Teddy's First Visit to the Vet and Other Adventures

In our contract, The Canadian Kennel Club mandates that Teddy needs to visit the Vet within 2 business days of bringing him home.  Fortunately, I found a lovely Veterinarian, who just opened a new practice, and is taking new puppies.  What is even more fortunate (for me), is that he is open from 9-4 on weekends.  I wish my own doctor had such a flexible schedule!

Being just 1.5 kilometers away, my mother and I decided to walk to the vet.  Teddy however, was NOT keen on walking outside.  The second I put him down on the cold concrete, he started trembling.  Then I realized, not only would this be Teddy’s first visit to the Vet, but it was also:

1. His first steps on concrete
2. His first time being outside in a city
3. His first time seeing cars, buses, and bikes pass by
4. His first time encountering dogs, other than the ones at the breeder
5. His first time meeting people outside of his home

Teddy handled it pretty well considering the world around him was changing.  I tried putting him down on the sidewalk a few times, but he would not walk.  Knowing that many dogs fear the vet, I wanted to make sure that he had a positive experience, so settled on carrying him the whole way there.

The Yonge-Davenport Pet Hospital is a warm and welcoming place.  Dr. Stefanescu and his staff welcomed us at the door, and could not believe how cute sweet Teddy really is.  There was a small greyhound there, and Teddy was not bothered by him at all.  Dr. Stefanescu fed Teddy a treat, and won him over instantly.

Teddy was not intimidated or afraid at all by his exam.  He sat nicely on the counter while Dr. Stefanescu checked his heartbeat, his knees, his weight, and everything else.  I mentioned that he keeps itching, so Dr. Stefanescu checked him out, and noted his dry skin.  He recommended using a moisturizing shampoo, which led to Teddy’s first bath (more to come on that).

Dr. Stefanescu tried to encourage Teddy to follow us down the hall, back to the front door, but no number of treats, or nice words would get him moving.  I booked his next round of shots, and reviewed insurance options.

After our visit was done, and we (unsuccessfully) tried walking Teddy on the street again, and we headed over to Wooftown, a local pet store whos staff are so nice and friendly.  I had previously ordered a pair (set?) of booties there, which turned out to be too big.  They helped us pick out the perfect harness (the smallest one they had), that I like because it pulls him from the chest, not from the neck like a collar, or from the shoulders like most harnesses.  I will review that in a separate post.

Wooftown also had a good selection of moisturizing shampoos, most of them made from naturally occurring ingredients.  While I am not typically overly concerned with making sure my products are free from things I can’t pronounce, I recognize that Teddy is constantly licking his skin, and might end up drinking a lot of the bath water. 

Wooftown helped me select the Tea Tree and Aloe Vera Shampoo from Earthbath Pet.  I liked it because I know personally how soothing Tea Tree and Aloe Vera are on dry, irritated skin.  It also contains Olive Oil as a moisturizer, and is not overly scented, like the lavender shampoo for example.  I will post separately about this shampoo, and our first bath, but this product is AMAZING! Teddy is no longer itching, his coat is SO soft and fluffy (yay olive oil), and his scent is too good to be true.

Teddy was exhausted after our walk (read: his lift) home, and snoozed for a good portion of the afternoon, even through many rounds of visitors.  Hindsight teaches me that I should have kept him playing, because he did not sleep that night. 

After putting Teddy in his crate, he started his super sad, howling cry, which to me sounds somewhere between a baby shrieking, and a bird.  Definitely not a puppy.  It is the most depressing noise in the world, and even though I know that I am supposed to just let him cry, I could not, so I took him out and played for a bit.  The issue is that he never wanted to go back in, so I ended up sleeping on the floor between his crate and Pet Loo.  Great night for him, horrible night for me.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get your puppy to sleep alone in the night?

For more how-to's, tips and ideas, make sure you keep checking KeepingUpWithTheodor.blogspot.ca, and subscribe! Don't forget to stay in touch on my Instagram @KeepingUpWithTheodor for a regular dose of cute pictures.