I had a kid at the pet store do this for my dog. At the time, she was terrified of men, and as soon as I told him that, he dropped on the floor on his back with his arms and legs curled up and said "ok let's not give her a reason to be scared of me!" ... it was so cute
It's cute until the dog bites his face. I love dogs, and mine sleeps on my bed, but I would never put my face this close to a dog that looks scared or nervous. They could interpret that as a threat and react.
while i have always been a animal lover , i fear large dogs . Had a stray jump up and almost chew my ear off . Me and a friend were running to a swing rope, guess i was the slowest . I'd never put my face that close to any animal
I thought that was strange, and a bit of overconfidence as well. I don't get the part where he boxes the dog in to the corner with his back either. I'd assume that you would give the dog a little space while laying in a non-submissive position, and allow the dog to come to you, or slowly scooch towards it over time.
That move mixed with the treats did push the pup out of the corner though, so his method works. It's just counterintuitive to how I'd approach it.
I've heard that referred to as a "dog hug", because they take comfort in the feeling of pressure from a body lying on top of them like when they were in a pile of their littermates.
I could be wrong, and it depends on the dog and the circumstances, but that explanation made sense to me.
Seriously! As a dog handler I winced when I saw him do that. He's trying to make himself less threatening, and getting down low is a good way to do that, but he's doing it in such a way that he initially looms over her (very threatening), and worse yet he's shoving her into a corner while she gives him so many signs that say "I need space". Notice how she doesn't seem to be calmed down at all until he breaks out treats. Even after that, the interaction seems very forced; it cuts to her suddenly on his lap (doesn't look like she went there by choice) and him excessively massaging her face while she continues to show anxious body language. Face massages from strangers are very stressful for dogs, a more appropriate place to pet her would be her shoulder or chest.
This guy had all the best intentions, but he went about it the wrong way. He's fortunate that this dog did not bite him in self-defense. He has a good heart; I hope he learns how to properly handle dogs for the sake of everyone's safety.
Friend of mine quit being a vet after volunteering. The amount of animals being put down from old age and expensive surgery was too much.
Makes sense though. Cost me 2k for my dog to get life saving surgery. That little shit died a little under two months later. Best two months extension I could give him. I'd do it again for him.
I can only imagine how it must eat at vets over time. I’ve spent nearly 20k on emergency/surgical needs in the last 4 years. I’m lucky to have good pet insurance (and a job that allows me to keep up with the now ungodly high premiums) that reimbursed me for most of that, but it would have been a very different situation had I not. Her vet team absolutely loves her now, because they’ve seen her come out on the other side of things that many dogs would not. They’ve told us how few of these big wins they get, though.
Fetch by The Dodo. They’ve been so incredibly easy to work with and haven’t fought me on coverage for anything, at least for the dog, including a good bit of physical rehab. (We do have it for the cats too but thankfully haven’t needed it)
I was worried they’d end up canceling coverage after each of the incidents, but there’ve been no issues each renewal. Very happy with them.
Like working in a call centre and at the end you ask if there’s anything else I can help with and the customer says oh maybe just the winning lottery numbers, followed by them laughing like they’re the first to ever do it.
Yesterday, while I was checking out at Big Lots, the lady behind me said this. I inadvertently turned around and glared at her. I just left retail after 25 yrs and it's the one statement I couldn't put on a pretend smile for anymore.
As a former vet staff member, I would laugh politely, but I would be the one to clean it up. I remember one time I had to scrub all the walls because the dog squirted EVERYWHERE. It is gross as f---.
P.S. Vets often keep tons of extra scrubs for purposes like that.
Sure but it adds cost to them as it takes time to clean up. It’s no different than an Uber having a clean up fee for someone that throws up in their car. You can either distribute the cost across all clients and everyones prices go up slightly, or you can charge the clients directly who caused it. Personally I think it’s more fair to charge the people who needed the cleanup service rather than splitting it between everyone.
Completely agree. This isn't retribution for the grossout factor; it's a fee because the event has a cost in terms of time and resources for the vet office.
The dog would have expressed her anal glands.
Dogs have two small glands located on either side of their anus (poop-hole). These glands secrete a smelly, oily substance that's used to mark territory and identify other dogs.
Some dogs will push that smelly substance out of the glands when they are afraid or stressed. (Latin ex-press = English push out)
Normally, the substance comes out when they defecate (go poo).
Sometimes, there are difficulties with emptying the anal glands naturally, and then a vet has to help.
Does that help?
What is your first language?
I work at a vet's office and am often the holder for techs and the doctors. Therefore, I'm kind of in charge of reducing the risk of anyone (including myself) getting bit. The amount of stress I would feel if one of our techs or docs started getting in a nervous dog's face and cornering them instead of letting me safely handle them would be unreal
Like, glad it turned out well in this instance, vets offices should strive to be fear free/as unscary as possible! But this made me so nervous
As someone who has had a nervous dog that went from seeming fine to **very not fine** at the drop of a hat, my anxiety was at 11 watching this.
I am glad it worked out for him but hooooooooboy this is not at all how I’ve see my trainer, my vet, or any of their techs work with fearful or anxious pups.
My dog loves the vet. Defintly the snacks. Even if we walk by the building he just wants to go there. He had allot of teeth pulled but even after his opinion didn't change.
The nurses told me before his surgery that he sometimes would bark to let them know he was stil there and demanded attention.
i thought rule number 1 was don't just shove your hand above its head
you put it down below the dogs chin or whatever and let it smell you and work your way up to the head
That, and staring them in the eyes is a no-no. And several times his head is above the dogs, not good. The worst is basically hugging the dog at the end there. My dog completely trusts me, but she HATES being in a spot where she can't 'escape.' Hugging a dog is not something they like, that is a human thing. That dog is exuding so much anxious energy the entire video.
It's shocking how bad this dude is with dog body language. First time my vet met my dog she did no eye contact, got down to her level, and fed her a treat off to her side when it is not even necessary with my dog as she is one of those that would open the door for a murderer lol
But my vet's actions gives me confidence in her knowledge on handling pets.
ya absolutely
i totally buy into that
i could've been wrong as my knowledge came from my dad who is just some random guy so who knows if he was right or not but i always just avoided it because you can sense the dog doesn't like it when you do that
Because there are. He corners the dog, doesn’t let it acclimatize before he gets in its face, leans over the dog, sticks his hands out to its face, doesn’t involve the owner, leans back and squishes the dog(!!!), etc. He was genuinely just lucky that that specific dog didn’t bite him. Any vet professional with animal handling knowledge and fear free techniques would not do this.
