management
Prepare your puppy for the examination. Practice Fear-free handling. Use the concept when training: touching the paws, lifting the tail, opening the mouth, touching then grabbing the scruff of the neck, and checking the eyes and ears. Take it step-by-step, slowly, and reward when your dog is still, praise in a calm voice. And remember to let go and pause when your puppy asks you for a break or seems uncomfortable. Suppose your puppy shows signs of anxiety or frustration. If his/her head turns away when you examine an ear, you need to simplify and practice touching the ear, stroking it, and looking at it from afar. Read the article "Linguistic finesse" (linkXXXX) and be compliant if your dog shows discomfort or needs a break. Trust is key. The goal is not to get everything done in one afternoon but to do relatively short, pleasant sessions several times a week. See trainings called "Handling" in the Petli app for further instructions.
4. Prepare your dog for veterinary treatments
When your puppy is comfortable with general handling, move on to more specific handling. You can use the back of a spoon as a "stethoscope" and practice listening to the heart. Bandage a paw, press lightly on the belly, or move a trimmer back and forth across a front leg. A pen can act as a syringe, lift the scruff of the neck and gently press the pen against the puppy's skin. Praise and reward when your puppy is still and looks comfortable, and take a break if your puppy resists or seems uneasy. You want to advance gradually, and on your puppy’s terms, tolerance will increase over time.
5. Train your dog to lie on its side
During health checks, your dog may need to remain on its side. So practice it. Some puppies happily flop down on their side when cuddled. Others need to be guided down with the help of a reward. Start from the down position, move your hand holding a treat from your puppy nose down towards the elbow, and then diagonally up towards the armpit. Guide slowly so your puppy can follow the movement in a calm and controlled manner. Reward substeps: when your puppy's head tilts down, the nose reaches the elbow, the opposite wither is tucked in as the head turns further to the side, and so on. Repeat until your puppy follows your guide and has started to tip over. Your next step is to guide the dog's nose from the armpit up to the corner of the puppy's mouth. After that move your guide in an arc down toward the floor so that your puppy places his/her head on the floor. Keep reinforcing small substeps towards your goal. When the behavior is taught, name it, and say "On your side" while your puppy rolls onto the side. Over time, you can use the signal to get your puppy into the position.
6. Help your dog to lie still for X-rays
If you teach your dog to lie completely still, he/she may not need sedation during x-rays. When you practice On your side, gradually increase the interval between the cue “On your side” and reward before giving the release cue, "Go ahead." You can use countdowns to give your pup a time perspective. Here's how: say 1 before rewarding, repeat. Then start on 2 and count down to 1 and reward on 1. After the reward, say, "go ahead," and let your puppy leave the position. Advance to 3,2,1 and so on. Practice regularly, and soon you will be able to count down from 10 while your puppy remains. A useful trick to show off at the vets!
Health care and preparatory health care
Make veterinary preparation training fun! A relaxing moment of bonding and trust-building. The training sessions will let you know your dog's body well. It can help you detect abnormalities, perhaps signs of pain, injury, or illness early. It's important to know the symptoms of pain in dogs so that you can act if something seems wrong. While you practice, take the opportunity to search for rashes, cuts, ticks, swellings, or tenderness. Regular health checks ensure your dog's welfare. Take the time to invest in your dog's health care. ㅤ
Written by: Caroline Alupo
Caroline Alupo is Petli's co-founder. She has a master's degree in ethology and is also a trained dog trainer and dog psychologist. She has 19 years of experience as a professional dog trainer. Read more about Caroline here.
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