Dear Dr. Lee,
My German Shepherd Dog is terrified when he goes to the veterinary office or to the groomer’s for a bath. I am afraid he is going to bite someone. At home he is a sweetheart. Any suggestions?
Nervous in Camillus
Dear Nervous,
The veterinary office and the grooming salon can be nerve wracking places for your dog because he may be manipulated in ways in which he is not altogether comfortable. One of the best things that you can do is bring your dog to those places for “happy visits” in which he goes into the building, maybe stands on the scale and gets a cookie from a receptionist or assistant, and then leaves, without being poked or prodded. This will help to reduce the amount of anxiety associated with the physical location.
The muzzle is a wonderful tool that can help to prevent a bite by an animal that is scared, painful or aggressive. Typical muzzles that can be purchased include a nylon fabric type and a basket type. The basket muzzle has the advantage in that the dog can pant easily. Also, they can learn to dunk the whole muzzle in a bowl of water to drink, and treats can easily be delivered through between the wires.
You can train your dog to accept a muzzle easily. This will allow you to put the muzzle on in situations in which he might need to have one on with minimal fuss. With the basket muzzle, start with a hungry dog. Place a delectable treat into the open basket and offer it to your dog. He should readily stick his nose into the basket to retrieve the treat. Repeat multiple times until you are sure he is comfortable with this. When he reaches that point, you may start playing with the strap while he is eating out of the basket. This will desensitize him to having the strap manipulated. Eventually, you should be able to buckle the strap behind the ears, at which point, you can continue to give your dog treats through the muzzle wires. This procedure can also be adapted to the nylon fabric muzzle; start with a treat delivered between your fingers placed backwards through the nose opening so that you can entice your dog to move his face forward into the muzzle. Soft dog foods and peanut butter work well for rewarding the wearing of the nylon muzzle. Have your dog wear the muzzle around the house at random times so that the wearing of the muzzle is not always associated with a perceived unpleasant experience.
In case of an emergency, you can make a muzzle out of a long strip of fabric, a shoelace, or panty hose. Place the middle of the tie underneath the dog’s chin. Tie a half hitch knot on top of the muzzle. Bring the ends of the ties underneath the dog’s chin and make an “X” so that the tie ends switch sides. Secure the ties behind the dog’s ears with a knot such as one you would use to tie your shoe.
If your dog can accept a muzzle, he will be able to be examined and treated or groomed more quickly, and with minimal risk to the handler, reducing the stress of the visit for all.
Sincerely,
Dr. Lee
