Menu
Call Us

How To Reduce Your Dogs Stress At The Vet

Visits to the veterinarian are a necessary part of any dog’s life, whether just going in for a checkup, or going in for a procedure or emergency. Regardless of the reason for your visit, it’s important to keep your dog’s stress levels low in order to make the visit easier for both your veterinarian and your dog.

Get Your Dog Used to Touch

From the time your dog is a puppy, get them used to the types of touch and movement they’ll experience at the vet’s office. This includes lifting the paws, picking them up, touching their mouth, and playing with their ears and tails. This causes your dog to associate this touch with good things, reducing stress and reactive behaviors.

Teach Basic Commands

Teaching your dog basic commands like sit, stay, lie down, shake and turn around are all helpful when working with a veterinarian. These commands remove the need for the vet to hold down or force your dog to perform different actions or stay in certain positions during an examination.

Desensitize the Vet

Take your dog to the veterinarian just to visit without any procedures actually being done. Make sure to reward your dog while in the office and while meeting the vet and their staff. This will teach your dog to associate the office with good things.

Keep Yourself in Check

Dogs can often sense your emotions. If you’re stressed out about taking your dog to the vet, most likely they will pick up on your emotions and react similarly. Speak in a calm voice, keep your body language neutral and treat your dog as you normally would at home.

Using these stress reduction techniques can help make visits to the vet more enjoyable for your dog. For more ideas on stress reduction tips and dog training, talk to the boarding and training professionals at Citizen Canine.