The Veterinarian’s Scale
Learn a simple trick that will help your dog hop onto the scale anxiety free.
Jolanta Benal, CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA
Quick Tip: Teach your dog to get on the scale at the vet’s office with targeting.
Dogs can learn to touch with any part of their body, but nose and paw are the easiest starting points. For nose, start with a slightly hungry dog and a dozen or so tiny, savory treats. Place your open hand or your fist directly in front of your dog’s nose, say half an inch or an inch away. Most dogs will sniff your hand and in doing so will touch it. Catch that moment when nose touches hand, say “Yes!” and immediately give your dog a treat.
Repeat the process, with your hand at different angles but always right up close to your dog’s nose. Switch hands, too, so your dog learns to target to both. At the vet, just place your hand in front of the scale and have him walk towards you – and onto the scale. Reward with a treat.
Want to raise a happy dog who loves to play and cuddle — but still comes when called and doesn’t chew up your favorite shoes?
Then check out The Dog Trainer’s Complete Guide to a Happy, Well-Behaved Pet!
Image courtesy of Shutterstock
About the Author
Jolanta holds professional certifications in both training and behavior counseling and belongs to the Association of Professional Dog Trainers and the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. She also volunteered with Pet Help Partners, a program of the Humane Society of the United States that works to prevent pet relinquishment. Her approach is generally behaviorist (Pavlovian, Skinnerian and post-Skinnerian learning theory) with a big helping of ethology (animal behavior as observed in non-experimental settings).