ANYONE with a sassy dog will know how hard it is to get them through the door at the vet.
Some dogs can get anxious and stressed on their visits, making it a challenge for you to get them the medical help they need.
Luckily, a dog expert has shared how you can help your four-legged friend feel more at ease when visiting the vets.
Dr Katrina Warren stressed that helping a scared pooch “requires patience, understanding and positive reinforcement techniques”.
Her main tip was to make your dog associate the vet with positive experiences.
“Visit the clinic every few days, without them having an examination or any medical procedures,” Dr Warren advised.
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“Take your dog inside the clinic, let them explore, and reward them with treats and praise.
“Ask the staff to reward your dog too. Repeat these visits regularly to create a positive association with the clinic.
“Make the experience happy and fun. If possible, walk past the clinic on your daily walks and pop in, always giving lots of treats and praise so it becomes a ‘happy’ place.”
In a piece for Nine Honey, Dr Warren also recommended rewarding your dog with treats for good behaviour whenever they’re at the vet for a check-up or treatment.
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The expert added that it’s important to get your pooch exposed to the vet from the puppy stage.
“It is much easier to train a puppy to enjoy vet visits than retrain an adult dog that doesn't,” she said.
“Training a puppy to enjoy going to the vet should be part of their socialisation training.
“Expose your puppy to the vet clinic several times without anything happening to them that isn't fun and rewarding.
“Allow them to explore in return for treats and praise.
"Gradually increase the exposure, and ask practice staff to help you by gently handling your puppy and giving lots of treats.”
According to Dr Warren, consistency with vet visits is the key to making them run seamlessly, hence why she recommends taking your pooch there even when they don’t have an appointment.
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