More on Cooperative Care
/A little over a year ago, after taking Seger to the vet for his puppy visits, I realized I had a big problem. Through no fault of his own, or the vet and her staff, Seger was pressured to the point of panic during an exam. Without thinking, I pushed him farther than he was willing to go, and was devastated that I had broken the trust we were just beginning to develop in our new relationship. I was even more heartbroken that he had not forgotten about it each time we returned for our next set of vaccines. I had visions of my soon-to-be 100 lb German Shepherd becoming labeled and handled as “one of THOSE dogs” and struggling with those visits for the rest of his life. And I promised him I’d do everything I knew how so that didn’t happen.
Pre-COVID our awesome vet gave us permission to visit weekly, to help Seger feel better about being in the clinic. We were diligent about going, but I felt a little unclear and overwhelmed about creating a solid training plan. Then COVID hit and we were unable to continue our work inside the clinic.
Shortly thereafter I was delighted to hear about Dr. Deb Jones’ Cooperative Care book and a course she was teaching at Fenzi Dog Sport Academy. I couldn’t wait to enroll and work through a structured program with Seger. It was a fantastic experience that I highly recommend.
Soon Dr. Jones announced a new Cooperative Care titling program and I was all in. It took what I had learned in the course to a whole new level with Seger, and he was pleased to continue our skills training. Together we completed all three levels of certification in just a few weeks.
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Just about the time I came off of cloud nine I realized that there was more work to do. It was great that he had skills for me, but what about applying it in more of a realistic veterinary way? And what about COVID and social distancing? I started pretending to do various aspects of an actual veterinary exam, and contacted my vet who agreed to meet for his exam in the parking lot, instead of taking him away from me. Then I got to work on practicing his chin rest on his Klimb tables in hopes that I could social distance when the time came.
Working for me was one thing, but working for someone else in my presence was altogether different. With a little research I made a whole new list of skills I wanted to introduce to Seger, and enlisted my husband to be “the vet.” Not only was he the only person I wasn’t social distancing from, but he was a familiar person who Seger adores.
Once Seger was a pro with his ever growing list of cooperative care skills at home, it was time to take the show on the road, with strangers, but not without careful thought about how and when to add additional stressors.
We started with strangers at home, outdoors.
Then Seger worked with the same people at the park.
Next we started working with strangers in new locations.
And finally, we practiced in the parking lot of the vet clinic.
In working with helpers I found the following to be key components:
Ghost handling. I held the long line. One less thing for others to deal with.
Be clear. Presentation is everything. I found that I had to adjust my instructions to my helpers to help them get it right for Seger. Focusing on the concept of consent seemed to do the trick. “If his chin is on the table he’s giving you consent. If he lifts his head he’s withdrawing consent. Take your hands off of him and ask for another chin rest. He’ll tell you when he’s ready. I’ll tell you when he lifts his head.” That last sentence was added after I noticed how difficult it actually was for folks to walk and chew gum!
Treats in the pocket. When the helper held treats in the hand while trying to examine Seger, it really confused him! Were they coming towards him to give him a treat? Or was he supposed to be still? I reminded folks that they were rewarding Seger for having kept his chin on the table, nothing more. And I coached them to keep the treats in their pocket until it was time to reward.
Luring adds pressure. Another reason I asked folks to keep treats in their pockets. It prevented pairing treats with touch, which can pressure a dog beyond his comfort zone and create conflict.
When the time came for Seger’s annual exam this morning I felt we were pretty ready, but I was also prepared to meet him where he was and adjust at any given moment. I set up his tables in front of the clinic, and demonstrated how it should go to the vet and her technician. As the vet practiced the chin rest on the table with Seger before examining him, I noticed that he was becoming more and more avoidant. As I watched more carefully I could see that she was using the treat as a lure. (See “Luring adds pressure” above.) A quick adjustment to ditch the tables and more importantly the treats, made things much more straight forward for both Seger and the doctor.
In the end, I simply had to ask for his cooperation when there isn't really any choice. Was it enjoyable? Hardly. Was he willing and tolerant? You be the judge. I'm pretty pleased with the results, and grateful to have a vet who is willing to work with us.
On this momentous day I’m thrilled to report that Seger is NOT “one of THOSE dogs” and will NOT be struggling with vet visits for the rest of his life! And if COVID cooperates, we’ll be continuing our training so that his next annual visit will be in an actual exam room.
In the meantime, we’re already working on what happens in the event that Seger does have to go into a veterinary clinic without me. We started at home with a familiar person, and have been working with our canine massage therapist, who is a stranger to Seger and whose magic hands will give him a pleasurable experience with me out of sight for an extended period of time. If these photos taken during his session are any indication, I think we’ve got it right.
HUGE thanks to everyone involved in getting us this far, and especially Dr. Cheryl Holmes and the great folks at Animal Medical Hospital at Glenwood for your patience and willingness to accommodate while I make good on my promise to Seger.