14/02/2025
Vet handling sessions with Elroy. He is 19 weeks old, 39lbs and growing like a w**d. It's important that we spend these early days working on skills that will make the next 10-14 years easier. Did who can't be handled simply don't get the same care as dogs who can. If that makes you sad, it should, but it's the hard truth. Don't wait until it's a problem, get ahead of it so it doesn't become a problem.
Video 1: muzzle conditioning. It is my humble opinion that every dog should be comfortable in a muzzle. Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. Things happen, dogs get injured, and when that happens, your sweet loving dog might not be themselves. They might bite due to stress, fear and/or pain. Don't compound the stress of this awful moment by making it the first time your dog has ever worn a muzzle.
Video 2: light restraint and husbandry. Your dog needs head to tail care. Eyes, ears, teeth, feet. Even if you have a short, tight coated dog like I do, they need their nails done, ears cleaned, eyes checked, teeth checked. It's basic care. If you can't do it, it's really not safe to ask your vet staff to do it (see muzzle training above ☝️). Things happen. Here's just a few things I've needed to handle at home that wouldn't be possible without dogs comfortable with handling:
🐾 Cut paw pad needs inspection/cleaning
🐾 Stick losged inside the roof of the mouth
🐾 Eye drops (conjunctivitis)
🐾 Ear drops (eat infections)
🐾 icing a limb (arthritis, mass removal, knee surgery)
🐾 Look inside the mouth (broken tooth, ruptured salivary gland)
🐾 Nail trims (I trim nails weekly)
🐾 Bathing (Des requires medicated bathing weekly)
Video 3: canine fitness skills. Body awareness, muscle strength and correct physical position go a long way towards preventing accidents. Protect those joints!
