Preparing for your dog’s behavioral therapy appointment
In order to get the most out of your appointment with Insight, please review the following page and contact us ahead of time if you have any questions.
Feeding and treats
Avoid feeding your dog in the 2-3 hours prior to your scheduled appointment. Your dog will be eating throughout the training session.
Have several different types of treats available for the training session.
For best results, establish a “hierarchy”of treats, ranging from low value (their dog kibble or treats they get every day) to high value (beloved treats that they rarely get).
Common examples of high value treats for dogs include cut up pieces of cooked meat or cheese, but this can vary widely.
Please let us know if your dog has any food allergies/dietary restrictions.
Medications
If your Insight veterinarian has prescribed your dog a situational medication to reduce his or her fear and arousal, administer this medication 1-2 hours prior to the behavioral therapy appointment.
Please refer to your dog’s treatment plan for specific details regarding dose and timing of medication administration.
In-home Appointments: Parking and entry
Please let us know if there are any special parking or entry procedures for your home.
In-home Appointments: Protocol for dog’s reactive to visitors
If your dog has previously lunged at, growled at, snapped at, or bitten a visitor to your home, please confine your dog away from the door 5 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment.
Give your dog an interactive toy (e.g. a Kong smeared with a small amount of peanut butter) when you confine him or her.
Andrew will text or call upon arrival rather than knocking on the door or ringing your bell. Once in your home, he will give you instructions on when to let your dog out of his or her confinement space.
Please keep your dog on leash until directed otherwise.