A remarkable thing happened at the vet last week - Zephyr remained calm. He did not shake. He did not pant. He only barked once, and that was excusable since a big, hairy dog poked his nose in the empty cat waiting area where we were and stared right at him. I can’t fault him for that.
Vet visits with Zoe consist of putting on her leash, tossing a few treats in a pocket, and getting in the car. She’s usually agreeable with following me into the building. Until our last visit, she shows only mild signs of stress, but I can usually get her to relax a bit with some tricks and games. Vet visits with Zephyr consist of putting on his leash, filling a treat pouch full of cookies, grabbing a clicker, and making sure I have his “worry” toy, a disc-shaped thing covered in rabbit fur that he only gets when we go to the vet. I have to keep up a certain amount of vigilance to avoid potential triggers as best we can. I try to get there twenty minutes early so Zephyr has a chance to sniff around the parking lot and decompress a bit. He walks around with the toy in his mouth until he’s ready to go in the building. Often we make several loops up to the building and away again until he’s okay with going inside. Giving him some choice and control in his actions goes a long way with dogs like Zephyr. The toy generally remains in his mouth through the whole check-in procedure. I think it gives him comfort, but it also gives him something to focus on instead of worrying about the dogs around him. It’s hard to bark when you have a toy you have to hold on to.
During our last visit, Zephyr continued to remain calm in the examination room. He even sprawled out on the floor while we were waiting for the vet to come in. I stood there in awe of my calm dog lying on the floor in a vet office. My anxious, reactive boy had come a long way. To be honest, I was also a bit in awe of myself that I successfully managed to help Zephyr out. It’s been a long five years with him, and we’ve won no ribbons or titles at any event, but damn if my guy isn’t now comfortable seeing the vet. That’s the biggest win we can get.
I got Zephyr with the idea of doing agility with him. Between Zoe and Zephyr, I’ve tried out lure coursing, fly ball, agility, and nose work. I’d like to compete someday but creating a world in which my dogs are happy and loving life is first and foremost. I’ll take a dog who’s comfortable in his skin and relaxed when it comes to necessary husbandry work over a title any day.
Back to the vet. I’ve thought a bit as to why he is now my more comfortable dog at the vet. I think two things helped the most. I allow him choice, and I utilize play. Choice gives him a feeling of control, and just like humans, dogs like to feel they are directing their own destiny. And with choice comes a lack of force. I don’t tug on his leash to keep him moving. I don’t push him to go inside. If he freezes up in the middle of the lobby, I talk to him in a high, happy voice. I try to engage him in play with the toy in his mouth. Without force, he believes he is making the decision to move forward.
I checked out of the vet office with a dog who continued to show none of the extreme signs of stress he normally displays. He made a beeline to the car as soon as we got outside. He’d had enough. He’d kept it together enough. Years of work and a lot of patience finally paid off.
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