halfthewords Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 That inconsistency would definitely be annoying!! Maybe mention it to the nurse next time. :laugh: See her explain why some dogs can and some can't. Personally, I don't let my dogs up on seats at the vet. It's unnecessary. They're fine on the floor. Having a dog in your lap because it's anxious about the vet would be reinforcing the bad behaviour, so I wouldn't do it either way. Rather wait outside where it's not "inside" the clinic. :) Cats in crates are another thing altogether, obviously, since most idiots let their dogs go right up to cats in carriers and scare the sh%t out of them. Anxiety is not "bad behaviour" - its very real to the dog. Many vet behaviourists do not agree with the notion that comforting a distressed dog is reinforcing the anxiety - there seems to be differing opinions on that. Completely agree Rosetta. Of course anxiety is real to the dog, but sitting there coddling an animal who is too terrified to take notice of a person crooning and stroking it isn't going to make a difference at all. Carl is not comfortable being at the vet so I'm more than happy to give him a couple of quick pats, but I don't 'reassure' him as such. Generally I find that taking treats and asking him to do some routine tricks or whatever is way more effective in taking his mind what's going on. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 Actually, many leading behaviourists now say that comforting the dog is a good thing. You can't reinforce anxiety by parting your dog. If he's taking treats then he can't be that anxious anyway - a fearful dog won't eat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halfthewords Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 Actually, many leading behaviourists now say that comforting the dog is a good thing. You can't reinforce anxiety by parting your dog. If he's taking treats then he can't be that anxious anyway - a fearful dog won't eat My dog isn't anxious, he's mildly uncomfortable at best when he goes to the vet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 We have no problem with dogs on seats at our clinic. In fact, quite often our clinic dog gets up with the clients too! The benches have vinyl cushion covers so easily cleaned, and we have a leather couch too which again is easy to wipe down. We usually only have 1-3 people waiting at any time so there is plenty of room. Our clinic is very focused on keeping dogs and cats calm and happy, so if a dog is happiest sitting up with its owner, that's fine with us. :) Good on you. As it should be. It's not just dogs that get anxious in clinics. Sometimes, especially when there's a serious worry and a long wait, the owners get pretty strung out as well. If having their dog on their lap helps keep their blood pressure down, and generally makes the waiting room a calmer, more relaxed place, I'm all for it. Where the chairs aren't suitable, I've been known to sit on the floor at the vets to be next to my dog. I'm sure some people cluck with disapproval. But that's their problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavNrott Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 Actually, many leading behaviourists now say that comforting the dog is a good thing. You can't reinforce anxiety by parting your dog. If he's taking treats then he can't be that anxious anyway - a fearful dog won't eat Agree that anxious or fearful dog will not take treats. I've always flown in the face of 'experts' who say not to comfort a stressed and anxious dog. Every one of my rescue Rottweilers were a terrified shaking, panting mess when there was a thunder storm. I would sit down with my body touching theirs and calmly stroke them from head to tail while speaking softly, to reassure them. Without fail this would result in the dog stopping their shaking and calming down. Strangely none of my own dogs have ever been fearful of thunder storms. I wonder why that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 (edited) I let my dog/s sit on my lap, not the chairs. I've seen the hygiene state of some dogs brought to the vet. I'd rather not sit where such dogs have been. Kirty: We have no problem with dogs on seats at our clinic. In fact, quite often our clinic dog gets up with the clients too! The LAST thing I want to see at a vet is the unrestrained, unsupervised clinic dog or cat wandering aroud reception. Just want you DO NOT need if you have a DA dog or a high prey drive one. It's bad enough when clients aren't forced to have dogs on a leash or cats in a box!! Took my DA poodle up to Sydney for a consult on spinal issues. Unrestrained Mini Schnauzer in reception so I head for a quiet spot. ""Can you weigh your dog please" says the vet nurse. "Please keep your dog away from mine" I say to client with mini S. "my dog is not dog friendly'. I head for the scales and before I know it the Mini S is in Darcy's face and he reacts. Vet nurse rushes out with a lead for the Mini S. Too bloody late then! : Edited December 23, 2013 by Haredown Whippets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pjrt Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 (edited) I let my dog/s sit on my lap, not the chairs. I've seen the hygiene state of some dogs brought to the vet. I'd rather not sit where such dogs have been. Kirty: We have no problem with dogs on seats at our clinic. In fact, quite often our clinic dog gets up with the clients too! The LAST thing I want to see at a vet is the unrestrained, unsupervised clinic dog or cat wandering aroud reception. Just want you DO NOT need if you have a DA dog or a high prey drive one. It's bad enough when clients aren't forced to have dogs on a leash or cats in a box!! Took my DA poodle up to Sydney for a consult on spinal issues. Unrestrained Mini Schnauzer in reception so I head for a quiet spot. ""Can you weigh your dog please" says the vet nurse. "Please keep your dog away from mine" I say to client with mini S. "my dog is not dog friendly'. I head for the scales and before I know it the Mini S is in Darcy's face and he reacts. Vet nurse rushes out with a lead for the Mini S. Too bloody late then! : Ughh, I get this! It annoys the crap out of me that some grooming salons