Getting a puppy used to being handled.

Tonks is 16 weeks old now and has conjunctivitis. I think she is very well behaved, she knows 15 commands and i have worked (and still are) really hard in socializing her - so much so that we even had a four page socialization chart of experiences i wanted her to have before 12 weeks of age!

She has been to the vets threes times before but today was the first time she had to have something examined really. During her previous visits all that staff have admired how calm she is, and have said it is particularly unusual for a staffy.

Well today we saw a different vet, who didn't really say hello to Tonks first, or offer her any treats, but went straight to looking at her eyes....and then putting in cream. Well it turned into a wrestling match really.

Her parting comment was "I will give you strong cream that you only have to put in once a day because of the way she is!"

I feel really bed, she really wasn't that bad! I have worked as an assistant trainer in puppy classes and volunteered in rescue centres and at a vets and i have seen far far more wriggly puppies!


We will be working on handling every day now and i will put the cream in when she is sleepy in the evenings. I hope this hasn't put her off the vets too much. Think i will ask for one of the other vets we have seen next time!

I feel like i have let her down by not practising this enough. We have practised being held, but obviously haven't done enough work on handling.

Don't worry. You still have plenty of time to practice more co-operative behaviours but, really, I know I'm not too still when someone wants to muck around with my eyes, either.

Anyway, I would suggest doing something along these lines... If you're looking for suggestions. This is for nail clipping, but its applicable to eye cream, too, I believe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgEwiH8CeUE

Don't beat yourself up! When we go out into the real world we find out what we need to practice.

It's a hard one though isn't it, even when you think you've covered everything, there's always something.
Syd hates his feet touched (claws trimmed) but will happily give you his paw and let you look at his feet, until he twigs treatment might be involved. Then only the shut up and stay still approach works with him.
Rio hates anything involving her mouth and eyes yet we practised examining them so much when she was younger. With her only the nice and gentle approach works.
Frankie is iffy with his eyes too, and only clamping him in my arms works.
So I guess sometimes no matter how hard you try they all have their own little dislikes and all need a different approach to deal with them.

I don't think you let her down at all, she is a puppy and still learning about the world. The problem was the vet who obviously doesn't do considerate.
Don't let this effect you and carry on as you are 'cause you sound like you are doing a great job
Good luck with eye drops and I hope her eyes clear up soon

Thank you everyone. I feel really sad - i wanted the vets to be a happy experience for her, but i don't suppose it always will be.

I love that video clip leema - really nice to see an owner realising that dominace isn't the main issue that its craked up to be.

Gave me some ideas for shaping with Tonks. I'm already clicking for lying still while i groom her. Can't decide whether to click for sitting still and touching bottom half of body and moving up to head or to go straight for her offering head in my hands and then moving up to touching eyes and ears etc.

Any ideas which might be best?

as soon as i got archie i started touching his mouth slowy & saying the words 'open' after he got a treat, now i say 'open and he lets me open his mouth have a good olf look at his teeth........and get s treat! as i know that he will have this done at the vets!

i also practice restraining him incase this needs to be done at the vets, and as soon as his calm, he gets told his a good boy....and gets a treat! he doesnt really try to get away anymore!! and i think we know why...treats!!

i used to use a clicker but it just seemed alot of hassle i never had it with me when i needed it!

with grooming i just get him ona high surface and basically groom him, ive done it since day 5 i think and he alsways gets treat safter, he isnt bothered anymore and i think he feels nicer after cos his hairs med/longish!

yeah i practise restraint everyday, but definately need to do more of looking at teeth and eyes etc and then doing that while she is being restrained. Got my work cut out! Glad i won't have to put anymore cream in until tomorrow!

lol what i do is i put him on my lap & jsut like a cuddled but a bit more firmer, if he wriggles i do nothing when he stops....thats the good boy part!

he doesnt move at all now!!

he laos goes on his back with paws in the air to clip his nails!!

at first he didnt like it....but treats after every paw...soon stopped that!!

Aww that sounds great! Initially i fell into the trap of not grooming Tonks because she has such a short coat, but now do it every night and with her new zoom groom she is really starting to enjoy it. Initially it was more like a down stay with clicks and treats for lying still while i was brushing her....now she keep rolling over to have her tummy done!

aww staffys love there belly getting rubbed,i would asked to see another vet next time he maybe got bad vibes