Vet Exam Office Visit

Ask Your Question: This is Virtue’s 4th visit to the vet clinic and his 2nd visit to an exam room. He entered the clinic happily and we headed to the scales where we worked on sitting with a bit of duration. While sitting, his ears were in a position that usually means he is engaged. As he entered the exam room, he followed our normal door entry routine, sitting, waiting for his release cue and turning back to me for reinforcement. After a brief play period, I cued a sit which Virtue held as he began sniffing the floor and I shut the door. Once I began speaking to him, he quit sniffing and refocused on me while he was sitting. He very much wanted to smell everything in the exam room. At times his play was very responsive and at other times he was distracted by smells, especially when retrieving something from the floor. We did a little of his “chin” rest behavior. At one point, I am lowering my arm a bit to ensure that he is pushing his chin down into my hand. Unfortunately, prior to our exiting the exam room Virtue ignored his name as he was very interested in sniffing. He then exited the room with his normal routine. We played a bit more in the lobby. He was engaged most of the time but did want to smell things a bit more than he had done when we initially entered the clinic for this visit. When we were leaving the clinic, I spoke to the receptionist who responded and Virtue took notice but quickly re-engaged with me. We exited the clinic with our normal door routine and then played in the parking lot.

What worked - cheese, verbal connection, toy play, familiar easy cues,

What didn’t work - too much time without verbal interaction, too much time between cues, toys on ground

Adjustments for next time - more verbal connection, maybe another exam room visit

I felt Virtue did great in the lobby when we first got to the clinic. He appeared more confident, eagerly getting on the scales and working on his sit while engaged with me. He was less focused in the exam room and very interested in smelling things. Once back in the lobby he was a bit more sniffy but did seem to get refocused. I did have to cut out some parts of the video because of time but tried to eliminate the parts that I felt good about that you have seen similar in previous videos.

What are your thoughts about Virtue’s behavior during the clinic/exam room visit shown in this video?
https://youtu.be/2VhX321VEBE

Answer:
Virtue is most relaxed in areas he has practiced in before and less so in the exam room which is to be expected. Getting more specific in your evaluations will help you solidify your next steps for him.

What worked - cheese, verbal connection, toy play, familiar easy cues,
Why did these work? How do you know they worked? You put it in your overview, make sure it also goes into your evaluation. Get as specific as you can.
He entered the clinic happily (What did you see to make you think he was happy? You are probably right, but how did you know?)
He sat with duration in a position that usually means he is engaged. (I agree, he shows engagement. Soft focused gaze. Eyes on you. Ears relaxed and forward. Hold duration without fidgeting or loss of focus. He is nice and still but not showing muscle tension.)
As he entered the exam room, he followed our normal door entry routine, sitting, waiting for his release cue and turning back to me for reinforcement. (Showing learned behaviors as he usually would - great!)
Virtue engaged with play in the exam room with the door open.
Sniffing a new environment is a normal behavior and Virtue has been known to be distracted with scent in the past. I expect some sniffing and evaluate in the context of the rest of his body language an behavior.
Flicks his ears forward for sit/treat in the exam room.
Engages with play in exam room and his muscles soften, ears move forward, and he has a soft gaze on you.
Gives you duration on your chin rest.
Responsive to known cues as you are exiting.

What didn’t work - too much time without verbal interaction, too much time between cues, toys on ground
Yes. Why? This is what you will adjust for.
Ear position on entry - they are back which is consistent with some stress.
Sniffing with ears back in the exam room.
Decreased responsiveness and sniffing with some muscle stiffness and ears back as you leave the exam room.
Ears back as you are leaving.
Offered attention to receptionist with minimal stress and immediately re-engaged with you (eye contact, responsiveness to cues).

Adjustments for next time - more verbal connection, maybe another exam room visit
Yes and why? What will you work on at the next visit, for example:
Practice chin rest behavior at home with duration and then adding in touch (distraction)
When at the clinic:
Repeat entry routine.
Increase play in exam room.
Alternate between play and chin rest behavior in exam room and other known behaviors to help him relax in the exam room.
Add in chin rest behavior with duration only if he is relaxed.

Love his progress, keep it up!