Puppy Advice

Preparing for visits to the Vets

Visiting the vets is a necessary part of a dog’s life. Acclimatising your puppy to the handling and some of the other procedures that may happen there can go a long way towards helping them be calm and relaxed at the vets.

Pup being handled
  • Grooming table

To be a good patient, your puppy will need to accept:

  • Handling (informal handling, handling for clinical examination and being handled by strangers)
  • Being on a table
  • Having nails clipped
  • Being muzzled

It's important to practice all of these regularly whilst your puppy is still young.

  • Handling by a stranger

In addition, your veterinary practice may let you visit the surgery with your puppy whilst they are growing up. Take food treats and give them to the staff to give your puppy so they have pleasant encounters with everyone they meet.

If they will let you, or have time to help you, put your puppy up on the table and handle them all over as a vet would to examine them (having first accustomed them to this at home), and put them on the weighing scale so that they get used to this too.

Take advantage of any puppy parties run by your vets. These are a great way to develop a relationship with the staff as well as getting your puppy used to all the sights and smells of the surgery in a relaxed informal way.

Taking the trouble to get your puppy used to the vets early in life will make it much easier to handle if they become sick or injured. Since they will not be so stressed or anxious at the vets, they are likely to be a more compliant patient and to get better more quickly too.

Find the Perfect Puppy Class Near You

Discover small, friendly classes across the UK led by our expert, professional Puppy School Tutors. Get hands-on advice and support, to ensure your puppy gets the best start with positive, reward-based training.

Find a Puppy Class Today

Find your nearest Puppy School

Find your nearest Puppy School here and begin your journey with us!

Ziggy

Testimonials

What Clients say
about Puppy School

  • “A friendly, professional class, taught by an instructor with a deep understanding and experience of working with puppies. Plus, it was lots of fun!”
    —   Rita
  • “Big compliments to Claire! The way she just understands the dogs and being able to explain that has been a game changer. Her knowledge and expertise makes her a great puppy/dog trainer. I am already recommending Claire to everyone! She loves what she does and that shows. Would recommend to everyone with a puppy :)”
    —   Emily
  • “It’s a fantastic course. The small sizes also really allow for personal tailoring if the exercise to suit my puppy. Neal made me so at ease when I struggled with something and there was never a I time I felt embarrassed to ask him to reexplain something I was struggling with.”
    —   Daniel
  • “We loved it! Even though Otis is a timid dog, his confidence has grown! ”
    —   Taylor
  • “Excellent puppy classes we really enjoyed them and could see Oscar developing. Claire took the time to cover class that we missed due to illness which was greatly appreciated and was always patient with Oscar. Would recommend to anyone with a puppy ”
    —   Louise