Post by ShariMurphy on Aug 30, 2014 12:42:07 GMT -5
We know those dogs, the ones who bark the entire time they are at the vet's office. As we sit there waiting for our pets to be seen, all you can hear is the rumbling from other dogs. Vet visits are notoriously stressful for dogs. Follow these tips to try and make your visit less stressful for you, your dog, the staff, and other clients. Some dogs bark because they are stressed, others bark for attention. Either way, it is not a pleasant experience to be around a dog who excessively barks in close quarters.
DO NOT:
- Hit or yell at the dog; dogs don't understand this type of message and all it does is embarrass you, stress out you dog, and reinforce the behavior. Remember, dogs see positive and negative attention as reinforcers.
- Pet and talk soothingly to the dog. Dogs may think you are praising the barking. They don't understand the human version of soothing a baby.
- Ignore the barking. See if you can't stop eye contact with other dogs. Get the dog's attention by giving commands and treats. Take the dog outside. Find a way to stop the barking, then give praise and attention when the dog is NOT barking. If you ignore the barking, you will find that the dog is self rewarding.
DO: (Try any or all of these suggestions...)
- Try to determine if the dog is barking at a specific target - person, dog, cat, etc. If so, try to move the dog to where it cannot see the object of the barking.
- Turn its head away or it's entire body away from the object the dog is barking at. Praise ANY quiet. Those who have worked with me, will know this as "Spinning" your dog around and blocking their view.
- Give the receptionist your name and cell phone number, and consider going for a short walk. Change the stimulus and environment for your dog. Also, walking is a stress reliever for dogs.
- Ask the staff to put you in an exam room if there is one available.
- Redirect your dog with a treat. Give the dog a new command and praise. For instance, ask your dog to "look" at you, to "sit", or perform a trick. Dogs can not multi-task so if they are paying attention to you, they can't bark.
- Most importantly, when the dog does stop barking, give praise and positive attention. If your dog likes food, bring high value treats with you to the visit for rewards.
- Try and make a few trips, per year, to your veterinarian office just to socialize your dog with the environment. Try just sitting in the waiting area for a half hour and play with your dog or reward your dog for doing commands. If the only time you visit the vet office is when the dog is sick or for your bi-annual appointment, your dog will always feel stressed when there.
If this is a recurring problem, talk to the veterinarian about a mild sedative for next visit. It will be much less stressful for the dog. The vet may be able to give a more thorough exam, plus you can be more relaxed. Do not use a tranquilizer if the dog is showing any signs of illness or aggression. Use only for vaccine visits or routine physical exams with a healthy pet.