(Photo above: Behaviorist Dr. Mark Evey PhD | courtesy of Mt. Bachelor Veterinary Hospital)
The pets that come under my care are loved by their human caretakers who seek to provide them with the necessary vaccinations and other medical care to ensure their ongoing health and well-being. Yet, these same people fail to recognize that the pets behavior is a fundamental barrier to the health and well-being of their pet.
This is one of the biggest problems I see as a Vet. An animal that is undisciplined and uncontrollable cannot receive medical treatments from the veterinarians or be cared for at home. Our goal is to train, early on, pets to be cooperative for necessary care like medicating, grooming, nail care and treatments by doctors.
Animals need to be able to adjust to expected and unexpected events in a stable manner. Even in well bonded relationships, I often see animals with behavioral problems that directly and indirectly pose a risk to their health. Common reasons for this are our fear that the pet won’t love them, they don’t understand the necessity of learning these behaviors or they don’t take the time that is necessary to train their pet.
The economic costs alone of being unable to do simple treatments and grooming is a huge cost over the life of a pet not to mention the likely hood of chronic recurrent conditions never completely resolving.
Everybody wins when the balance of power is properly aligned. Starting with common behavioral expectations such as “come, sit and stay” for dogs or being held and restrained for cats, our pets need to be taught the social behaviors that they will need for the world they live in.
We are here, Dr. Evey and I, to change the playbook so that you become an even more effective advocate and caretaker for your pet. Fortunately, understanding a few basic principles, anyone can learn to be an effective trainer.
1. All behaviors are best reinforced with tasty snack rewards. One person stabilizes the back end and keeps from wiggling and one applies the tasks below. Never push too hard- just constant repetition with calmness .
2. Voice control is imperative when applying tasks to develop you pets tolerance of handling and necessary care. It is the single most useful modality for getting attention in a constructive way.
3. Set your puppy or kitten on a counter ask to sit and gently but firmly hold around shoulders and neck and assertively restrain. You must insist with firm voice control. Do this until compliance occurs and it will!
4. In this position open the mouth as if giving a pill or retrieving an object. Repeat until established as a routine. Don’t allow any idea of not cooperating.
5. Now gently swab the ears with a q-tip – this simulates cleaning or medicating.
6. Pull the upper and lower lids open wide. This will desensitize them to eventual application of medications.
7. Finally, with a small, people nail clipper, clip the tip of a few nails. Insist this be done.
8.Give a small treat at the completion of each skill.
You will undoubtedly meet resistance and may need to repeat a task 30 times. It always works out and will pay you back a thousand fold in healthier pets and less vet bills. Repeat daily for seven to ten days. No dog or cat has ever held a grudge and makes an owner sad for asserting what they want. Most of all they learn you are not trainable!
Mt. Bachelor Veterinary Hospital
61535 S Hwy. 97, Ste. 3, Bend
541-389-6612
www.mtbachelorvethospital.com
