Regular vet visits are essential to your pet’s overall health, but for a lot of dogs these visits bring fear and anxiety. Who can blame them? Between the danger of unfamiliar animals in a waiting room to being poked and prodded by a stranger; making vet visits less scary for your dog is a challenging feat, but not an impossible one. Keep reading for tips to make vet visits less scary for your dog.
Treats, Treats, Treats
Positive reinforcement is a great tool for training dogs to become comfortable in fearful environments. You’ll want plenty of treats handy during your whole vet visit. Coax your dog with treats on the walk/drive to the vet, while in the waiting room and after you leave.
Waiting Room
The waiting room of a vet clinic can be overstimulating for dogs; there are new sites, sounds, and smells everywhere. Dogs may feel defensive in situations like this and become aggressive. To avoid this, wait outside of your vet clinic until you are ready to be seen. Another way to ease some waiting room anxiety is by keeping your dog in a carrier. Having their own personal space will help make them feel comfortable.
Reward & Unwind
Once you get back home from the vet, it’s time to kick back and relax! Let you dog know what a great job they did during their vet visit. Give them a special treat and a relaxing massage, or let them decompress however they see fit.
It’s important to avoid negative situations surrounding the vet; this is the key to make vet visits less scary for your dog.
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Written by Vincent M.
