Top 10 Tips For Happy Vets Visits

This week I’ve spent a LOT of time at the vets – something which could be potentially stressful to some dogs. Fortunately mine seem to regard it as yet another opportunity to earn more high quality treats 

It makes me sad when I see stressed animals at the vets, because it’s fairly easy to make them tolerable occasions (and in some cases even happy events!) with a bit of forward planning.

Here are some ideas to turn a potentially negative experience into a nice big positive one!

1. Get your dog used to being handled – use those ad breaks between your favourite soaps as time to check your dog over in the evening.
2. Reward each body part you check over with one really tasty treat – so being checked over becomes massively rewarding.
3. If your dog is comfortable being checked over by you, ask friends or family to do so and pay handsomely for good behaviour.
4. Practice restraining your dog by the collar or around their body like a vet might have to – reward heavily with something delicious.
5. Cover your table in something non-slip and reward your dog for standing/ sitting quietly whilst high up.
6. Whilst on the table, go through checking them over as you have done on the floor.
7. Pop in to your vets to say hello. Have some tasty treats and do a short (10 treats) training session in the waiting room.
8. If your dog is comfortable and eager to meet the veterinary staff, ask them if they would treat your dog for sitting or lying down.
9. Check your dog over in your vet surgery waiting room – get them comfortable with the idea of being checked over in that environment.
10. Make an appointment with a vet nurse for a check over in the consultation room – and take something amazing in as a reward.

Have you struggled with making vets visits into a positive experience with your dog? Do you have any tips to add to my suggestions that you found helpful for your dog? Comment below! 🙂