Ronan's training...
Ronan is doing well from his surgery. No infections, no problems and he's back to his usual self.
So, training starts tomorrow. For those that don't know, Ronan, who is mischievious but very affection and loving (to the point he'd befriend an axe murderer) has had two episodes of going Cujo at the vet clinic. I mean some serious fear aggression! He refuses to let anyone take his temp or do a fecal exam, and forget anything requiring a needle. We don't know what happened! He's done this before without muzzles and blankets and sedation.
It's weird - he's not afraid of the white coats. Wants to lick and is all kinds of happy. He'll let them look at his teeth and open his mouth, listen to his heart, bend his legs, look in his ears and eyes - even clean out his ears. Just don't poke or 'invade' him. He screams and thrashes like a wild animal and has to be sedated just to take his blood. Yes, we muzzle him, but he won't hold still and just freaks. The very second they stop with the needles and the rectal thing, he's back to being uber friendly as though nothing has happened.
So, we're desensitizing him. We're going to the vet clinic every week where we'll work on his comfort level and confidence. We're taking him all sorts of places and going for more walks. There's more obedience in his future. And we'll be working at home on having a muzzle on without freaking. We'll touch him with the thermometer, treat. Move the thermometer to lightly touch the backside, treat. Of course, this will have to happen very slowly and may take months.
So, training starts tomorrow. For those that don't know, Ronan, who is mischievious but very affection and loving (to the point he'd befriend an axe murderer) has had two episodes of going Cujo at the vet clinic. I mean some serious fear aggression! He refuses to let anyone take his temp or do a fecal exam, and forget anything requiring a needle. We don't know what happened! He's done this before without muzzles and blankets and sedation.
It's weird - he's not afraid of the white coats. Wants to lick and is all kinds of happy. He'll let them look at his teeth and open his mouth, listen to his heart, bend his legs, look in his ears and eyes - even clean out his ears. Just don't poke or 'invade' him. He screams and thrashes like a wild animal and has to be sedated just to take his blood. Yes, we muzzle him, but he won't hold still and just freaks. The very second they stop with the needles and the rectal thing, he's back to being uber friendly as though nothing has happened.
So, we're desensitizing him. We're going to the vet clinic every week where we'll work on his comfort level and confidence. We're taking him all sorts of places and going for more walks. There's more obedience in his future. And we'll be working at home on having a muzzle on without freaking. We'll touch him with the thermometer, treat. Move the thermometer to lightly touch the backside, treat. Of course, this will have to happen very slowly and may take months.
Comments
Also glad to hear his surgery went well.