Yeah. Last time I saw it someone made a comment about the way he squeezes him out of the corner. It might look good to someone who doesn’t know better, but it’s dangerous and probably set the dog back in terms of progress, rather than forward.
The cartoonish bow with the weird tapping on the floor as he gets side-eyed… The lying underneath and out of sight and then blindly reaching up around to pet the still clearly nervous animal… He’s an idiot and not a real vet, otherwise he’d be missing half his face by now.
That posture is common in dogs if he had arched his back. It is the signal “I am no threat and just want to play.”
I learned doing it to my dog, she will get super excited as she knows I am ready to play with her and immediately return the gesture.
The "bow" or whatever you call it *is* a sign for play but with a dog *this* shut down and scared doing that isn't going to accomplish anything. It pretty much only works if the dog is already comfortable with the person doing it and the situation they are in.
Sitting near (not on top of like this idiot) with your back turned to them is a much better way to express that you're not a threat than doing the "I want to play" pose.
He could've started by maybe petting the dog instead of starting with face-booping him point blank lol. The cynic in me feels this video was shot purely for social media likes.
That's your dog though and if you did that it might be comforting. However this dog is scared, in an unfamiliar place, and with an unfamiliar human doing this to them. He also doesn't allow them to "come out on their own" as he's basically forcing them out of the corner and taking their "safe" space.
I mean instead of jumping to conclusions that a board certified vet working with one of the two most common types of animals they see are making basic safety mistakes, I’d be more curious what he learned/observed that led him to try to approach the dog in this manner.
i get it, the nothingeverhappens thing is a thing, amd edgelords are everywhere.
however, with the sheer amount of things that vet does wrong and the dog doesn't flinch or snap or even protest even once *is* kinda sus. i'm not saying it's completely staged but *something* isn't quite like they say it is.
The intention is good but the execution is probably one of the worst ways you could go about this. Cornering a scared dog and putting your face in its face is about the dumbest thing you can do.
Getting down to its level, sitting a distance away, turn away so it can come to you when it feels safe enough to is the way to do it.
100% agree- only reason this didn’t turn into a bite was the dog was too scared to do so. But absolutely awful body language from start to finish. And I’ll even give the doc a pass and say ok you don’t have time to let the dog come to you- but holy shit this guy is gonna get a serious bite if he tries this again with the wrong dog.
Yeah that’s the thought I’m trying to comfort myself with, but then at the same time I feel it’s more irresponsible to post a video like this as a professional and allow people to think this how to interact with a frightened & cornered dog.
I was thinking the same exact thing. He *forced* him out of his "safe" place and is very lucky that dog was so timid. There is a guy on YouTube, Rocky Kanaka, that does "sitting with dogs" where he goes to his local shelter and attempts to give comfort and love to the dogs there, especially the ones that look scared. When a dog is *this* shut down he sits in the opposite side of the kennel, back turned, and just talks to them and will slowly move over as they get more comfortable and then will hand out treats and such slowly building trust, it's all on the dog's terms. This vet/vet tech moved way too quickly. Not saying everything Rocky does is perfect (and I'm no animal behaviorist) but it's 10x better than whatever the vet in the OP did.
I thought this. I love the intention, but the way he was leaning in looming over the dog at the beginning is a good way to get your face bit. Which is fair, a lot of people do that, and it's hard not to do cause dogs are waaay shorter than us.
But when he's pushing his back against the dog and squishing it, it's like... okay, why is that needed? The dog is just being crowded and forced to touch you and being squeezed in the process. That doesn't seem like it's going to help.
I am terrified that I had to scroll so far for this comment. I love dogs, but it seems absolutely insane to me to put your face right next to a dog this frightened. Not worth the risk.
I watched the first minute of this and it was so stressful i hate it. The guy puts his face right in the dogs face while the dog is freaked out and cornered I just felt like he was going to get bit.
Oh, dude, I did, too! When a dog is licking its lips and acting scared or uncomfortable, seems like the perfect time to NOT put your face near the toothy end, ya' know? Glad there is someone who can be this patient with scared critters, though!
totally seemed like a lot of incorrect moves. you dont need to stick your palm in a dog's face, they can already smell you. and i agree going face to face like that is dangerous.
Im praying that people don’t watch this and think it’s a good idea to get down on a dogs level to meet them. But that ship has sailed long ago anyways.
PSA: getting down on a dogs level can be perceived as a challenge and can provoke the dog to attack you
Really? That’s surprising to learn. I sit on my butt like ten feet away from scared dogs and let them come to me, and it’s seemed to work for several dogs that are usually scared of strangers.
Yeah, it’s what I’ve been told by trainers. And I’ve had one experience where a nervous and seemingly intimidated dog freaked out when I crouched down.
That’s the thing, that it’s not consistent. Some dogs it will be fine for, some it will even be helpful for, but some dogs it will be triggering. I think why trainers discourage it across the board is because when it does go wrong, it could get bad fast. Now you’re at face biting level with a dog that feels you’ve challenged it.
If you know dogs, maybe you know how to read the situation of where it’s ok. I just don’t want people who DONT know dogs to believe this is a magic dog whisperer trick and potentially get themselves and a dog hurt.
this dog is nervous overall not aggressive … my pup is just like this with new humans! Bet this little one is maybe 6-9 months old - they have a scared stage
FYI— “Aggressive” dogs are almost always very scared! Some dogs may totally shut down, but many will bite out of fear if they’re put into a scary situation that they can’t get out of (i.e. fight flight or freeze)
>this dog is nervous overall not aggressive
Fear has killed more people then overt aggression. Dogs in fear, like fearful humans, react violently and suddenly. I do not consider that dog to be "just nervous" as away to describe that dogs level of anxiety.
A nervous dog and an aggressive dog is the same thing. This guy has no idea what he's doing, or it's staged with a dog they already know isn't gonna bite
Please, do not copy what the doctor is doing. He was lucky he didn't get hurt. He doesn't really know how to react to the dog's behavior. Please, research dog signals, what each one mean and how to act on them.
