Exercise 1-9: Eyes
Dog holds head still and tolerates visual eye inspection.
Handler encourages the dog to hold its head still (may use a chin rest or light restraint) and gazes intently into each eye for 3 seconds.
Exercise 1-9: Eyes
Dog holds head still and tolerates visual eye inspection.
Handler encourages the dog to hold its head still (may use a chin rest or light restraint) and gazes intently into each eye for 3 seconds.
Purpose: A part of every routine veterinary exam is a close look at your dog’s eyes. Helping your dog become comfortable with this procedure can make a vet visit go much more smoothly.
Equipment: Treats.
Exercise set-up: The dog can be in any comfortable position. The trainer should be facing the dog. A chin rest or light head/muzzle restraint may be used during the exercise.
Scoring: In order to pass this exercise, the dog must hold his head still and allow the trainer to gaze intently into each eye for at least 3 seconds.
Non-qualifiers: The dog does not hold still (gentle verbal encouragement is allowed) for the exam.The trainer does not gaze into each eye for at least 3 seconds.
Tip: For some dogs, a person staring directly into their eyes can be intimidating. It’s good to smile and talk gently to your dog to reassure him that everything is fine. Work up to more duration and more intense gazes over a number of training sessions.
Video example:
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