Stress-free Vet Visits

Point A

Cowering and shaking through the whole visit
Growling and snapping at vet, groomer, and staff
Feeling guilty & stressed taking your dog to the vet or groomer
Feeling guilty when you don’t take your dog to the vet or groomer

Point B

Enjoy stress- and guilt-free visits to the veterinary clinic and grooming salon with a calm, relaxed dog.

Let me help you connect the dots between Point A & Point B so you can take your dog to the vet or groomer without stress or guilt.

Choose Your Personalized Behavior Modification Path

Coaching Path—You learn to train your dog

We’ll meet once each week in your home. I’ll show you how to work with your dog and set you up with the week’s training homework.

Day Training Path—I train your dog for you

We’ll still meet once each week in your home. But in between I’ll train your dog for you, getting her ready to show off and transfer her progress to you at the end of each week. Recommended for busy dog owners looking for the fastest relief.

How I Work

All dog training begins with a 90-minute Initial Consult, which is $225.

At this consult, we’ll work together to set goals and carve a personalized path to reaching them, building around your household and lifestyle and your dog’s learning needs.

If you choose to pursue training, personalized sessions will be billed at the rate of $125/one-hour session. Discounts are available for packages of four (4) or more sessions.

All training will be a positive experience for dog and human alike, based on sound scientific principles. Learn more about my approach to training.

Ready to connect the dots to Point B?

Call or email me to set up your Initial Consult today.

Phone: 484.800.1233

Email: melanie@melanieceronephd.com

Why is my dog so scared? And can you really help?

First, I want to sincerely congratulate you for being here. So many dogs suffer anxiety at the vet and groomer needlessly. Which, in turn, means so many dog owners suffer stress and guilt needlessly. Your dog is so fortunate to have such an advocate, and I’d be delighted to bring you both relief!

The vet and groomer are so nice—what’s my dog’s problem?

Sometimes extreme fear of vets and groomers arises from a truly traumatic experience. It could be an early illness or injury, during which the dog begins to associate pain or extreme discomfort with the vet clinic. Or a rough grooming or bathing experience early in life.

But most often it’s the accumulation of smaller things, like being left with a stranger, or loud noises (think commercial-sized hair dryer), or too much restraint and handling, or shots (who likes shots?). Whatever the original cause or causes, over time discomfort turns into fear and fear in turn becomes all-out anxiety. The result of anxiety? Anything from shaking and freezing to cowering under your seat, to lunging and snapping in an attempt to keep the scary vet and grooming staff at a safe distance.

Can this fear really be overcome?

The simple answer is yes. But it’s not always a simple process, particularly for dogs with full-blown vet or grooming anxiety. As any human who’s suffered a phobia can attest, overcoming fear is a process. That said, it is absolutely attainable, and your dog can learn to be calm and comfortable at the vet clinic or grooming salon.

How I work with vet and grooming fear

I use a systematic technique called desensitization and counter-conditioning to change how your dog experiences and feels about visits to the vet or groomer. We break the experience down into its component parts—things like handling and restraint, temperature taking, nail clipping, brushing, blow drying, etc.—replacing the fear by teaching your dog to enjoy each aspect of visiting the vet or groomer.

We work both in your home and, if at all possible, on location at your clinic or salon. If you choose the Day Training path, I do most of this for you.

Results

Results will vary, depending on both your dog’s fear level and how much training you choose, but most dogs (and their people!) will see significant improvements, and all the relief that comes with them.

Your Trainer and Behavior Counselor

Melanie Cerone, Ph.D.

Melanie’s specialization in behavior issues, particularly those based in fear and anxiety, comes from her scientific interest in the canine brain as well as her love of improving the lives of dogs and their people.

Learn more about Melanie.

Summary