How is your dog at the vet?
 

Self explanatory, how is your dog at the vet?

Jackson completely shuts down. We pull up and he immediately slinks his head down, but obliges when I put his leash on and he will jump out of the car voluntarily then proceeds to try and avoid the door as much as humanely possible.

He always keeps his ears back and tail under, and when we sit in the waiting room, he hides under the bench. Once someone tries to touch him, or pick him up, or whatever, he expresses his anal glands he is so scared. He lets them do whatever to him, but it's almost because he's frozen and just totally shut down. He never bites or shows any signs of aggression.

But to say the least it's very heart breaking to watch him at he vet and be so insecure and terribly frightened.

How are your dogs at the vet?

My two love going to the vet. I've had 7 dogs over the years with varying degrees of fear/insecurity when going to the vet, from mild to severe, but these are the ONLY ones I've had that seem to be completely nonchalant about the whole thing and actually seem to enjoy it.

Oh dear. I know that is a heartbreak for sure. All the pups I have had from pups have been really good at the vets, sometimes too good... lol

Magic walks in tail wagging happily, trusting of course that everyone will ooh and awh over him and give him treats. If he is ignored and I am not watchfull he will put his two paws on the tall counter and bark at the receptionship to pay attention to his Lordship.

He doesn't much like the slippery exam table that is electric and goes up and down. And I usually need to distract him while we take blood or he is given a needle. But a treat and he is happy again!

Razzle is always in his carrier when I take him into the office for a vet appt. Once out in the exam room he is very happy fellow too. Kisses for all, and too much wiggling going on. RAzzle submits to exam, tail down for the needle or blood draw, but oh how he loves to be touched by Dr Jack.

Zoey, was always scared. She I got at seven months old, and never had from young puppyhood, my many visits to the vets office just to say hi, get a treat, and go onto a play date of some nature. She would hide under my legs, especially if there were other dogs in the waiting room. That was hard to do as she was a big girl, and I have short legs:D

But once we went into the exam room she was pretty good. Liked to say Hi to the doc. Much quieter and easier on the exam table.

I don't know but I guess I suspect if I had had her from a young pup, she might have been different all around. Although I was told by two behavioural specialists that she was "genetically" wrong in the head. But that is another story.

I think the best we can do for our pups, is to be supportive and calm. Kind of find a place of peace with in us, as we take them to the vets.

I am not sure Brit, but would it be too much to take him there, on the way to something else exciting to do? And have the receptionist ooh and aah over him and give him a treat, and then you leave?

Tibbe is so excited to go to the vet where he gets lots of attention and can see other dogs that he doesn't ever seem to mind what is sometimes in store for him even if it includes a needle. All I have to say is "We're going to the vet" and he's so excited and running to the door that it's hard to settle him down. He will often shriek out on the way to the vet despite the fact that he's trained to behave in the car! But he can't help himself and a yelp of excitement will just bubble up. He's a big, big ham and the bigger audience he can get to notice him the better his world is, I guess. And he's straining to get to the tech or receptionist who takes him back if it's a drop off or straining in my arms when we are ushered back into an exam room. Then he's straining to get carried back to the back where the other dogs are and I always(needlessly I'm sure) remind whoever is taking him back that he could try to jump out of their arms in excitement if they don't have a good hold. He's just wild to see those other dogs. Everybody tells me he barks almost constantly when they pass by and stands up and reaches his paw out of the cage to get their attentions and is always poking his nose through the wires. But if I do leave him for his comprehensive exam and tests or a dental and pick him up later, he's pretty mad at me and ignores me for a long, long time, even after we get home. I think he'd be happy if I could stay since he seems to dislike being left by me even though he loves the vet. But he sure loves his vet visits. I'm the one who is a wreck anytime we go to the vet.

Poor Jackson!! :( I wonder why he is so scared, he is such a well behaved doggy. Something must have really scared him there at one point huh??

How is Peanut at the Vet? Umm a Ham, just like any other place!

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/att...-photo-23-.jpg

He wants everyone's attention, he wants to smell and say Hi to all the dogs, and kitties that come in, he wants all the girls ( Vet staff) to hold him, pet him, give him love.. :rolleyes: yup that's Peanut! LOL

:thumbup: Love this idea!!

