Today I brought my 9 month old working line female to the orthopedic vets for a recheck on her hip surgery she had done 6 weeks ago. When male vet tech came close to her she barked and then I gave her a quick correction and told her it was fine and she let him pet her. He had to take her in the back because she had to have x-rays and I walked to the door with them and off they went. After the x-rays they brought her back to me and then the tech had to come in again and bring her back for another look in back. When he came toward her hackles raised and she lunged toward him, really more toward his hand but I think if she had wanted to bite him she could have. The tech asked me to walk her back and assist putting her in the cage. The tech was walking about 2 feet in front of us while I had pup on the leash behind. While we were walking she was barking at him with raised hackles and lunging. I don't know if she was intending to bite him or not but he wasn't even facing us <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> I gave her leash corrections while she was doing this and by the time we got to the cage she let him put her in. What do you make of this behavior. She has never acted like that before. I'm sure she was really stressed out, but this does not seem acceptable to me <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> Is there any different way I should have handled it?? Please advise. Thanks.

I've always gone to the vet with tons of treats and the goal to have my dog love it there. We visit in the waiting room doing tricks, and getting treats from the other people waiting.

We do trick and get treats in the exam room. I have the vet hand out treats, and the tech hand out treats, and the receptionist. I have a fist full of treats milking out of my hand into my pups mouth while the vet is working on the other end.

And I have three dogs who love going to the vet. No harsh corrections. No stress. No hackles or barking. They get shots with no problems and get led away for things with curiousity and not fear.

It's much easier for the vets to do the exam because they have a normal acting and healthy dog. Heart rates normal. Appetite normal. Sparkle in the eye and curiousity about what's going on. They are NOT trying to leave. Are NOT barking.

I take the dogs in when I just have to pick up Frontline, and we visit, do tricks, and get treat AND THEN LEAVE! I take my dog when it's my cat's visit.

Going to the vet is EXACTLY like any other part of my dogs life, only 'easier' cause I know they have to go. So I can add it to my 'socialization' schedule along with everything else. It's harder to prepare for a police siren going off beside you on the sidewalk (unless you know the cops LOL), cause it may not happen for years. But you know darn well you have to take you dog to the vet, it involve your dog being sick and in pain, and I feel I have the RESPONSIBILITY to prepare them prior to this to make it as easy for EVERYONE as I can.

I have socialized her alot in the vet's office as well, doing the treat thing, etc....and she has always been good. This time we couldn't do the treat thing because of the x-rays <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />. I am also looking for input as to whether this is a temperment problem????

Young dogs can go thru different fear stages, and they also change their personalities as they mature. Since this was such a specific instance and obviously stressful for the dog, I wouldn't be specifically concerned.

That said, I'd be visiting the vet alot in the next few weeks with the baggie of treats and NOT excitement other that the treats and some waiting in the waiting room. If you can get the staff to feed the dog, even better.

Here's some info on the mental growth stages and fear periods our dogs may go thru.

http://www.doberman.org/articles/puppy.htm

http://www.vanerp.net/ilse/GSDINFO/understandyourpuppy.htm

http://www.nwk9.com/dehasse_pupdev.htm

http://www.uwsp.edu/psych/dog/lib-Puppy.htm#soc

Sounds more like the tech did something to the dog then anything else. Try not to let your dog out of your sight. If they have a problem with you supervising your dogs x-rays then switch vets unless they have a really good reason not to allow you back there.

I agree w/Cathy on this one. Maybe your dog just "sensed" something about that particular tech.

Hopefully it's an isolated incident.

I agree with Cathy; I would never let my working dog be led by the staff nor would I allow them to treat the dog either...all rewards should come from you alone (JMHO). If you have a good relationship with your vet, he/she should respect your dog's unique position as a working animal and allow you full access to x-rays, sedating, etc. As a former vet receptionist, clients with working animals were always allowed "in the back" to help with sedation, x-rays, etc. The vet techs welcomed the help and the owner was always appreciative of the respect shown his/her animal. If your vet cannot respect your position as the owner of a working dog, find a vet who will.

My GSP loves going to the vet, to a fault.

My ex-wife made an appointment once. I told jer to reschedule so that I could take him and she said she'll handle it. I insisted and so did she.

I then told her to take the prong collar, once again she said she'll handle it. She took the choke so she wouldn't look cruel and Coco ducked out of it and ran rampant in the hospital. Scratched the ex all up and she was reprimanded harshly by the vet for not having control of her dog.

She called me at work in tears and told me if I didn't come home immediatly after work that she'd put him down. I divorced her. Coco is alive and well, living with me and my girlfriend.

QUOTE: Try not to let your dog out of your sight. If they have a problem with you supervising your dogs x-rays then switch vets unless they have a really good reason not to allow you back there END

My vet agreed in the first interview, many years ago, that she would allow me to accompany my dogs (including my little elderly couch dog, btw!) for all processes. This was for my dog's comfort AND my own. Working dogs' owners are matter-of-factly allowed in the back (if they prefer; most do). I have accompanied all my dogs through everything, including anesthetization, up to the point where the dog had to enter a surgery-sterile room.

I bring this up just to emphasize that there are vets who agree readily to the owner's involvement in nearly every procedure. That first interview, before there is anything wrong, is all-important, in my book. So is the initial painless, trauma-free visit (for the dogs). The vet's office is a stressful place, filled with exciting smells and many animals and often animal anxiety in the air.....something the dogs can sense much better than we can. I like to be ready way in advance.

My dog listens to me at the vet, but whenever he sees an exit door, he starts heading towards it until I tell him to "c'mon" - which is his command for "quit doin what you're doing and head in my direction" - I think it's because he has memories of things goin up his butt n he's not too crazy about that procedure. Luckily he hasn't displayed any aggression to anyone there, altho he did raise his hackles n let out some low growling when he heard someone about to enter the exam room, he was on full alert, then as soon as the door opened n he saw who it was he relaxed, im surprised he didn't bark, maybe he's not as sharp as I thought.

I've found that my pup's hackles raising doesn't mean he's gonna bite even tho he looks like he wants to kill you - he usually wants to run circles around the person he's barking at n decide if they're ok, being on a leash puts him more on edge than if he's running around loose. My vet always told me "take his leash off so he can sniff around the exam room", ofcourse, he seems to be able to sniff thru the walls n smell the dog in the next room so he spends the whole time sniffing the wall lol.