The last time I gave Jethro a treatment it was a real wrestling match and I ended up with Advantage kind of spread everywhere. Not good. I'm getting ready for his next application and I wondered if you had any tips? I'll wear rubber gloves this time, so I think I should start with getting him used to the gloves on my hands so he doesn't run away from them.

how it works for the lab.

Step 1 - open the frontline
Step 2 - Grab collar
Step 3 - Say Stay
Step 4 - apply frontline
Step 5 - dog treat
Step 6 - throw away frontline tube

I just do it when they arent really paying attention, I just pretend im petting them and put it on discreetly....might be easier said then done though as my dogs couldnt care either way. Be careful of doing it when they are lying down, I had it drip down the dog onto the bed.

Good luck!

ps.Do you notice your dogs have awful breath after for a few days? All 3 of mine have horrible breath, took a while to make connection, kept thinking a dog or cat peed or something...

Darwin sees the tube and runs screaming to hide. Why is it so scary for them? I have a nice big scar on my arm from a previous wrestling match.

Now I give it like his injections: straddle him like riding a horse backwards, while holding his collar. I'd rather do it by reasoning with him, but he just doesn't have the language skills ;-)

Marker training. Marker training. Marker training.

Sadie, our older dog, used to run, pee on the floor, etc... when I would get out the Fronline. (Falcon never flinched, he couldn't care less.) After learning about Marker Training on LB and introducing that method on this behavior - TA DA!!!

I kept an old "vial" of the Frontline, washed it well and put scotch tape over the tip. Then I'd show it to Sadie and mark and treat. Then let her sniff it, mark and treat. Then get it out of the "evil drawer where all tortuous dog items are kept" and show it to her, mark and treat. Etc... I just showed it to her for a day or two and marked, then moved on to sniffing, it, etc...

Then I'd just touch it on her paw where she could see it, gradually moved up to her back and behind her head which used to freak her out. You get the drift - we practiced the whole routine without applying the med and getting rewarded the entire time.

Worked like a charm. Same method I used to get a previously idiotic dog about having her nails trimmed sit happily for the dremel.

OK, this is definitely worth trying!

I wonder why some dogs freak out. Mine never have, they just stand there, although I also don't tolerate silly behavior. I firmly show them there's nothing wrong, no reason to be worried, and they always get over it. I've had to do that a lot with using a dremmel on their nails.

Okay. I can choose to try a force approach and just hold Jethro down, or try enlisting his cooperation through marker conditioning. I think I will get going on the marker training. This is a once a month exercise, and I don't want him to get progressively more resistant. We spend a lot of time training for the necessities of ordinary life.

 Quote: samanthatopper

I wonder why some dogs freak out. Mine never have, they just stand there, although I also don't tolerate silly behavior. I firmly show them there's nothing wrong, no reason to be worried, and they always get over it.

I use the "get over it" attitude when bathing. "To bad, you're gonna get soapy and wet (and so am I...) but you'll live".

When a dog is reacting to the point of peeing on the floor for some unknown, illogical reason (to me) helping her get over that fear made more sense to me in the long run than continually causing this irrational fear every month.

If they are just being an idiot and don't want a bath - too bad. If they are exhibiting behaviors like peeing, biting, etc... I'd recommend using marker training for happy behavior modification. jmho.

 Quote: Barbara Schuler

 Quote: SamanthaTopper

I wonder why some dogs freak out.

I’m convinced it’s the smell.

Vince is no problem, I ask him to stand and he doesn’t move, swish. But this is also a dog that will stand with no collar or leash while I clip both front and back nails.

Echo is a bit fidgety wondering what the smell is, a bit of head twisting and air sucking, but stands nicely. I can do his front feet with treats while he’s lying down but gets fidgety with the back.

Garrett detests the process. He’s little (83 lbs) in comparison to the other two so Bob holds him, I apply. And then watch a cushnoid, stumbling, older husky get the zoomies.

He runs and he rolls and he squeals and he jumps (if you can call it that). And then he’ll flip and stand all squared, staring at me with the harriest eyeballs. He’s quite dramatic about his disapproval. His nails take care of themselves though, thank goodness, because he is meticulous about is feet. They must clean at all times and he hates them fussed with.

It’s funny too, when I happen to rub between his shoulders in the next week or two, he backs up and is desperate to smell my hands. He sniffs my fingers and snorts with an almost disgusted head shake.

I’m sure it’s the smell with him. If only it smelled like fresh cooked bacon, I’m sure I wouldn't have near the problems.

eta: He’s always rewarded after the process, which WE don’t find that difficult to tag team him on and he actually stands quite nicely for the application. It’s the aftermath that I don’t think will ever change, he’s out of control, bonkers. I should get it on video.