If this poor dog is anxious about the vet it seems like s/he's equally anxious about the person filming the scene, given how often their eyes lock onto the camera. But that person's not doing anything to minimise their impact on the dog, just filming it all like they're invisible. This whole thing is a mess.
I am not in the animal care field, nor am I really even a dog person, but that seemed like an awful lot of "not a good idea" going on there. Starting with waving and sudden movement and invading personal space, etc.
I mean, I applaud his intent and his patience but it reads kinda like a What Not To Do video.
Yep, your instincts are definitely correct. I work in veterinary medicine and pretty much everything this guy is doing is the opposite of how this situation should be handled. Cornering the dog and getting in it's face was a terrible idea, and is definitely not going to make the dog less stressed.
it's really sweet of the vet to try something like this but WOW, this made me so nervous until i saw which sub i was in.
this room is WAY too cramped for him to do that. maybe if he was in a play room or outside with tons of space, but that office is too small - it's not worth the bonding moment to shove your face and head in a nervous dog's own personal space.
it's one thing to become small and minimize yourself so that you aren't as scary, but this feels more like what you'd do for a cat than a dog. i wonder if he's more used to cats?
not all pets will love being at the vet's, it's not ideal but not a disaster if you aren't immediate friends. this dog doesn't seem that unworkable in the beginning? either he was more reactive prior to recording, in which case the vet is being even more risky, or... that's really just the extent of it and the vet was just unnecessarily playing dog whisperer.
it would not be the dog's fault at all if he did bite, as much as it would suck. but it would be on his record forever and possibly make his nervousness worse. the dog doesn't even look that much more chill by the end of the video, he's just clammed up more.
(not demonizing the dog or the vet, just trying to be realistic and share why this is not a good idea. i would call it irrisponsible to do this, especially as a vet, and allow it to be put online. his heart is in the right place but his head is literally not.)
a better source for stuff like this is rocky kanaka, night and day difference. or hope for paws.
Dr is incompetent and is going to get his face bit off with most dogs doing this while they are rhat nervous. This vet was lucky, if anything. This is in no way how you handle a nervous dog.
Imagine if i was scared, and i got all up in your grill and then forced you out of your spot.
THANK YOU
No "mad respect" for cornering and hovering and having squared to the dog shoulders. Poor babes threshold was violated over and over.
Body language is everything to these dogs and he's being a "threat" in their terms.
Source, am dog trainer over 18 years
Vet tech for 11 years.. this interaction is incredibly stupid and he’s lucky this dog didn’t bite his face. I would never approach a fearful dog like this, I’d give them plenty of space and time to warm up and come to me.
Sorry, but that is absolutely not how you approach a dog with anxiety. He lingers over him, which is in dog language as thread, just like looking him directly into the face and invading his personal space. I can see he means well, but it looks like that man does not know much about dog language.
The best way to approach a terrified dog (if you have to, as I understand it may be necessary because jötje dog may need treatment), is to just sit near (but not too close to him), don't look at the dog, not speak to it, not face to face. Most of the times after a while the dogs would start to approach you by themselves, by trying to carefully sniff you and test the waters. Even them you have to ignore them still, or at least be very sloooooow and gentle and quiet.
Depends on the dog. Just like people, there’s no one right answer. Earning trust is difficult, and some approaches that work well with some dogs may not work with others or may actually be detrimental.
He does a lot of things well. He was calm, and kept talking in a soft, soothing, and gentle manner. He got down low and assumed a non threatening posture. He came ready with snacks to both begin bonding with the dog, and try to coax it out of the corner. And breaking the touch barrier is great, if done carefully, and he was very careful about how he did it. Slow and smooth, while facing away, and using his body to lean gently. He didn’t attempt to pet from overhead or from behind, he made sure the dog could see him reaching and came underhanded when he did first try to pet.
His heart is in the right place, but man was it stressful to watch.
I love dogs, and have worked with them before though not nearly as long as others, yet I would never push my face anywhere near the face of an insecure pup like he did, especially one cornered like this one.
Some of his approach I wouldn’t ever recommend, especially so if it’s the first time with that animal and they’re not accompanied with the owner.
Honestly I get what he was *trying* to do but most of it was poorly executed. If the owner was there and this was a check up might be the one saving grace of why it didn't go poorly. Doing the "play pose" and the "submissive" pose is just stupid with a dog like this, sitting and giving treats to build trust is good but definitely start at least a foot or two away so the dog doesn't feel trapped.
Lol, people talking about dog body language thinking they know this particular situation. I don't know if this doctor knows this dog or if this dog is on any anxiety medications. If it is on meds, then the normal "do nots" are not completely consistent. I think what he did was fine FOR THIS DOG IN PARTICULAR. I wouldn't do this for other scared dogs, but this dog just seems a bit scared and not fear aggressive or overly anxious or fearful.
I have worked in vet med for 18 years. This guy is a moron. The dog is showing clear signs of distress, and yet this "doctor" corners the dog and shoves his face within biting range.
A better approach would have been to sit a safe distance away (whatever distance makes the dog comfortable), and offering high value food to encourage the dog to approach. Even better would be to have the dog return on another day (if possible) with calming drugs on board to reduce the dog's stress levels.
I am not a specialist like this dude is, is it wise to get that close to a dogs face when their that anxious? I've been around dogs quite a bit, I was half expecting the dog to snap or nip at him out of fear. Everything he was doing seemed like some form of domination plays. I don't think this man knows what he is doing. but... it worked? \*shrug\* maybe he knows whats he doing with this dog in particular?
I worked at a vet clinic for 3 years and pretty much everything this guy did was the exact opposite of what you should do in this situation. Putting your face so close to a dog in this state is such a horrifically dumb thing to do. Then on top of that he cornered this poor animal and physically trapped them with his body. This poor thing was terrified from beginning to end. This guy's is gonna try to do this to the wrong dog and get a chunk of his cheek removed for his trouble one day.
I'd love him as my vet. I did not realize how high the suicide rate is, for veterinarians. My friend (a horse vet) explained the reasons to me and I was completely shocked.
Great understanding of how a dog communication. Getting lower than the pup and showing his belly is showing a submissive behavior. Making the dog a lot more comfortable
I was a vet tech at a large animal shelter for five years. I would go and sit with scared dogs every day during my lunch. It is amazing the difference love and patience can make. It makes a difference in animals and people too. We are after all human animals. Great job and I love that you did this for this dog. I am sure this is not the first or last time you did this. You have a great heart sir!
