How do you respond?

[DizzyJon]

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So, yesterday I am working when this "A" client came in that I don't know all that well other than she spends a lot of money. She is a bit bossy and has even tried giving me orders before, to which I didn't even respond to. The staff at the clinic has briefed me on her personality prior. Well, she came in with a 9 week old JRT for an exam. During the exam he let out a little growl to which she struck him once and went back for a second when I put my arm up to block it. I looked her in the eye and said "please don't do that" kind of in a tone to let her know I wasn't going to have it. The vet that was in the room with me, did nothing and later when we spoke about it, she kind of just dismissed it.

See, the reason I want to go to vet school is to help change this old school way of thinking, along with practicing medicine of course. It has been concluded in many studies that positive reinforcment is much better than punishment. A little about my background, I have managed a dog training and behavior company for 2 years offering group classes and behavior modification. I have attending countless seminars and workshops, am a graduate of the San Francisco SPCA Acadmey for Dog Trainers, and will be taking my Certified Pet Dog Trainer Exam in September.

My question is...how do you respond to a client that hits their dog in your clinic?

 

[CoffeeCrazy]

This sounds like an interview question. 🙂 Without knowing the practice, it's difficult to weigh the client's personality and value to the clinic.

I think a veterinarian - or someone with knowledge and credentials in animal behavior - can and should suggest other means of discipline and mention that positive reinforcement has better results than negative reinforcement. Some people will listen and some won't. But I wouldn't take any measures beyond that.

A more extreme measure would be refusing to see the client or her dog, but you'd better examine how successful your practice is first. And that really doesn't help the dog.

 

[DizzyJon]

yes, refusing to see the client I think would be a little extreme, but making it perfectly clear that this type of "training" can not happen in the clinic is where i'd go.
This does kind of sound like an interview question now that you say that.

 

[principessa]

Perhaps since you are holding the dog and her slapping it might make it snap at you, you could politely ask her not to touch the dog while you're restraining it? Because really, you don't want anyone to get hurt.

I wouldn't tell her how to train the dog, though, especially since you're not the vet. Jack Russells are tough dogs to train, and she may have found that physical discipline works best for her dog. Now don't jump my behind - it's not always abuse, some dogs respond well to it, and different people have found different ways of training that work for them. If someone tells you they are having problems with a dog and asks for your advice, then by all means, tell them, but you should respect your client's right to decide how to discipline her dog, within reason.