28/07/2024
I've tried to shorten this several times but haven't been successful. 😄 Remember, I am not a professional dog trainer. I just have lived with several dogs and try to find what works for mine...
Do you ever work on cooperative and fear-free handling? I've actually done it for several years and recently completed the Fear-Free Shelters program. I first tried it several years ago with my cattle dog mix. She passed over 5 years ago. As a puppy, a vet tech had accidentally clipped a nail too short and it triggered extreme fear of nail trims. We started trimming her nails at home yet it was a wrestling match because she was so terrified of the process. I was very fortunate that she never tried to bite but the look on her face was pure terror. *I* had never trimmed a nail too short but it didn't matter. Years later, I would come across Dr. Sophia Yin's video on how to countercondition a dog afraid of nail trims. https://youtu.be/WWZUcLfHXLE?si=G6ZhMpyF0L-iPg8f It worked beautifully. We developed trust so she would lie on her side unrestrained and allow me to clip her nails and then dremel them. All that was required was that I have a cup of treats sitting by us so I could reward her for her relaxed behavior. It was really amazing to see the transformation. I wish I had known about it years before.
So about one of my deaf dogs...
Ralphie has a history of being frightened down at MSU when having an echocardiogram. I wasn't allowed to go back with him (pre-covid) and their handling process scared him. When I contacted the cardiologist to ask what the heck happened, he checked his notes and said that he was fine. He definitely was not returned to me fine. It took me about a month to work through some of his fears but he never 100% recovered. His fears were of several people approaching him, taking him off his feet and holding them down... I'd seen the process before a few times with another dog of mine. She was okay with that handling. This was very upsetting because I had put so much work into socializing this boy.
*I now seek vets that provide fear-free handling and will try to work with me to accommodate Ralphie's needs.
Ralphie had a blood draw by a vet employee that I didn't know was inexperienced. He had been fine in the past with me positioning him and a skilled vet tech drawing blood. This person couldn't find the vein in his neck to draw from after several probes of the needle and he was done with her trying. He did not have his blood drawn that day. My dogs are not for practicing on without my permission... I'm paying for a professional service.
So... we had to again back up before we could go ahead. We practice restraint and the process of a blood draw in the kitchen using high value treats. Fortunately, Ralphie is a highly food motivated dog. I started out asking him to sit between my feet. Next, we added holding his chin in the palm of my hand as he sat quietly. Then my husband took a needleless syringe and pretended to draw blood. Below is what his blood draw practice now looks like.
We started seeing a new vet early this year and I was so happy that they believe in fear-free handling. It was the first time for him to have a blood draw since the unsuccessful one. I asked if I could be the one to "restrain" him, that we had been practicing counterconditioning. I was allowed to do it and he did beautifully with the skilled person.
My thoughts (and I'm not a professional dog trainer) are that I needed to familiarize him with the process again by practicing the procedure. I needed to condition him to sit still again and not panic during the blood draw. I think it allowed him to know what to expect.
As a side note, we always stop at Burger King to pick up a sandwich before we go to the vet. He never gets this food except for a vet visit so it's always extra special. Though he has never tried to bite anyone, I have him conditioned to happily wear a basket muzzle. It shows my respect for the veterinary staff providing care, it can also lower my own stress level and it also protects my dogs.