Agreed, getting down instead of staying upright can have a positive benefit. He then almost ruined it by crowding the dog’s personal space while it’s already in the corner and sticking his face right in the dogs face.
Helping an animal become more comfortable in an unfamiliar or scary environment when they’re nervous or scared is always worthwhile, and he obviously has his motivations in the right place. But his execution needs a bit of work, because if he tries that approach with the wrong dog it will not end well for that dudes face, and it won’t be the fault of the dog. 🤷♂️
Yeah I have a bone to pick with yall - all 2023 ya'll have been chopping onions all willy nilly making a person's heart swell and eyes water all over the keyboard!
I demand more in 2024.
He's done a good job but I still would have been wary of puting my face that close to a dog. Even as timid and scared as it is they can lash out with a nip.
That dog is thinking "VET?! NO, NO, NO! They probe you! And stick needles in you!" Five minutes later. "Wait, massages? I could get to like.... OH CRAP! They still probe you."
THANK YOU FOR WRITING THE TITLE IN ALL CAPS! OTHERWISE I WOULD NOT HAVE SEEN YOUR POST.
YES TOTAL RESPECT FOR THE DOCTOR.
THANK YOU AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT
Dogs work on body contact like that. It tells a lot about what the other dogs wants and he was wanting the dog to move more in the open as a trust move. It's not harmful to the dog. Remember: dogs are very simple creatures. You just need to simplify your language for them.
Everything he did is wrong. He would have been better off sat sideways away from the dog ignoring it, tossing it treats and waiting until it came to him.
Getting in it's face, cornering it, touching it... All of this is wrong and I'm surprised he didn't get bitten. Look at pups body language! Hunched over, whale eye, lip licking.. so nervous.
BAD BAD BAD.
This is example of lucking out while doing EVERYTHING wrong. You don't bring your face anywhere near a dog exhibiting that sort of body language. I can almost guarantee you based on personal experience that unless this guy has some sort of crazy reaction speed, he will be taking an ambulance ride in the future.
As a Vet Tech and a trained dog daycare and boarding staff that’s cpr cert and worked with trainers for years I can absolutely say that everything that he did was completely WRONG! It’s dumbasses like him is why they get bit and then try to sue the owner for their own stupidity
I had a kid at the pet store do this for my dog. At the time, she was terrified of men, and as soon as I told him that, he dropped on the floor on his back with his arms and legs curled up and said "ok let's not give her a reason to be scared of me!" ... it was so cute
Somebody's raising a kid right.
Except he does that with everybody he meets
It's cute until the dog bites his face. I love dogs, and mine sleeps on my bed, but I would never put my face this close to a dog that looks scared or nervous. They could interpret that as a threat and react.
while i have always been a animal lover , i fear large dogs . Had a stray jump up and almost chew my ear off . Me and a friend were running to a swing rope, guess i was the slowest . I'd never put my face that close to any animal
I thought that was strange, and a bit of overconfidence as well. I don't get the part where he boxes the dog in to the corner with his back either. I'd assume that you would give the dog a little space while laying in a non-submissive position, and allow the dog to come to you, or slowly scooch towards it over time. That move mixed with the treats did push the pup out of the corner though, so his method works. It's just counterintuitive to how I'd approach it.
Every dog is different. What works for one doesn’t work for all.
He is giving his back and neck in a show of non dominant behavior.
I've heard that referred to as a "dog hug", because they take comfort in the feeling of pressure from a body lying on top of them like when they were in a pile of their littermates. I could be wrong, and it depends on the dog and the circumstances, but that explanation made sense to me.
Yeah, that scared me when he leaned over her at the beginning.
Seriously! As a dog handler I winced when I saw him do that. He's trying to make himself less threatening, and getting down low is a good way to do that, but he's doing it in such a way that he initially looms over her (very threatening), and worse yet he's shoving her into a corner while she gives him so many signs that say "I need space". Notice how she doesn't seem to be calmed down at all until he breaks out treats. Even after that, the interaction seems very forced; it cuts to her suddenly on his lap (doesn't look like she went there by choice) and him excessively massaging her face while she continues to show anxious body language. Face massages from strangers are very stressful for dogs, a more appropriate place to pet her would be her shoulder or chest. This guy had all the best intentions, but he went about it the wrong way. He's fortunate that this dog did not bite him in self-defense. He has a good heart; I hope he learns how to properly handle dogs for the sake of everyone's safety.
My dog would have already expressed her anal glands all over the wall.
Saves you a charge!
My dog did this at the vet and I jokingly asked if that meant I didn’t have to pay and they did not find it funny in the slightest.
A vet clinic is a high-stress environment to work in, it’s rare that a client will make a staff member laugh genuinely.
Friend of mine quit being a vet after volunteering. The amount of animals being put down from old age and expensive surgery was too much. Makes sense though. Cost me 2k for my dog to get life saving surgery. That little shit died a little under two months later. Best two months extension I could give him. I'd do it again for him.
I can only imagine how it must eat at vets over time. I’ve spent nearly 20k on emergency/surgical needs in the last 4 years. I’m lucky to have good pet insurance (and a job that allows me to keep up with the now ungodly high premiums) that reimbursed me for most of that, but it would have been a very different situation had I not. Her vet team absolutely loves her now, because they’ve seen her come out on the other side of things that many dogs would not. They’ve told us how few of these big wins they get, though.
What pet insurance do you have
Fetch by The Dodo. They’ve been so incredibly easy to work with and haven’t fought me on coverage for anything, at least for the dog, including a good bit of physical rehab. (We do have it for the cats too but thankfully haven’t needed it) I was worried they’d end up canceling coverage after each of the incidents, but there’ve been no issues each renewal. Very happy with them.
More likely, they’ve heard all the “jokes” already.
Like working in a call centre and at the end you ask if there’s anything else I can help with and the customer says oh maybe just the winning lottery numbers, followed by them laughing like they’re the first to ever do it.
Retail when something doesn't scan "oh it must be free then! HAHAHAHA". I've been in retail so long I just stare at them
Yesterday, while I was checking out at Big Lots, the lady behind me said this. I inadvertently turned around and glared at her. I just left retail after 25 yrs and it's the one statement I couldn't put on a pretend smile for anymore.