Nena and Rufus do great at the vet!
Rufus loves it because of the treats the vet gives him LOL :)

Back at home we used to have 2 dobbermans, both were very afraid. When we were at the door of the vet they completely shut down and we had to carry them inside..

This is exactly how we always handled vet-nervous dogs and the vets' offices were always helpful and some would even carry a dog into the back and right out again if they weren't too busy at the time. Treats would help if the dog wasn't too nervous to accept them. It really does make a difference with most dogs to have some visits that are quick and practically stressless and then back out and away. Once or twice with panicked dogs, I'd just drive up, get out with the dog in my arms or carrier and carry him up and down the sidewalk and back into the car and then we'd leave without even going in before ever even entering the clinic for the quick run-through.

Morgan does fine until they take his temp, then he just gives them a dirty look that says " how rude". Lol

Most of our dogs are good at the vets with the exception of Zach and Biscuit. They are a handful. It took three vets to hold Zach down when they tried to take his temperature and clip his nails.

Galen loves everyone at the vet. Give them lots of kisses. He gets so excited . . too funny

Teeka & Tatiana just shake when we enter the office! Every time I have had to take them, they get a shot or something that hurts! I would love to take them sometime to just visit or when they are not sick.

I think I will take a treat when they go in next time....which is this Saturday. Tatiana is due for her Rabies shot. :( Again, a reason she doesn\'t like the vet!

Prissy,our 11 yr poodle tolerates everything in stride including the vet. She is a little lady and sits properly in the vet waiting room patiently, never a bark or growl passing her lips. She tolerates the vet and all he needs to do. Tolerates the office girls making over her.....then after the vet visit in the car she will stand in the passenger seat before we leave and physically shake the vet visit off. Then all is right in Prissy\'s world and the vet visit is quickly forgiven and forgotten.

Jasmine, our five yr old yorkie loves her carrier purse and observes the vet waiting room from its depths. She is suspicious and always on the lookout for evil, although she too is quiet. Upon entering the exam room she attempts her magic act to vanish beyond the depths of her purse. When the vet is handling her, she never makes eye contact with him. Her sad little eyes are always searching for me and pleading. "Mama help, Mama help". It is all I can do not to snatch my little Velcro heart baby from the vet and run like hell is on our tail. Jasmine has that much effect on me. After the visit, Jasmine pouts and refuses to make eye contact with me for an hour or so.

Maggie, our 1 yr old yorkie, has a kinda Odie/split personality. Some times she is "okey dokey" "duh" with everything and then others.........??? In the vet waiting room she loves her carrier purse. She stands up in it so she can see everyone. She is very people social. Very interested in all the other pets and going ons. Just happy, happy, happy in the waiting room. Anyone can pet and love on her there. Now in the vet exam room she becomes my "parrot dog". She immediately jumps onto my shoulder and refuses to come down. I take her down, she jumps back. Weird! She hates the vet to touch her or talk to her. She does not growl or bite, just hates it. After the visit, she returns to her happy little self again.

I really trust my vet and he is kind and gentle. I do wonder, due to dogs sense of smell if they can smell death, chemicals, etc. there and that is what frightens my girls.

Aww, poor Jackson. Joel doesn\'t like the vets either, he\'ll walk around and likes to see people but he mostly doesn\'t like it, and shakes a little and wants to leave.

Callie absolutely loves it! She wags her tail like crazy and pulls to the door and then she always wants to get on the scale and I have to hold her back until the scale is ready and she hops on an sits lol. Sammy is not really fond of it some times hes fine but other times he is not. We absolutely can not take him in until poos outside or he does it inside like he can control it because my mom was holding him once and he even pooed all down her. Sometimes he shakes and if Callie and Sam go together he gets really upset if they take her to the back to take her blood. Callie has had so many terrible things happen at the vet like shots, tooth extraction, nail/nerve cut back but she still loves it so I have there groomer groom them because she feels so comfortable there and they all know her. She absolutely hates the orthopedic surgeons office though and will shake when we go there. I am sorry Jackson doesn\'t like the vet but hey I\'m with him I don\'t like the doctor either.