Here is the experience of a lucky Golden Retriever, Sadie, and how she was acclimated into a fear-free veterinarian clinic. This is so much nicer than the frightening experiences pets CAN face at an indifferent clinic.

We visited several times before her surgery date, to meet the staff and walk around the entire hospital. This is part of the Fear Free movement. Acclimating your dog to a stressful environment can help relieve stress when they come in for future visits. The staff was wonderful. They gave her treats, got on the floor with her, gave us a tour with more treats and more love from everyone. By the fifth visit to the vet, the smells and newness were a non-issue, even more important, Sadie greeted everyone with a wiggly body, smiling face, and a happily wagging tail.

Surgery day came, and Sadie was so excited to see all her friends again at the clinic. There was soft music playing in the waiting room, thanks to Lisa Spector, canine music expert of Through a Dog’s Ear. They agreed to allow me to stay in the exam room with her while she was given the pre-anesthetic injection. Normally, your dog is taken away from you, to the back, stuffed in a cage alone and afraid. Glaring lights, sounds of dogs and cats, barking and meowing in stressful calls, medical equipment buzzing, people moving all about while your dog has no idea what’s going on — it all makes for a petrifying experience.

Instead, I sat with Sadie on the floor while the drug started to take effect. I turned off the lights and put a blanket over her, and together we snuggled as she began to relax. This would not have been the case if she were alone in a cold, gray cage. She would have been petrified.

With regards to Max, All we could think about while driving him home that afternoon was how sure we were that our pooch would not have been so traumatized if we could have been in that back room with him!

The Fear Free Movement is an ace in the hole for those of us pet parents who suffer from not just separation anxiety but the fear that our pups will be needlessly distressed at the vet!

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