Tips For Visiting The Veterinary Clinic
Nobody says visiting the veterinary clinic is easy. However, there are some tips and tricks one can use to make this experience easier and avoid future trauma.
Visit to the veterinary clinic: what to consider
The visit to the veterinary clinic is one of the most stressful activities for our fur noses.
This is understandable, because there the dog is examined, poked with syringes and given medication. It is also an unfamiliar place where other animals are sure to be found.
It is fundamental to empathize with the animal and understand that it is not just “just like that” misbehaving. This happens out of fear or ignorance. That is why it is our role as a reference person to make the experience as pleasant as possible for him.
A visit to the veterinary clinic is not an easy task, but it is necessary because the state of health of the four-legged friend is checked and diseases or other complaints are treated there.
Of course our dog doesn’t know that and besides, it smells strange to him there, the noises are also completely unknown to him and the people he meets there are unknown to him. He even feels the nervousness of his caregiver.
It is really important to teach the dog that going to the veterinary clinic is not a bad thing and that is why it needs to be taken there regularly. That way he gets used to it – which doesn’t mean he likes it! – and it is no longer so difficult for him.
Tips for visiting the veterinary clinic
Your dog may find it less than comfortable, but the vet will need to routinely check him out twice a year. More frequent appointments may also be necessary on his instructions. So what can be done to prevent a visit to the veterinary clinic from becoming a trauma?
1. Don’t tell him where it’s going
A mistake many dog owners make is telling the animal, “Let’s go to the vet”. For the fur nose, this means that it will fare badly. Remember that dogs understand a handful of words, and “vet” is usually one of them.
2. If he is tired, he behaves better
If the dog has spent most of its energy playing, running, and sniffing in the park, it will not have enough energy to misbehave at the vet.
He also relaxes through physical activity, and then he is not so nervous afterwards.
3. First introduce him to the vet
If the dog is on the treatment table, give him some time to get to know the veterinarian a little and to lose the fear of him. Let him smell his hands and “greet” him. Otherwise he could develop fear of the expert.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a pug or a boxer, allow your fur nose to overcome fear of the vet.
4. Talk to him all the time
You have to speak to your furry friend from the gates of the veterinary clinic to your front door. Use calm words, a gentle tone, and speak softly so that she does not get frightened or think that there is danger in front of him.
Don’t scold him. If there are other animals nearby, instruct them to sit quietly next to you. Make sure you don’t yell at him or he’ll get even more nervous.
5. Stay by his side all the time
Dogs need to be by their pack leader’s side to make them feel calm and safe. They also need to feel that their caregiver is also calm. Therefore you have to come to rest first, in order then to convey this calmness to your animal.
Stay with him when you enter the clinic while you wait for the vet, during the exam, and on the way home. This will make your dog feel much calmer and safer.
6. Reward their behavior for visiting the veterinary clinic
It is important that you give him a reward. This can be done either after the examination or upon arrival at home.
It is not just about the reward, but also about the dog combining the visit to the veterinary clinic with a toy, a treat or petting.
Visiting the veterinary clinic is really not the easiest task, but it is very important. With our tips you can make it a little more comfortable and avoid trauma or bad behavior.