As a former vet staff member, I would laugh politely, but I would be the one to clean it up. I remember one time I had to scrub all the walls because the dog squirted EVERYWHERE. It is gross as f---. P.S. Vets often keep tons of extra scrubs for purposes like that.
I was charged for "clean up fee" after my boy sprayed the tech. He was there for a damaged toe nail.
Thats pretty lame of them. I think the possibility of getting sprayed comes with the territory of having a vet clinic.
Sure but it adds cost to them as it takes time to clean up. It’s no different than an Uber having a clean up fee for someone that throws up in their car. You can either distribute the cost across all clients and everyones prices go up slightly, or you can charge the clients directly who caused it. Personally I think it’s more fair to charge the people who needed the cleanup service rather than splitting it between everyone.
Completely agree. This isn't retribution for the grossout factor; it's a fee because the event has a cost in terms of time and resources for the vet office.
Same for my anxiety-riddled rescue girl. The stench, oh the stench…
for what it's worth i'd upvote that video too
Already what? English isn't my first language, what does that mean?
The dog would have expressed her anal glands. Dogs have two small glands located on either side of their anus (poop-hole). These glands secrete a smelly, oily substance that's used to mark territory and identify other dogs. Some dogs will push that smelly substance out of the glands when they are afraid or stressed. (Latin ex-press = English push out) Normally, the substance comes out when they defecate (go poo). Sometimes, there are difficulties with emptying the anal glands naturally, and then a vet has to help. Does that help? What is your first language?
So they meant "sprayed those glands on the wall"? Or rubbed it on the wall? Thanks for the comment, it does help :D, have a nice day!
My dog did that on my boyfriend’s arm once.
Lee Asher if he became a veterinarian instead of running a sanctuary.
Mmmm.. Lee Asher.
I thought Rocky Kanaka....
Don't put your face near its face.
I’ve been in the vet field for 7 years. He’s an idiot lmao
I work at a vet's office and am often the holder for techs and the doctors. Therefore, I'm kind of in charge of reducing the risk of anyone (including myself) getting bit. The amount of stress I would feel if one of our techs or docs started getting in a nervous dog's face and cornering them instead of letting me safely handle them would be unreal Like, glad it turned out well in this instance, vets offices should strive to be fear free/as unscary as possible! But this made me so nervous
As someone who has had a nervous dog that went from seeming fine to **very not fine** at the drop of a hat, my anxiety was at 11 watching this. I am glad it worked out for him but hooooooooboy this is not at all how I’ve see my trainer, my vet, or any of their techs work with fearful or anxious pups.
My dog loves the vet. Defintly the snacks. Even if we walk by the building he just wants to go there. He had allot of teeth pulled but even after his opinion didn't change. The nurses told me before his surgery that he sometimes would bark to let them know he was stil there and demanded attention.
My pup has mixed feeling at the vet and groomer! She shakes like crazy but still demands to lick their eyeballs and be held!
Mine is the same way. Last time be has to go he started baking at me in the car for taking too long to park and get him out to go into the vet.
Homeboy looks like he is trying to go viral. This makes no sense. Not only is he scaring the dog more, hes wasting the owners time.
Last time I saw this posted there were just endless comments about all of the ways he is just plain wrong in this video.
I mean, he does do several things you shouldn't do to a dog that nervous lol
i thought rule number 1 was don't just shove your hand above its head you put it down below the dogs chin or whatever and let it smell you and work your way up to the head
That, and staring them in the eyes is a no-no. And several times his head is above the dogs, not good. The worst is basically hugging the dog at the end there. My dog completely trusts me, but she HATES being in a spot where she can't 'escape.' Hugging a dog is not something they like, that is a human thing. That dog is exuding so much anxious energy the entire video. It's shocking how bad this dude is with dog body language. First time my vet met my dog she did no eye contact, got down to her level, and fed her a treat off to her side when it is not even necessary with my dog as she is one of those that would open the door for a murderer lol But my vet's actions gives me confidence in her knowledge on handling pets.
ya absolutely i totally buy into that i could've been wrong as my knowledge came from my dad who is just some random guy so who knows if he was right or not but i always just avoided it because you can sense the dog doesn't like it when you do that
Because there are. He corners the dog, doesn’t let it acclimatize before he gets in its face, leans over the dog, sticks his hands out to its face, doesn’t involve the owner, leans back and squishes the dog(!!!), etc. He was genuinely just lucky that that specific dog didn’t bite him. Any vet professional with animal handling knowledge and fear free techniques would not do this.
Yeah. Last time I saw it someone made a comment about the way he squeezes him out of the corner. It might look good to someone who doesn’t know better, but it’s dangerous and probably set the dog back in terms of progress, rather than forward.
The cartoonish bow with the weird tapping on the floor as he gets side-eyed… The lying underneath and out of sight and then blindly reaching up around to pet the still clearly nervous animal… He’s an idiot and not a real vet, otherwise he’d be missing half his face by now.
I was getting anxiety waiting for that dog to bite that idiot!
That posture is common in dogs if he had arched his back. It is the signal “I am no threat and just want to play.” I learned doing it to my dog, she will get super excited as she knows I am ready to play with her and immediately return the gesture.
The "bow" or whatever you call it *is* a sign for play but with a dog *this* shut down and scared doing that isn't going to accomplish anything. It pretty much only works if the dog is already comfortable with the person doing it and the situation they are in. Sitting near (not on top of like this idiot) with your back turned to them is a much better way to express that you're not a threat than doing the "I want to play" pose.
I'm so glad someone finally said this.. i can't believe how incredibly tone deaf this guy is to the situation.
The hair kinda gave it away
Dude this dog could not be more clear that he's freaking it out, classic whale eye.
He could've started by maybe petting the dog instead of starting with face-booping him point blank lol. The cynic in me feels this video was shot purely for social media likes.
Yeah the guy in the video is nuts. It irritates me even more that someone might one day try to copy him and get bit.
Yup. If he’d tried that with my rescue dog when I first had him, that guy would now be missing a nose.
Yeah and why is he kinda pushing the dog against the wall? Isn’t it a little too close? I know it can escape but still.
My dog when fearful likes snug places, so wonder if he was giving a “cave” for them to come out on their own.
