Most dogs hate their annual checkups – but one vet claims their anxiety over them is preventable if you take the right steps at home.
It prompted them to share the ‘common mistake’ pet owners make after welcoming a dog into their home which sets the tone for their relationship with their vet.
Taking to Reddit‘s ‘Veterinarians of Reddit, what do pet owners ignore the most?” thread, the professional explained the steps owners should take at home to make their lives easier in the long run.
They said: “The finest thing you can do for your new pet, particularly a puppy or kitten, is to handle it frequently when it is young.
“Getting them used to having their feet handled, nails trimmed, mouths opened (even more benefit if you get them used to brushing their teeth daily (the gold standard for at-home dental care), ears touched, especially breeds prone to ear infections – a huge benefit in the future if you have to administer topical ear medication.”
Not only this but the vet also expressed the importance of getting your dog used to being restrained, saying it should be seen as a “crucial” step in their training.
They added: “I constantly advise my clients to train their animals to be restrained. Because it hasn’t learned to be okay with restraint, that wriggly puppy that is cute when it nips when you hold it grows up to be a massive dog that can’t be properly examined.
Commenting on their post, one user said: “I used to work in groomers and the amount of lovely dogs I’d work with that were sweet as anything until you tried to touch their ears or pick up a paw. I don’t understand how you can own and look after a dog without touching these areas.”
Another user added: “So my German Shepherd will be completely still. He will let me do literally any examination no problem. If he goes to the vet he’s a nightmare and squirms. I don’t know how to train him to let other people examine him because he’s great for me.”