Taking Your Dog on a Visit

Before the Visit:
• Bathe (the dog)
• Clean ears
• Brush teeth
• Brush coat for mats and loose hair
• Cut nails and file rough edges (dew claws, too)
• Clean matter out of eyes
• Assess health and attitude of your dog

Equipment:
• Tote Bag
• Identification Tag/s and Harness (Clean)
• Treats (dry and small)
• Water bowl (collapsible are great)
• Scooper Kit - bag for accident
• Toys and/or retrieving items
• Brush (gentle plastic or baby’s brush) or comb
• Small towel
• Polaroid Camera or...
• Photographs to give away
• Small pad of paper and pen/pencil

During the Visit:
• Be cautious of the dog overheating
• Be aware of your dog’s need to relieve himself (this may be more frequent due to the stress of the visit and unfamiliar odors)
• Watch for stress symptoms (you should know what your dog’s are)
• Provide water periodically
• Keep dog on leash and under control at all times
• Learn to read your dog’s body language (ready to jump? distressed? uncomfortable?)

After the Visit:
• Recognize that most dogs are tired and need some quiet time
• Avoid feeding right away; let stomach recover from treats
• Offer your dog water
• Put away and care for equipment (need cleaning?)
• Assess dog’s stress level
• Think of ways to improve the next visit (shorter time? fewer people to visit? more/less treats? more breaks? more praise?)