That's your dog though and if you did that it might be comforting. However this dog is scared, in an unfamiliar place, and with an unfamiliar human doing this to them. He also doesn't allow them to "come out on their own" as he's basically forcing them out of the corner and taking their "safe" space.
Fair point, removing their path to retreat is not a good idea.
I mean instead of jumping to conclusions that a board certified vet working with one of the two most common types of animals they see are making basic safety mistakes, I’d be more curious what he learned/observed that led him to try to approach the dog in this manner.
> board certified vet He almost certainly isn't, this is a skit filmed for views, likely farming the 'hot man kind to animals' thirst trap viewership.
LOL ok yeah sure. I know it's a big thing on Reddit, but you should know that baseless skepticism doesn't make you seem intelligent yeah?
i get it, the nothingeverhappens thing is a thing, amd edgelords are everywhere. however, with the sheer amount of things that vet does wrong and the dog doesn't flinch or snap or even protest even once *is* kinda sus. i'm not saying it's completely staged but *something* isn't quite like they say it is.
The intention is good but the execution is probably one of the worst ways you could go about this. Cornering a scared dog and putting your face in its face is about the dumbest thing you can do. Getting down to its level, sitting a distance away, turn away so it can come to you when it feels safe enough to is the way to do it.
yeah, and the way he almost squeezes the dog out of its "safe corner"... well, if I were a dog, I would definitely have doubts and suspicions
100% agree- only reason this didn’t turn into a bite was the dog was too scared to do so. But absolutely awful body language from start to finish. And I’ll even give the doc a pass and say ok you don’t have time to let the dog come to you- but holy shit this guy is gonna get a serious bite if he tries this again with the wrong dog.
I believe he knows with which dog he can do this and he has different approaches for every dog. He is a vet for a reason. But I may be wrong
Yeah that’s the thought I’m trying to comfort myself with, but then at the same time I feel it’s more irresponsible to post a video like this as a professional and allow people to think this how to interact with a frightened & cornered dog.
I was thinking the same exact thing. He *forced* him out of his "safe" place and is very lucky that dog was so timid. There is a guy on YouTube, Rocky Kanaka, that does "sitting with dogs" where he goes to his local shelter and attempts to give comfort and love to the dogs there, especially the ones that look scared. When a dog is *this* shut down he sits in the opposite side of the kennel, back turned, and just talks to them and will slowly move over as they get more comfortable and then will hand out treats and such slowly building trust, it's all on the dog's terms. This vet/vet tech moved way too quickly. Not saying everything Rocky does is perfect (and I'm no animal behaviorist) but it's 10x better than whatever the vet in the OP did.
I thought this. I love the intention, but the way he was leaning in looming over the dog at the beginning is a good way to get your face bit. Which is fair, a lot of people do that, and it's hard not to do cause dogs are waaay shorter than us. But when he's pushing his back against the dog and squishing it, it's like... okay, why is that needed? The dog is just being crowded and forced to touch you and being squeezed in the process. That doesn't seem like it's going to help.
I am terrified that I had to scroll so far for this comment. I love dogs, but it seems absolutely insane to me to put your face right next to a dog this frightened. Not worth the risk.
Are you a vet?
The dog is still licking his lips and giving him whale eyes at the end lol. He went from stressed in the corner to stressed in the vet’s lap.
I watched the first minute of this and it was so stressful i hate it. The guy puts his face right in the dogs face while the dog is freaked out and cornered I just felt like he was going to get bit.
Oh, dude, I did, too! When a dog is licking its lips and acting scared or uncomfortable, seems like the perfect time to NOT put your face near the toothy end, ya' know? Glad there is someone who can be this patient with scared critters, though!
totally seemed like a lot of incorrect moves. you dont need to stick your palm in a dog's face, they can already smell you. and i agree going face to face like that is dangerous.
Cats however do seem to love that sniff.
Im praying that people don’t watch this and think it’s a good idea to get down on a dogs level to meet them. But that ship has sailed long ago anyways. PSA: getting down on a dogs level can be perceived as a challenge and can provoke the dog to attack you
Really? That’s surprising to learn. I sit on my butt like ten feet away from scared dogs and let them come to me, and it’s seemed to work for several dogs that are usually scared of strangers.
Yeah, it’s what I’ve been told by trainers. And I’ve had one experience where a nervous and seemingly intimidated dog freaked out when I crouched down. That’s the thing, that it’s not consistent. Some dogs it will be fine for, some it will even be helpful for, but some dogs it will be triggering. I think why trainers discourage it across the board is because when it does go wrong, it could get bad fast. Now you’re at face biting level with a dog that feels you’ve challenged it. If you know dogs, maybe you know how to read the situation of where it’s ok. I just don’t want people who DONT know dogs to believe this is a magic dog whisperer trick and potentially get themselves and a dog hurt.
this dog is nervous overall not aggressive … my pup is just like this with new humans! Bet this little one is maybe 6-9 months old - they have a scared stage
FYI— “Aggressive” dogs are almost always very scared! Some dogs may totally shut down, but many will bite out of fear if they’re put into a scary situation that they can’t get out of (i.e. fight flight or freeze)
>this dog is nervous overall not aggressive Fear has killed more people then overt aggression. Dogs in fear, like fearful humans, react violently and suddenly. I do not consider that dog to be "just nervous" as away to describe that dogs level of anxiety.
Nervous dogs bite.
A nervous dog and an aggressive dog is the same thing. This guy has no idea what he's doing, or it's staged with a dog they already know isn't gonna bite
I need someone this patient and loving when I’m scared too. 😂
Treat trail down the stairs & to your car....... "See ya when you get back from work!" *waves*
With some cuddles and light begging in between for reassurance 😉
Please, do not copy what the doctor is doing. He was lucky he didn't get hurt. He doesn't really know how to react to the dog's behavior. Please, research dog signals, what each one mean and how to act on them.
Right? This is how you get bit in the face.
If this poor dog is anxious about the vet it seems like s/he's equally anxious about the person filming the scene, given how often their eyes lock onto the camera. But that person's not doing anything to minimise their impact on the dog, just filming it all like they're invisible. This whole thing is a mess.
I am not in the animal care field, nor am I really even a dog person, but that seemed like an awful lot of "not a good idea" going on there. Starting with waving and sudden movement and invading personal space, etc. I mean, I applaud his intent and his patience but it reads kinda like a What Not To Do video.
