Fudge at the vets very scared and difficult to handle. Advice needed.

It was that dreaded time that comes round every year, the kennel cough squirt up the nose.

As soon as she goes in the room she tries to get out. The vet was lovely, he put a soft muzzle on her an spent ages stroking her and talking to her.Then he tried with the assisitants help to administer the vac, NO CHANCE

Then came the four man approach with me and OH helping, no way either. In the end I left the room leaving them to it. I figured it might be quicker for her. In the end he had to pin her between his legs with someone behind him and do it that way. It was areal battle and all I could hear were high pitched yelps and screaming noises.

I know it does not hurt them but she was SO SCARED.

I handle her at home and do daily mouth, ear and feet checks etc and she is avery loving people friendly dog. She just gets SO scared.

Does anyone have any advice on how to help her when she has to visit the vet?

Do you clicker train? You could do loads of work on handling by shaping, and rewarding. Gradually building up to touching her nose and then touching it with head tipped back and foreign object held to it like a pen.

If you have time i would also ask your vet if you could go to the vets at least once a week and have nothing done but sit in the waiting room clicking and rewarding calmness.

I know someone with a mastiff with the same problem.She regularly makes an appointment when there's nothing wrong and takes along some special treats for the vet to give the dog. The vet has been very helpful and things are improving.

I think the positive reinforcement at the vets would be a good idea. I can't clicker train with her as she is frightened by the noise. (sound phobic)Thanks for the suggestions.I use treats for positive reinforcement .

At home I can check her mouth hold her head, look in her ears, and even hols her muzzle and tickle her nose without a problem. The vet recognised this but said it was her fear kicking in.

Leema refered me to this clip when i was trying to get Tonks used to handling when she needed eye ointment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgEwiH8CeUE

It's excellent viewing.

I have seen that clip before but It was great watching it again. It refreshes a lot of ideas. Thanks.

Ask the Vet if you can do it yourself, most will let you, you cant do it wrong and the dog will be much better for it.
Dawn.

I had not thought of that Dawn.....thanks.

Thats only the kc one though, not sure how to help in general, but one less hassle will help her.

Often Bachs Rescue Remedy can help with this sort of thing.