Long post for clarity [TL;DR: Puppy in fear period growled at a new vet]: 7-month-old rescue puppy (50% Australian Shepherd, 40% Doberman, 10% various breeds) started a fear period about a week ago. We've had him since 8 weeks old. He's sometimes anxious at his normal vet, but never aggressive and accepts pets and treats and lets them examine him. We’ve never had an issue, ever. Today we went to his neuter consult at a different vet, as the cost is covered through his rescue org at this location. It's a longer drive from our house and he gets car sick. He didn't throw up since we held food, but he was definitely drooling, etc.
He was excited about other dogs in the lobby and there was some whining, but no barking. He was a good boy for the scale and accepted pets from the front staff. When we got to the room he was happy and accepted pets from the vet tech. She started to try to take his temperature in his ear, but I told her he has a Home Again microchip that reads his temp. She stated she was new and didn't think they had the equipment to read the chip's temp and proceeded to keep trying his ear. He lets us touch his ears at home all the time and we've trained for that, but he’s never had his temp taken in his ear before. She gave up trying to take his temp and he let her examine him calmly.
She left the room and then came back with the chip reader and said “Oh they do have it so we can take his temperature this way.” He backed up into the corner near the bench I was sitting on and was clearly scared and she put it on his back and it beeped loudly and he jumped. She left.
Then the doctor came in and he backed up into the same corner. I could tell he was uncomfortable. She offered her hand to sniff, etc. But I could tell he was scared. For the first time ever, he growled at someone. He has never done this before. I told the vet immediately I have never seen him act like this before, but he is in a fear period and is suddenly even scared of his own shadow right now. He meets neighbors on walks, etc. and is a normal excited puppy who quickly calms down and either sits or goes into the lay down position. She went and got treats which he accepted, but we had to put him on the table to be examined and he was still scared of her. We finished our appointment, and she mentioned he might benefit from professional training to redirect his bad behaviors. He’s already had professional training and we graduated and are maintaining everything he’s learned and have had zero issues before. She left the room and when the vet tech returned he was happy and wanted pets from her and she said “I heard someone was VERY naughty!” I paid for the consult and she said, “You know we can give him anti-anxiety meds for vet appointments. He honestly wasn’t “that bad,” but if you want we can.
I found the entire experience upsetting. We went from daily compliments on how well behaved and trained he is for a 7-month-old puppy to “he has bad behavior and needs professional help and meds for the vet.” I don’t know where to go from here and we’ve never been told this with other dogs we’ve owned, however, this *is* the first puppy we’ve raised so I’m posting to ask if this sounds like overstimulation from going to a new vet during his fear period? Is this adolescence starting? Is this a serious new concern? Was he feeling car sick and overstimulated at the new location?
We have family members and neighbors with puppies and I know it’s wrong to compare your dog to others but they are going through way worse with their puppies and we’re always so thankful and proud of how well he is doing!
I am upset and don’t know what to do now.
submitted by /u/EmmieRN
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