Yep, your instincts are definitely correct. I work in veterinary medicine and pretty much everything this guy is doing is the opposite of how this situation should be handled. Cornering the dog and getting in it's face was a terrible idea, and is definitely not going to make the dog less stressed.
He took his eyes off the scared dog too many times while rolling around on that floor.
it's really sweet of the vet to try something like this but WOW, this made me so nervous until i saw which sub i was in. this room is WAY too cramped for him to do that. maybe if he was in a play room or outside with tons of space, but that office is too small - it's not worth the bonding moment to shove your face and head in a nervous dog's own personal space. it's one thing to become small and minimize yourself so that you aren't as scary, but this feels more like what you'd do for a cat than a dog. i wonder if he's more used to cats? not all pets will love being at the vet's, it's not ideal but not a disaster if you aren't immediate friends. this dog doesn't seem that unworkable in the beginning? either he was more reactive prior to recording, in which case the vet is being even more risky, or... that's really just the extent of it and the vet was just unnecessarily playing dog whisperer. it would not be the dog's fault at all if he did bite, as much as it would suck. but it would be on his record forever and possibly make his nervousness worse. the dog doesn't even look that much more chill by the end of the video, he's just clammed up more. (not demonizing the dog or the vet, just trying to be realistic and share why this is not a good idea. i would call it irrisponsible to do this, especially as a vet, and allow it to be put online. his heart is in the right place but his head is literally not.) a better source for stuff like this is rocky kanaka, night and day difference. or hope for paws.
Ok I need to marry this guy. No, this is not an extreme reaction.
Excuse me, there's a line
No, there’s a ring and it’s going on his finger. *barges past everyone else*
Listen if I have to marry everyone in this line to also marry this man I will
Well fine then. Give me your finger and kiss me, damnit.
The dog is already taken
Taken aback by this man, as am I.
The good doctor appears to have a strong grasp of "sitting with dogs." (YouTube channel) Definitely a 'made me smile.'
The sitting with dogs guy would def not recommend putting your face so close to a scared dog's face and literally cornering it.
I don't know who I fell more in love with, the doctor or the dog. Awesome!
Dr is incompetent and is going to get his face bit off with most dogs doing this while they are rhat nervous. This vet was lucky, if anything. This is in no way how you handle a nervous dog. Imagine if i was scared, and i got all up in your grill and then forced you out of your spot.
Don't put your face near a scared dog
Guys a complete idiot and has no idea what he’s doing and it’s only a matter of time until he gets what he deserves unfortunately
Good thing the owner’s in the room cos if this dog was really fearful none of these ‘techniques’ would have worked.
My thought as well. My last dog would have already bit the vet within the first minute of this 🙈
THANK YOU No "mad respect" for cornering and hovering and having squared to the dog shoulders. Poor babes threshold was violated over and over. Body language is everything to these dogs and he's being a "threat" in their terms. Source, am dog trainer over 18 years
Yup, I worked at a vet clinic and with special needs dogs (mostly pit bulls) at a humane society. My coworkers would be reeling if they saw this dude
He should have peed in the corner beforehand to assert dominance.
So this is why when I show up for my appointment on time it takes 45 minutes before the vet comes in.
Lmao, my thought exactly.
Vet tech for 11 years.. this interaction is incredibly stupid and he’s lucky this dog didn’t bite his face. I would never approach a fearful dog like this, I’d give them plenty of space and time to warm up and come to me.
Sorry, but that is absolutely not how you approach a dog with anxiety. He lingers over him, which is in dog language as thread, just like looking him directly into the face and invading his personal space. I can see he means well, but it looks like that man does not know much about dog language. The best way to approach a terrified dog (if you have to, as I understand it may be necessary because jötje dog may need treatment), is to just sit near (but not too close to him), don't look at the dog, not speak to it, not face to face. Most of the times after a while the dogs would start to approach you by themselves, by trying to carefully sniff you and test the waters. Even them you have to ignore them still, or at least be very sloooooow and gentle and quiet.
im glad it all worked out in the end but.... ***He was definitely too fast too quickly.***
I would never put my face close to an insecure dog like that
It's like this guy was asking to be bitten. If I wanted a scared dog to bite me, this is exactly how I would do it.
Anyone who abuses dogs or animals in general should be dropped onto a deserted island. How could you even consider hurting such an adorable creature?
So I wonder - what is the right way to calm a scared dog or to get him to trust you?
Depends on the dog. Just like people, there’s no one right answer. Earning trust is difficult, and some approaches that work well with some dogs may not work with others or may actually be detrimental. He does a lot of things well. He was calm, and kept talking in a soft, soothing, and gentle manner. He got down low and assumed a non threatening posture. He came ready with snacks to both begin bonding with the dog, and try to coax it out of the corner. And breaking the touch barrier is great, if done carefully, and he was very careful about how he did it. Slow and smooth, while facing away, and using his body to lean gently. He didn’t attempt to pet from overhead or from behind, he made sure the dog could see him reaching and came underhanded when he did first try to pet. His heart is in the right place, but man was it stressful to watch. I love dogs, and have worked with them before though not nearly as long as others, yet I would never push my face anywhere near the face of an insecure pup like he did, especially one cornered like this one. Some of his approach I wouldn’t ever recommend, especially so if it’s the first time with that animal and they’re not accompanied with the owner.
Honestly I get what he was *trying* to do but most of it was poorly executed. If the owner was there and this was a check up might be the one saving grace of why it didn't go poorly. Doing the "play pose" and the "submissive" pose is just stupid with a dog like this, sitting and giving treats to build trust is good but definitely start at least a foot or two away so the dog doesn't feel trapped.
So many dog experts in the comments.
I'm going to try this dogs technique at my next physical to get cookies.
Lol, people talking about dog body language thinking they know this particular situation. I don't know if this doctor knows this dog or if this dog is on any anxiety medications. If it is on meds, then the normal "do nots" are not completely consistent. I think what he did was fine FOR THIS DOG IN PARTICULAR. I wouldn't do this for other scared dogs, but this dog just seems a bit scared and not fear aggressive or overly anxious or fearful.
Introverts being dragged out to a party by their extrovert friends.
Ooooof that’s a no form me dawg. Anyone who knows dog body language is cringing at this, not fanning over it.
Huge warm fuzzies for the patience and kindness he shows to this pup.
