PET OF THE WEEK: Trixie is a dainty, 8-year-old female terrier mix with the softest tan and white fur! This sweet girl doesn’t mind hanging out with other dogs, but she’d much rather sit on your lap for affection and treats. Ask for Trixie ID# A817925.
Adoptable pets are available at Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA’s Tom and Annette Lantos Center for Compassion, 1450 Rollins Road, Burlingame. For information, call 650-340-7022 or visit www.phs-spca.org. (Thelma Andree / Peninsula Humane Society)
Dear Miss Behavin’: Our dog hates going to the veterinarian. He’s only 2 years old, so we’ve got many years and visits ahead of us. How can we help him cope?
Reply: Not all dogs are enthusiastic about their vet visits — and for good reason. If you think about it from the dog’s perspective, each time they visit they get poked (vaccines) or they aren’t feeling well to begin with.
The process for getting your dog acclimated to the veterinary hospital is called desensitization. In short, we’ll find a few ways to help your dog learn to cope (if not enjoy) visits to the vet.
If the only place you drive your dog is to the vet hospital, start by driving to other places — like the pet store or a local park. This way he won’t anticipate something negative each time he goes for a car ride.
If the car ride isn’t the issue, call your vet and ask when they have light foot traffic or fewer appointments, and see if you can stop by for a visit without an appointment. Take your dog to the vet, go inside, offer him a few treats from the counter, and leave. Nothing scary there.
Once he’s comfortable walking into the hospital, up the ante by asking him to step on the scale or sit in the waiting area for a few moments. You get the picture — ease him into the experience just as you would want to be eased into something you don’t enjoy but have to do — like getting into a cold pool for swim practice.
Lastly, let your veterinarian know if your dog becomes distressed before or during veterinary visits. Many vet clinics have options for dogs who don’t particularly enjoy their annual check-up or emergency visit.
Read more from Miss Behavin’ in the Mercury News.