Pet
Perception Management®
by Dr. Rolan Tripp
Recommend A Kinder, Gentler
Veterinary Visit
1)
Invite
puppies younger than four months of
age to come to your location for a
free "fun visit" to receive cookies,
a Puppy Socialization Checklist and
to be enrolled in a new free
"Error-Free Puppy Raising Tips"
ECourse that arrives in their home
email.
2) Ask
new puppy pet
parents to bring any records – e.g. from breeder, or
any previous veterinary care.
3)
Ask pet
parent bring a fecal sample in a zip lock baggie or other airtight
container (sample up to 24 hr old).
4) Ask
pet parent to bring in a hungry pet
(cats
in a carrier with a big fluffy towel
inside of it.) Skip the meal prior
to the visit - ideally 6 hrs + since last meal.
Bring in the pet's favorite food
treats in a zip lock baggie.
5)
Promote early positive puppy
socialization. Offer free weekly,
one hour Puppy Parties, after
practice closing and lobby clean &
dry. Start an early puppy DayCare program.
Barking in Lobby
1)
Most important is to break eye
contact with the object of the
barking.
-
Put barking dog in an exam
room
-
Ask barking dog owner to
wait outside
-
Move cat or dog that is
stimulating the barking out
of sight.
2)
Ask the barking dog owner if barking
or aggression is a problem at home.
Enroll in a Positive Pet Parenting
ECourse and/or Recommend a Pet
Behavior Analysis.
Become
"The Cookie Place!"
1) Introduce
yourself by first name and use
the person and pet names in
conversation.
2)
Ask if you can offer the pet a
treat.
NOTE: If
pet does not take treat, that is one
measure of stress. Do not force any
interaction. Take in and exhale a
deep breath. Relax all your muscle
tone and talk in "baby talk" to the
pet. Then try offering the treat
again.
1) First,
you take a deep breath, relax your
muscle tone. Use "baby talk" and
without looking in the pet's eyes
say, "Oh, you are just the cutest
(puppy or kitty)." Offer a treat.
2)
Then lift the puppy or kitten by
holding them gently with two hands
around their chest and under their
arms. (Keep the pets eyes at your
neck level so you look down not up
into their eyes.) Let the pet's back
legs dangle (okay if they want to
put their back legs on you for
balance).
2)
Talk baby talk as you look into
their eyes. The SECOND they look
away, you break eye contact and
gently but firmly hug them to your
chest.
4) Talking
in a happy “baby talk” tone,
having relaxed muscle tone, and
offering treats communicates to the
pet that you are not threatening.
You want the pet to see you as a
"Friendly, Powerful Cookie Giver."
5) If
the pet was cooperative, repeat the
elevation, suspension,
hug/squeeze and add turning the
pet gently on their back in a cradle
position. Offer the pet a treat.
Your goal is to feel the pet let out
a sign and completely relax. At that
SECOND, let them up, and make a big
loving fuss over them.
7)
You have just given the pet a
lesson in cooperation. The pet
learns first - this person is not
threatening me but they are
powerful. The pet learns - when I
relax, I get my freedom back and
make people very happy.
8)
Tell the client this is what you are
doing - teaching the pet to trust
people to be gentle, powerful,
friendly cookie givers. The goal is
to promote the pet's confidence,
reduce fear and potential adult
aggression. The pet learns to be
cooperative and relaxed for gentle
handling at home, exams, grooming,
minor treatments, etc.
9)
Ask client if they would like
to try the sequence: elevate,
suspend, hug/squeeze, cradle,
release, praise and cookies. Coach
the client to keep pets eyes lower
than theirs; to break eye contact
quickly when the pet looks away; to
talk in baby talk; to keep their
muscle tone and breathing relaxed;
to let out big sighs to help the pet
relax; to praise and give treats for
the pet's cooperation.
10) If possible,
pass the pet to another team member who
repeats the greeting process.
11)
Advise the client to practice
"Gentling" daily when the pet is
relaxed and hungry to continue to
"shape" the pet's positive trusting
attitude and relaxed, cooperative
behavior.
12)
Advise the client to avoid ALL
physical punishment - to avoid pet
fear, aggression, and lack of trust
in people.
13)
Enroll client in Positive Pet
Parenting ECourse that gives them
gentle, proven methods for pet
behavior training.
Before Puppy Leaves...
1) Offer another
treat to the pet.
2) Recommend
and give date for the free pet behavior seminar and next party (if offered)
3) Schedule
at least one day of free DayCare to help with positive pet socialization to the
practice, if offered.
4) Encourage
lots of "fun" visits to your location for cookies to lower stress in car rides
and veterinary visits. Tell client to come in so you can get your puppy or
kitten "fix."
Promoting Puppy Services
1) Before
the seminar, print out list of canines ages
two to five months old.
2) Assist with calls
encouraging attendance to free monthly puppy behavior seminar.
Providing Puppy DayCare
1) Be
the "cookie giver" to daycare puppies to contribute to their positive experience and learning.
2) If
puppy is obviously
friendly (and not barking) open the kennel, and give a treat and hug.
3) Do not pet any
canine that jumps up on you, since this is a bad habit we should not encourage.
Instead turn to your side and look away. Ask for a sit to "earn" the treat.
4) Help
the dog learn that a "sit" at your location "earns" praise, treats, and freedom
to go out of the run or kennel.
5) If convenient,
keep the dog leashed near you as you eat lunch or during slow times.