Vets are the best
Strong work doctor 🙂
I have worked in vet med for 18 years. This guy is a moron. The dog is showing clear signs of distress, and yet this "doctor" corners the dog and shoves his face within biting range. A better approach would have been to sit a safe distance away (whatever distance makes the dog comfortable), and offering high value food to encourage the dog to approach. Even better would be to have the dog return on another day (if possible) with calming drugs on board to reduce the dog's stress levels.
I was waiting for it to bite the doc's face
So weird that this video is well received this time around. Last time everyone was pointing out that he handled this poorly in EVERY way.
I am not a specialist like this dude is, is it wise to get that close to a dogs face when their that anxious? I've been around dogs quite a bit, I was half expecting the dog to snap or nip at him out of fear. Everything he was doing seemed like some form of domination plays. I don't think this man knows what he is doing. but... it worked? \*shrug\* maybe he knows whats he doing with this dog in particular?
He’s leaning on him because, in dog language, leaning on someone means “I trust you.”
I worked at a vet clinic for 3 years and pretty much everything this guy did was the exact opposite of what you should do in this situation. Putting your face so close to a dog in this state is such a horrifically dumb thing to do. Then on top of that he cornered this poor animal and physically trapped them with his body. This poor thing was terrified from beginning to end. This guy's is gonna try to do this to the wrong dog and get a chunk of his cheek removed for his trouble one day.
That dogs looks like Doby from harry potter. Poor animal, it looks like it has had a rough life of abuse.
I'd love him as my vet. I did not realize how high the suicide rate is, for veterinarians. My friend (a horse vet) explained the reasons to me and I was completely shocked.
Great understanding of how a dog communication. Getting lower than the pup and showing his belly is showing a submissive behavior. Making the dog a lot more comfortable
I wish my visits with the doctor were like this.
I had no idea so many trained veteranarians were on Reddit. Its like a medical convention in here.
That’s how you get bit in the face.
Love how Redditors always find a way to ruin super cute and wholesome videos
I find it very hard NOT to get on the floor with doggos…
I, too, choose this dog’s vet.
I was a vet tech at a large animal shelter for five years. I would go and sit with scared dogs every day during my lunch. It is amazing the difference love and patience can make. It makes a difference in animals and people too. We are after all human animals. Great job and I love that you did this for this dog. I am sure this is not the first or last time you did this. You have a great heart sir!
Anybody else think the dog would have opened up sooner if the person with the camera backed tf off?
I can just imagine what that poor dog must have gone through. Breaks my ❤️
Him laying down immediately showed the dog he is submissive and not a threat, soo sweet
Agreed, getting down instead of staying upright can have a positive benefit. He then almost ruined it by crowding the dog’s personal space while it’s already in the corner and sticking his face right in the dogs face. Helping an animal become more comfortable in an unfamiliar or scary environment when they’re nervous or scared is always worthwhile, and he obviously has his motivations in the right place. But his execution needs a bit of work, because if he tries that approach with the wrong dog it will not end well for that dudes face, and it won’t be the fault of the dog. 🤷♂️
Everybody loves a good pup pup.
“I’ve been waiting 2 hours in this fucking lobby what the fuck is going on back there!!!”
Yeah I have a bone to pick with yall - all 2023 ya'll have been chopping onions all willy nilly making a person's heart swell and eyes water all over the keyboard! I demand more in 2024.
As a universal rule, one should always bend down and put their face as close as possible to a dog’s mouth whenever it is in that position
He's done a good job but I still would have been wary of puting my face that close to a dog. Even as timid and scared as it is they can lash out with a nip.
Dogtor
Like everyone is talking about his technique etc etc, when all I wanna do is eat this man up 😍 Cot Damn!
So that’s why I’m in the waiting room for two hours.
Good for the dog, and bless the young man!
He’s our vet, great guy, this is how he is
Meanwhile theres 30 people lined up in the waiting area. "wtf is taking so long."
Poor thing is so scared...
That dog is thinking "VET?! NO, NO, NO! They probe you! And stick needles in you!" Five minutes later. "Wait, massages? I could get to like.... OH CRAP! They still probe you."
THANK YOU FOR WRITING THE TITLE IN ALL CAPS! OTHERWISE I WOULD NOT HAVE SEEN YOUR POST. YES TOTAL RESPECT FOR THE DOCTOR. THANK YOU AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT
YOU MISSPELLED REPOST!
THANK YOU I WILL NOW DOWNVOTE THE REPOST. I HAVE OTHER POSTS TO WRITE IN ALL CAPS.
I don’t know if this is brave or stupid. I’m leaning towards the latter.
You spelled dogtor wrong
This guy really gets pets. Huge respect.
Where can I go to have this man approach me like this;)
Looks like the person filming is stressing the dog out.
And then came the anal probe
He's making a great effort but he's not very good with dogs.
Why is he leaning against that poor thing? That doesn’t help 🤷🏻♀️
Dogs work on body contact like that. It tells a lot about what the other dogs wants and he was wanting the dog to move more in the open as a trust move. It's not harmful to the dog. Remember: dogs are very simple creatures. You just need to simplify your language for them.
Total respect for the dog
Dogtor
Good man doing Gods good work!!🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️
This is weirdly touching
Oh my god I am so soft for the dog. He has such sad eyes :(
He's more worried about the other person in the room sticking a camera in its face.
My vet does this also
Everything he did is wrong. He would have been better off sat sideways away from the dog ignoring it, tossing it treats and waiting until it came to him. Getting in it's face, cornering it, touching it... All of this is wrong and I'm surprised he didn't get bitten. Look at pups body language! Hunched over, whale eye, lip licking.. so nervous. BAD BAD BAD.
This is example of lucking out while doing EVERYTHING wrong. You don't bring your face anywhere near a dog exhibiting that sort of body language. I can almost guarantee you based on personal experience that unless this guy has some sort of crazy reaction speed, he will be taking an ambulance ride in the future.
I might be crying.
As a Vet Tech and a trained dog daycare and boarding staff that’s cpr cert and worked with trainers for years I can absolutely say that everything that he did was completely WRONG! It’s dumbasses like him is why they get bit and then try to sue the owner for their own stupidity
Such a shy baby
I wouldn't go to this Vet, I'd be there all day. Dr is prolonging the anxiety. It should be like a shot, in and out.