🐶 Preparing Puppies for Vet Visits – A Low-Stress 2025 Guide by Dr Duncan Houston

Vet visits can be scary for puppies—but they don’t have to be! With some early prep at home, you can help your puppy approach the vet with confidence and calm. In this 2025 guide, Dr Duncan Houston shares essential strategies to make the veterinary experience positive and stress-free for both you and your puppy. 🩺💞

🍼 Early Socialization (8–10 Weeks)

Adopting or buying a puppy between 8–10 weeks of age is ideal. During this sensitive period:

• 👥 Introduce your puppy to people, kids, and gentle dogs
• 🎾 Use treats and play to create positive experiences
• 🚫 Never force interactions—fun and freedom build trust

🐕 Socializing with Other Dogs

Puppies must learn to “speak dog” through appropriate interaction. Here's how:

• 👩‍⚕️ Supervised play with vaccinated, friendly dogs only
• 🏞️ Avoid dog parks until fully vaccinated
• ⏸️ Include frequent breaks during play sessions

🎓 Puppy Kindergarten & Socialization Classes

Puppy classes offer safe exposure to:

• 🧸 New surfaces, toys, and objects
• 🧍👦 Children and different adults
• 🧽 Clean, disease-controlled environments
• 🐾 Training basics: house training, nipping, jumping

Vet-based or trainer-led classes are ideal for health and behavior development. ✅

✋ Handling & Touch Exercises

Teach your puppy that handling means treats, not fear:

• 🐾 Touch paws, ears, and tails gently
• 🦷 Practice lifting lips to check teeth
• 🎯 Use high-value treats every time!

Give your pup the choice to walk away—never force interaction. Building trust is key. 🐾

🧠 Confidence Through Problem-Solving

Expose your puppy to brain games that build independence:

• 🧩 Puzzle feeders
• 🍖 Frozen lick mats
• 🐾 Mat or platform training

These teach calm behavior while you're on a call, in a meeting, or handling vet tasks. 🧘

🐾 Cooperative Care Training

Vet-prep behaviors that can be taught:

• 👉 Touch (nose to hand)
• 🤲 Chin rest (helps with blood draws)
• 🪑 “Go to mat” or front feet up on platform

These allow your pup to choose to participate in care—making procedures easier and less stressful. 💉

🚗 Mastering the Car Ride

Car rides can trigger nausea or anxiety. Ease them into it:

• 🚘 Start with short, happy drives (with treats!)
• 🍔 End rides with something fun—like a treat at the drive-thru
• 💊 Talk to your vet about anti-nausea meds if needed

🏥 Putting It All Together at the Vet

A well-socialized, handled, and confident puppy is more likely to:

• 🚶 Walk willingly into the vet’s office
• 🩺 Tolerate exams, blood draws, and vaccines calmly
• 🐕 Step on the scale with ease
• 🧠 Use learned cues like “chin rest” or “touch” for cooperation

Bring comfort items like snuffle mats or frozen feeders to help during the visit. 🧊🐾

✅ Final Tips from Dr Duncan Houston

• ❤️ Use rewards generously—fear-free starts at home
• 🎓 Train early and often with choice-based techniques
• 🚗 Normalize car rides well before their first vet visit
• 🧠 Build confidence with toys and training games
• 💬 Partner with your vet to support your puppy's behavioral health

A calm pup makes for a better exam—and a lifelong love of vet care. 💙

📲 Need Support? Ask A Vet

Download the Ask A Vet app for puppy training tips, behavior help, and live access to trusted veterinary professionals like Dr Duncan Houston. We’re here to help your pup grow healthy and happy—fear free. 🐾📱