We've worked with new trainer for about 2 weeks. From Day 1, Grouchy Pants was great - and I must say we were too - we didn't push him and took things slowly so he didn't go overthreshold and develop a pattern of reactive responses. I think there were a couple of tense moments, but from what I remember, the extent of Grouchy's reactions were to freeze. Of course we recognized and then diverted his attention.
So we met for a total of 6 times, three 1 hour sessions and three half hour sessions. First at our house, then at Finish Forward, then on a walk, then the last three a the vet clinic.
Vet Visit # 1 started with walking up to the door, then leaving to the parking lot. Grouchy doesn't seem to mind going inside, but it was nice to start this way, maybe showing him that he can leave.
Then we did the customary weigh-in which he also doesn't mind at all. We started with just doing circles around an exam room (2 doors to this room which is great!). Then trainer sat in the room while we made circles, then we stopped to say hi, get treats, etc from trainer, pausing longer each time. For the first session, we just had trainer touch him or I would pinch him while feeding him while he was standing in front of trainer sitting in the chair. We also poked him with a pen. After he was comfortable, we then asked Doc to stand in a doorway (not to the room, a separate doorway). Grouchy could then look at her, then we would retreat back into the empty exam room and he would get a treat. Did this a couple times until I felt he no longer needed the long retreat. We worked closer and closer until he got to sniff and touch Doc. (and then retreat). After doing this several times, Doc and Trainer went to sit in the exam room. Grouchy and I did circles, just like before, not stopping at first, then stopping, then stopping longer. Grouchy's head was toward Trainer, and his back end by Doc. This would prepare us for Doc giving him shots and drawing blood. This lasted 30 minutes.
Vet Visit # 2 did much of the same thing but lasted a little longer. We pretty much did the same thing, in the same general order as Vet Visit #1, but longer time with the poking/pinching and more time with Doc. This lasted about an hour.
Vet Visit #3 was the final show! Grouchy and I did a tough hike the day before and we went for a 45 minute walk - on- and off-leash prior to arriving at the clinic. That was a good thing because we probably waited 20 minutes before starting (Grouchy waited in the car). Again, we started the same but just one walk-up and leave since he didn't want to leave when he got to the door. We did circles, pinches and pokes. We met Doc in the same doorway, then did circles/pinches/pokes until the real shot! He was even able to stay in the room while Doc stood up and moved around. Well, we were in the doorway but I feel like previously, that would have elicited a reaction. He mainly just watched. Since the shot went so well, we thought we would push our luck and do blood draw.
We hadn't really practiced this previously, but came up with a game plan.
Trainer, with her super peanut butter tube, was going to stand in a corner, facing the wall (so the corner was on her left). I was going to bring Grouchy in, Trainer feeds Grouchy, I kneel behind Trainer and occlude the vein, and Doc gets behind me to draw the blood. We did 3 run throughs, Grouchy got to lick peanut butter for probably 30 seconds each run through. We left and did circles after each run through. On the fourth, we drew blood!
Grouchy was pretty focused on the peanut butter licking and only towards the end, when we had pretty much enough blood, moved his leg. Who cares! It was enough! I had to apply pressure to stop the bleeding so he probably stood facing the corner for over a minute, no issues. Doc then moved about the room transferring his blood to vials and stuff. Grouchy got treats during the time, but he seemed ok with Doc moving around.
It was helpful to know that Grouchy was comfortable enough to face a corner, with a wall on his left side, Trainer feeding him on his right, and me body blocking behind Trainer. This is a pretty enclosed space but as I suspected, it's not so much the small space and being surrounded, it's having people he trusts around him.
SO.. now I just have to find an appropriate trainer and accomodating vet clinic when we move and start the process over again. But at least I know it CAN be done and was really not painful at all. Grouchy seemed relaxed and happy through most of it. There was some tail tucking during the blood draw and after the shot, but only temporary and it came back up quickly.
No comments:
Post a Comment