Change of Behavior

Question
Hello,

I bought a 4 months old Poodle and on the first day at home she was so actively exploring new environment and even played with my children. The very next day we took her to vet for medical examination. She was found to have ear mite infection. Vet removed the hair inside the ear which was very painful to her and cleaned them. Later she was clipped for cleanliness and she seemed to be whining and afraid of the clippers.

One thing bothering me is after the vet visit, her behaviour seems to change. Most of the time she would run away and hide in corners. She would still allow us to feed her and pat her but after a while, she would just scramble and hide in the corners.

I read that we should not praise her when she's doing this but would this be permanent behaviour after her scary incident with vet?

Answer
Hello there :-)

Based on what you have told me, it sounds like your Poodle has a fear of the clippers. It is possible she may of been hurt by clippers in the past by a Groomer or even a previous owner.

It is very normal for Dogs to fear the Vet. Both of mine do lol. Unfortunately the downside of a Poodle is regular cleansing and plucking of their ears because hairy ears is a breeding ground for fungal infections. You can do this yourself but it takes a lot of getting used to or alternatively let your Groomer perform the ear plucking.

It is true that a lot of articles state that you should not praise this kind of behaviour but in my personal experience, when this happens I always try and "coach" my Poodle out of his hiding place and speak to him in calm, soothing tones. A major plus is gainign the Dogs trust. This can work wonders with Dogs who have a nervous disposition.

Take care and all the best and please rate me and leave me a comment.

Trisha x