Fearful puppy?

Dr. Marie replied:

I'm sorry to hear that your first vet visit wasn't the nicest experience.

While we can never say for sure what a pup is going to turn out like, we can usually get some clues when a puppy is young. Most puppies for their first vet visit are either trying to kiss and play with me or they are mostly sleeping. I do tend to get concerned when I have a puppy that is acting fearful of me.

With that being said, it may not be too late. We believe that dogs learn their socialization skills in the first 12 weeks of life. So, if this was my puppy I would do all I could to give her great social experiences. Make sure she has lots of exposure to people and that she has good experiences with them. Get friends to come over and give her treats. When she is having these experiences be sure never to reprimand her or punish her in any way. We want her to think that people are GREAT!

If you have friends with dogs that you know are vaccinated and healthy then try to introduce them to your new one. Again, you want to do all you can to make it fun for her.

No one can tell you how your pup will turn out but her behavior at the vet's office is a bit of a red flag. I really hope she turns out to be ok!

Dr. Marie.


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Dr. Marie replied:

That's tough to answer. I suppose some noises would be scary to any animal, but a normal pup wouldn't be too upset about regular every day noises.