Have you ever wished you could talk to your dog? When you look at them, do you ever wonder if their tail wag and smile really mean happiness or if they are stressed when they see a squirrel out the window? A dog's body language shows us a lot about how they are feeling at any given time, and can be analyzed to determine when they may be in a situation that they are uncomfortable with. In honor of Dog Bite Prevention Week (Apr. 13th-19th), we are here to help you interpret your dog’s body language and recognize when your pup is starting to show signs of fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS).
The Fear, Anxiety, and Stress (FAS) Scale is a scale used to show how a pet’s body language progresses from relaxation and comfort to flight/fight aggression. Here at Newberry Animal Hospital, we use this tool to keep vet visits as happy as possible for our canine companions, but it can also be used by pet owners in any situation. For dogs, the FAS Scale is:
Familiarizing yourself with the FAS Scale and studying which signs your pet exhibits during stressful situations can not only help prevent general fear and anxiety, but also help you identify when intervention is needed before a snap, bite, or collar escape happens.
If your pet struggles with anxiety and fear associated with the vet specifically, we also have some tips that may help! Preparing for a vet visit can be as simple as acclimating your dog to car rides. Train your dog to be comfortable with car rides by giving praise and treats while the car is idle, running, and driving. This will help your pup associate the car with a positive experience.
If your dog needs to be in a carrier, keeping the carrier open at home and filling it with treats can help them associate it with positivity as well! Over time, they will start to see it as simply a part of their environment rather than that scary cage that only comes out when it’s time to go to the vet.
If your dog only experiences stress when at the vet, ‘happy visits’ may help! Happy visits involve bringing your dog into one of our hospitals outside of regular appointment times to update their weight, get a treat, or just play in an exam room without getting any services done. These types of visits help lower the stakes of vet visits and build a positive association with the hospital over time. Eventually, when your pup does have an appointment in which medical care is required, they have a higher chance of remaining relaxed during their treatment.
Some other tips for reducing stress at the vet may be:
Bringing your dog’s favorite toy, treats, or other familiar item(s)
Letting your pup gently play and get treats throughout their appointment (helps build a positive relationship with our staff)
Checking in for your appointment from your car to avoid potential stressful interactions within our lobby
Pre-medicating your dog with anti-anxiety medications prior to your visit to help your pup feel more relaxed during stressful situations.
Not every pet’s behavior journey is the same, and that’s okay! Wherever your pet may fall on the FAS scale, we are here to help turn your pet’s fear and anxiety into a lifetime of tail wags. Give us a call or schedule an appointment at any of our locations to discuss how you can alleviate your pet’s stress today:
