Your Puppy's First Visit to the Vet

#AlphaDogTraining #dogtrainingsaltlakecity Your Puppy’s First Visit to the Vet Published by Alpha Dog Training https://www.alpha-dog-training-slc.com/ (801) 910-1700 Some people may not realize this, but getting a puppy spells a three-way relationship between you, your puppy, and your veterinarian. After all, pet care doesn’t stop when your puppy reaches a certain age or when he seems to be healthy and in shape. And making the first visit a positive one goes a long way in creating a good experience for your dog each time they visit the vet. But what can you do to make the experience positive for your puppy? Your puppy’s first visit is a great example of how to handle the fears your puppy might experience at their visit. Below we have a bunch of tips for you on how to do this How to Help Your Dog Be Less Fearful of the Veterinarian • Make sure your puppy or dog likes or at least accepts being touched. Handle your puppy or dog’s paws, mouth, ears etc and make it a pleasurable experience by pairing it with something your dog loves, such as food. When it comes time to being handled by a vet, the sensation should not be unpleasant • • Take your dog to the veterinarian but not for a procedure. Have the receptionists, vet techs and veterinarians give your dog his favorite food or toy and build up a pleasant association with their presence. • • Try to stay with your dog as much as possible for procedures. There might be procedures that have to be done away from you but you will give your dog much more confidence if you are there to comfort him. • • Take tasty treats with you and give them to your dog while you are waiting. If your dog is too stressed he might not feel like eating. • • If your dog likes being touched give him a massage to relax him. Long, gentle strokes should bring down his stress levels. • • Be calm because the more stressed you are the more your dog will feel it. • • Play calming music to your dog, which helps reduce anxiety. • • Ask your vet about hosting puppy play parties so that pups build up a positive association with the environment. • • If your dog is too stressed you might have to give him a sedative to calm him down before you leave for his appointment. Be your dog’s voice. Don’t be afraid to speak up. If your vet holds your fearful dog down in order to perform a procedure, without helping your dog feel more comfortable first, then you can potentially have years of work ahead of you to undo the damage that may happen. You have the right to take things slow when possible. Alpha Dog Training can work with you to develop a plan that works. Contact us at Alpha Dog Training slc.com or (801) 910-1700 with any questions you may have – we have trained puppies and adult dogs for more than 20 years and we would love to help!