A viral TikTok video shows a pup at the veterinarian, staring out of the clinic window with a sad face, as if wishing he could be out there playing instead.
The hilarious clip shared in October by 30-year-old Mariya Tkachenko, from Zurich, Switzerland, under the username @bailathecobberdog, shows the dog looking miserable as he waits for his turn to be seen, scared of what the vet might do.
Tkachenko told Newsweek that she was taking her own dog, Baila, to a veterinarian appointment when she spotted the other pup peaking out the window. "As we were exiting the car, I saw the dog through the window of the vet office, looking very very sad and scared," she said.
Fear of the vet is not uncommon among dogs. This aversion is mainly due to fear and anxiety, which can be easily triggered by many aspects of the vet visit.
A Dogster article, medically reviewed by Dr. Amanda Charles, says that some dogs, like those who have gone through surgery, fear their past experiences could repeat when they go to the clinic, which makes them anxious.
But even those with no negative experiences can get triggered at the vet's. The sounds and smells of the dogs around them waiting in line to be seen, the strange, sterilized environment they're not used to, and the fear of being left alone are all factors that feed into your pup's fear of the veterinarian.
But don't worry if that's the case for your dog. This issue can be fixed with a little time and patience.
Certified dog trainer and canine behavior consultant Cathy Madson says in an article by Preventive Vet that, if your veterinarian allows you, you can take your dog in for "happy visits," to get them to familiarize with the environment and learn that it doesn't have to be scary.
Happy visits are quick trips to the vet's clinic outside of any appointments just to get them to hang around with the staff and have a treat to make it a positive experience.
You may need to start outside the clinic, driving to the vet's and then right back home, until your pup is comfortable going in.
Make sure to call your vet and ask if it is the right time before going; you want to avoid going in when it's overcrowded as that can overwhelm your pup.
The video quickly got users' attention on the platform, receiving almost 8,000 views and more than 400 likes.
One user, RG777, commented: "Help me."
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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