Uh-oh….a muzzle?

[puppyjazz2]

About a week ago I had to take my b-baby to the vet and that was obviously not the place she wanted to be. I get in the office and nurse evaluates her and it comes for her to go to the back and take a heartworm test. The nurse goes to pick her up and Zoe lets out this horrific growl and snaps at the nurse! It happened so fast and I was so suprised because she had never done that before. It was so sad to see this little 20lb dog with a muzzle on. I know shes not a mean dog but I know she was scared. Has your basenji ever did that?
:eek:

[tanza]

You just need to condition her that the Vet's office is a good place (most times)… take her there for just a visit and have the office staff (and the nurse that evaluates) give her treats....

I would guess that maybe she had some "not" so nice times at a Vets office

I take my baby puppies to the Vet all the time... just for visits... I go at lunch time and the office staff has a ball with them along with the Vet Techs and any of the Dr's that are not in surgery....

[sharronhurlbut]

Pat is right, have the dog learn that treats and vets can go together.
Good luck..let us know how it goes.

[puppyjazz2]

I'll do that thanks!!!:)

[sharronhurlbut]

I clicked on your blog and it says its not there??

[puppyjazz2]

O…im may have typed it wrong...sorry
www.hmdawg.blogspot.com

[dash]

It may not have been your puppies fault at all. The tech should give the dog time to meet them and sniff them before grabbing them. I would definately take the dog back just for treats and attention so she realizes the vets office is not bad.

[Ninabeana26]

When I was taking Dallas to the vet for all his puppy shot series I packed a little baggie of his favorite treats & anytime the vet or the vet tech would go to touch him I would have them give him a treat. Eventually he got the point that the vets touching him was good. He did incredibly well during all of his appointments - no noise except a little tiny yelp when the shots went in I was a proud momma!

[LeeL]

We had to muzzle one of ours for a while after a new vet tech tried to give the Kennel Cough vaccine (which they HATE!) and held the thing in front of his nose for quite some time while trying to align it. This made him scared and growl a little like they do. She also was a little scared by the sound he made and he sensed that.

IT was not made worse by the fact that in spite of my asking them not to, some of the techs would walk from the back door with the muzzle, holding it out for him to see. This made it worse as all he saw was something he did not like coming at him for a long ways away.

Eventually he would growl at anyone wearing scrubs.

It took us quite a while to get him back to being able to be treated without a muzzle by working with the vet directly.

[hdolbow]

rockys gotta be muzzled at the vet. he growls the ENTIRE time and the vet knows its him and asks us to put it on for them before he'll even TOUCH him.

[tanza]

@hdolbow:

rockys gotta be muzzled at the vet. he growls the ENTIRE time and the vet knows its him and asks us to put it on for them before he'll even TOUCH him.

Have you worked with him to make the Vets a happier place? Taken him there for a visit when he didn't need anything to be done? …..

[hdolbow]

well he's fine with everyone BUT the vet himself. its not like hes angry when we go to the actual office. then again he just doesnt like to be touched and seems a bit bipolar to me.

( he really is a basket case. hes attacked my hands, severely, drawing blood and causing brusing, twice last week without being provoked at all )