have 'salon pets' loose, or worse even a 'cageless' free for all. All animals are contained appropriately in my shop or else !! And as for seating, speaking from a grooming shop perspective, I have a faux leather lounge and hard plastic seats, and I welcome couch surfing pets as long as they are still on leash and under control..... Edited December 23, 2013 by skyefool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 (edited) Ughh, I get this! It annoys the crap out of me that some grooming salons have 'salon pets' loose, or worse even a 'careless' free for all. All animals are contained appropriately in my shop or else !! And as for seating, speaking from a grooming shop perspective, I have a faux leather lounge and hard plastic seats, and I welcome couch surfing pets as long as they are still on leash and under control..... Some folk seem to think a vet's reception area is a playgroup /petting zoo. They let their dogs (and sometimes kids) approach everyone and everything. Doesn't seem to cross their mind that your dog might be frail, in pain or just unwell or stressed, not to mention DA. I don't let my dogs go up to the rabbit or cat boxes and I can't believe people let that happen. Mind you, last time I was at the vet, the next "client" over was a snake in a bag. Not a very happy snake either I don't think. Edited December 23, 2013 by Haredown Whippets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 I hate that too. I don't like it when clinics have cats wandering around either, way too risky IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tibbie_tabbie Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 I hate that too. I don't like it when clinics have cats wandering around either, way too risky IMO. Are there clinics like that?! I wouldn't be able to take my JRT there at all.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PuddleDuck Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 I hate that too. I don't like it when clinics have cats wandering around either, way too risky IMO. Are there clinics like that?! I wouldn't be able to take my JRT there at all.... My vet clinic has a couple of clinic cats that are usually napping on the waiting room chairs. It ticks me off, last time I was there I had a lame dog I was trying to keep quiet and my 2 year old daughter who we are teaching not to touch strange animals. It was a 20 minute wait of bloody misery between the pair of them : Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 My vet hospital has clinic cats. Usually they are asleep in their basket behine the desk and you are not quite sure if they are alive or a toy! I don't like loose dogs but no issue with under control animals in, on or under chairs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarope Posted December 23, 2013 Author Share Posted December 23, 2013 These are the seats that all the fuss is about. As I said if the rule of no dogs or cat carry cases on seats was applied to everyone fair enough...but it's not and the rude staff doesn't help either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juice Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 ha, that's my vets. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 I hate that too. I don't like it when clinics have cats wandering around either, way too risky IMO. Are there clinics like that?! I wouldn't be able to take my JRT there at all.... Yes a couple I've been to have had cats walking round the surgery. I go to a different vet now :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yonjuro Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 (edited) It sounds like Mrs Cranky is just being a be-atch. A vet practice can be a stressful place to visit for we humans, especially when our much loved pets are unwell. When you are next there I would either let the vet know how you feel about the staff and are considering moving or simply switch vets. If you switch vets I would make sure they know that Mrs Cranky is the person responsible for your move and for them to let you know if a time comes when she is no longer there. It seems that your Vet acknowledges this person's demeanour by calling her Mrs Cranky - however, they may not be aware though that this person could be damaging their business by alienating customers. Having said that I have never seen dogs sitting on human chairs at the Vet, and personally wouldn't do it, but it seems the chair is less of an issue than how you feel you are being singled out and made uncomfortable by this person. I do hope it all works out for you in the future. Edited December 23, 2013 by Yonjuro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casowner Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 My boy just turned months and he thinks he can fit in the baby seat in the car, I can't imagine him at the vets on a seat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*kirty* Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 I understand those concerns. Our clinic dog is always supervised and if someone has a DA or anxious dog, we put him out the back. We are a specialist clinic so its not like we have very sick dogs in here or heaps of people waiting at any one time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juice Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 This is a very popular and well respected surgery, the vet nurses have been there a long time, and there are alot of them. I'm sure threatening to take business away will have little effect, and they are good vets. I would suck it up,i find most of the nurses ok, the odd one is bit full of themselv's :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simply Grand Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 Actually, many leading behaviourists now say that comforting the dog is a good thing. You can't reinforce anxiety by parting your dog. If he's taking treats then he can't be that anxious anyway - a fearful dog won't eat My dog isn't anxious, he's mildly uncomfortable at best when he goes to the vet. Then perhaps you aren't really in a position to be judging how people whose dogs are anxious should be dealing with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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