Vet Visits
I often wonder about dogs who go cheerfully to the vet.
I mean, how smart can they be?
It would seem to me that the smart ones would hide under the couch rather than be dragged off to be poked, prodded and examined on cold metal tables in funny smelling rooms.
Perhaps it's not smarts though, maybe it depends on a dogs experience as well as the general way the dog meets the world.
I don't think that my Chow boy, Peace ever had a bad time anywhere he went. He met the world with great confidence and seemed to expect the best.
He also didn't have many bad or painful experiences at the vet.
My Dalmatian Greta, had a lot of bad experiences at the vet, a broken leg, 2 knee surgeries, seizures etc.
She did greet the world with joy and exuberance but not so self confident I don't think and it seemed like she did expect the worst!
What helped her at the vet was my taking the lead by being
nonchalant and taking lots of good treats.
For a while there we went every week and just sat in the lobby and ate treats or got weighed. Nothing painful, nothing to freak about. Maintain and eat the chicken bits.
And of course on every visit I had delicious treats that would distract from all but the most painful procedures.
I mean, how smart can they be?
It would seem to me that the smart ones would hide under the couch rather than be dragged off to be poked, prodded and examined on cold metal tables in funny smelling rooms.
Perhaps it's not smarts though, maybe it depends on a dogs experience as well as the general way the dog meets the world.
I don't think that my Chow boy, Peace ever had a bad time anywhere he went. He met the world with great confidence and seemed to expect the best.
He also didn't have many bad or painful experiences at the vet.
My Dalmatian Greta, had a lot of bad experiences at the vet, a broken leg, 2 knee surgeries, seizures etc.
She did greet the world with joy and exuberance but not so self confident I don't think and it seemed like she did expect the worst!
What helped her at the vet was my taking the lead by being
nonchalant and taking lots of good treats.
For a while there we went every week and just sat in the lobby and ate treats or got weighed. Nothing painful, nothing to freak about. Maintain and eat the chicken bits.
And of course on every visit I had delicious treats that would distract from all but the most painful procedures.
posted by Tracy B Ann at 11:18 PM
2 Comments:
See Mikey?
My dogs have never minded going to the Vets, even Grace, after her experiences, but that's another story. There was something I never understood about Favour's attitude though. We always keep the dogs outside in the car until it is their turn, rather than sit in the waiting room. If Grace went in first, Favour went bananas. Jumped, whined, pulled, and did everything she could to get through that door. So, I took Favour in first. When I came out, and Peter took Grace in...what did Favour do? Just like before, jumped, whined etc.
I don't think it was jealousy - they shared everything. I believe Favour just worried about her sister. It seemed to me as if she felt responsible, so I believe she just wanted to make sure that her sister was OK.
What do you think?
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