New Vet

[Emily]

I've decided to take Ella to a new vet. The Rspca was great but I felt that Ella was getting more nervous each time we went and the hustle and bustle of the place probably didn't help.

Our new vet is actually very close to home and has come highly recommended from a friend. I spoke to them on the phone and they encouraged me to bring Ella in to say hi.

We went in and she got lots of treats and attention from the vet nurses and lots of treats for sitting on the scales (she knows that one so well - if you turn your back for a second you'll find her sitting on the scales, ready for her reward!).

Im going to pop in sometimes when on a walk so that she can hopefully start to build a bit of a positive association with the place (it's a new place so I think we're talking about classic conditioning - did I get that right @snowbunny? ).

 

[snowbunny]

If she has no existing feeling towards the place and all you're doing is building a positive response to it, then it is pure classical conditioning, yes

Squidge is the same with the scales. I've done a lot of boundary games with her. She was nervous of the scales as a young pup, and W&S were always wary, but after hammering boundary games in different scenarios, when we go to the vet now I just give my "place" cue and they hop up without hesitation. Such a valuable thing to teach, because the last thing you want is to be adding more stress at the vet. And if you have a Squidge/Ella who knows the game really well (and has no stimulus control ), they'll hop up even without you asking just so they can look proud as punch and weasel a reward from you

 

[Boogie]

We did the same with Tatze. For no reason that we could see she became afraid of the old vet. She’s absolutely fine at the new place.

??

 

[Selina27]

Good luck with the new vet Emily, they sound very good.

Cassie is another one who loves to sit on the scales in the vets! Not so very keen to go in the consulting room since her spay though!

 

[Naya]

The new vets sounds really nice. Harley always goes straight to the scales too. She is wary of the vets, but after lots of ‘popping in’ and just slowly getting used to the consulting rooms she is much better.

 

[kateincornwall]

Lovely , it sounds like a friendly place for her x

 

[Charlie]

If they give treats and make a fuss that's always a good sign. Hope you like the new vets Ella x

 

[Atemas]

I've decided to take Ella to a new vet

Hope this work out for you and Ella. I too have changed vets for my dogs. It is a slightly longer journey for me. When making an appointment for Sky I discovered that the only senior vet (I liked her and felt confident about her) had left, the other senior one left a little while ago. I had been getting strange vibes about the place, yet hearing good things about the new one so I decided to register them there. Not had to take them yet but hope I have made the right decision. I did say thank you to the old vets for everything they had done for my dogs over time.