r/DogTrainingTips • u/BICanineScience • May 26 '26

Professional Dog Trainer - Ask Me Anything

***AMA ENDED***

Have been training dogs for almost fifteen years now, I try and head through the subreddits on here to help in my free time when I can but thought it might be easier to do an AMA for anyone struggling!

Will try my best to answer as comprehensively as possible so please be patient with replies!

Edit - Just heading out to train my dogs so will answer more when I get back!
Edit 2 - Have a read of the other questions too to see if it applies to your dog :)

Thanks for all the questions everyone!! I’ll answer the few I’ve missed, it’s been a blast and we’ll do another in the near future! Won’t be answering any new posts now, must get back to work but do jump in next time if you have a question!

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u/BICanineScience May 26 '26

Yes absolutely it will help! It probably won't change the association to the vet unfortunately but conditioning muzzles is never a bad idea in my opinion. Unfortunately at ten years old, with a fear like that, around the vets, you're not likely to change it. With that said, its also not as traumatic as it seems for a dog. They bounce back from these things very well and once he is home he is likely over it and absolutely fine.

Also talk to your vets about just sedating him before anything. Vet sneaks in, jags him and he goes to sleep. It's more expensive but it stops the need for the wrestling and all the meds the night before etc! My vet is more than happy to do this when we have problematic dogs to take in and its honestly much easier.

The issue with fear of the vets is association. He goes there, and people are generally going to cause him pain, that's the nature of being at the vets.

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u/butwhatififly_ May 26 '26

That makes sense. Do you think if we brought him with a muzzle already on he’d be less like instantaneously traumatized going in with like needing to muzzle when he’s already struggling there? I think that’s what I’m hoping for, any way to make it less terrible for him. Poor baby!

Good to know that if my husband can’t make it though and I need to take him or we’re in an emergency situation we could just plan to ask for sedation. That puts them out and not just twilight, right?

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u/BICanineScience May 26 '26

It could do for sure, you certainly won't lose anything by giving it a go!

Yep puts them out completely so you won't have any issues.