ChowChow.org

I got an intern job at a vet clinic, i thought it would be great experience for a veterinary technician to be. As soon as I came in the doors, everyone was so friendly and asked me about my pets. Obviously I told them to about my little chowlet and almost immediately, two of the vet techs were like "EW!" and "I'm sorry." I gave them a confused look and told them that despite her puppy nipping issues, she is very loving. She's great, and my chow in the past was great. Of course they insisted that chows are horrible breeds. I was so surprised. I thought there was no discrimination of any one breed, especially in a vet office. I have to stick it out, because i know i need this experience, but man, i was annoyed. They're great people and great technicians besides that. They're the vet i've taken my puppies to, but now being there, i know i probably won't be taking her in for anything but vaccinations. I want to just make her the best dog and prove them wrong.

It is unfortunate but some vets, vet techs, shelter workers etc have problems with chows. I know a vet who won't even treat them! It took me a while to find a vet that didn't have problems with my chows, and one of the reasons I stay in the area I live in is because of my vet.

Are there not enough discriminations in our human world without there now being breedism. (My word it will catch on LOL) I find it a disgrace that any animal carer can openly judge a dog because of breed before actually meeting it. Tut Tut shame on them.
Keep up her training and you show them, just because a certain breed has genetic level traits doesn't mean they have them all.
Congrats on your internship.

I agree - shame on them, it is hardly the attitude. Clearly you have as much to teach them as they have to teach you!
Take your chowbaby in to work one day and prove them wrong.
I really can't understand the negativity - my vets love my dogs, they say that Fozzchops is one of the most sweet-natured dog of any breed that they have had the pleasure to treat. And Humphers is shaping up to be just as lovely.

Loo behaves perfectly at the vet. Stands like a statue, lets them do anything to him (and they have done horrible stuff to him! ). Doesn't bark, whine, complain --> he's the perfect stoic. I suspect he's probably their most well-behaved patient.

Stupid people! I understand perfectly how hard it was for you not to turn round and march right out of there again when they insulted your dog and her breed.

Cocoa is awesome at the vet. My vet gives the "chow" lecture to new puppy owners, which is to say he heavily stresses constant socialization and handling all over is more important than with a lot of other breeds. The techs all love Cocoa but they have told me that they have some chows that come in who haven't been properly socialized and they are very difficult for the vets to handle. I agree with Fozzbear, take him in and show them what a well trained and socialized chow is like.

My vet doctor loved my little angel. But man the vet techs are tough. Everytime we have a rough dog walk in the door, they turn to me and joke that my chow might end up like that. It's just really annoying. I do get offended and I snap back. But I realize that this is a good opportunity (thanks for the support (: ) but I do agree that they have a lot to learn about chows. The more experienced technicians tell me that I have a bad one on my hands, and that chows are probably most notorious for their attitude and stubborness. I'm up for the challenge. The thing I really dislike about this hospital is that they're so rough with the animals. When a dog cries, they immediately consider him hostile and put restraints on them. I'm a little scared bringing my chowlet back here now that I realize how they are. I try to avoid talking to them about her, mainly because most of them aren't interested in a chow puppy.

If they treat the dogs like that it is no wonder they haven't had a good experience with a chow, not very many chows are likely to put up with being manhandled by strangers, and they shouldn't have to. The vet techs sound like they are in the wrong line of work.

This hospital seems to favor a certain breed, the labrador. When I first came into the office with my chowlet, they were like "OH! Look, this dog is so cute even though she isn't a labrador!"

They only have pictures of cats and labs up on the wall. It's really crazy, but i guess if i have to, i will find a different vet for her.

You have seen the inside world of what most of us Chow fans already knew. Maybe they had one bad experience or are just basing their attitudes on rep. Either way, it is so important to choose a facility that is not only Chow friendly, but also experienced in the nuances of Chow care.

I am not recommending it by any means, because i agree that you have a good opportunity, but man if it was me, i would be openly angry about their attitudes toward animals that are not their preferred sort. Knowing what you know, how comfortable should a chow, pit, or rotty owner feel about relying on these people to save their beloved pet.

You know i am split on this one. You could use your position and your pup to educate these people, or you could expose them as the uncaring phonies that they are.

nnguyentang wrote:My vet doctor loved my little angel. But man the vet techs are tough. Everytime we have a rough dog walk in the door, they turn to me and joke that my chow might end up like that. It's just really annoying. I do get offended and I snap back. But I realize that this is a good opportunity (thanks for the support (: ) but I do agree that they have a lot to learn about chows. The more experienced technicians tell me that I have a bad one on my hands, and that chows are probably most notorious for their attitude and stubborness. I'm up for the challenge. The thing I really dislike about this hospital is that they're so rough with the animals. When a dog cries, they immediately consider him hostile and put restraints on them. I'm a little scared bringing my chowlet back here now that I realize how they are. I try to avoid talking to them about her, mainly because most of them aren't interested in a chow puppy.

I wouldn't take your chow back there, unless you were the only one to work with her. Chows will remember if they are mistreated and they can become nearly impossible to work with through just one bad experience at the vet. There used to be a chow on this site who was just fine with vet visits until she was mistreated by one vet, from that day until the end of her life she was very difficult to handle by any vet. And if they ask why you don't bring your chowling back, I'd flat out tell them, that they are too rough, and they aren't allowed to touch your chow! I am extremely protective of my chows at the vet's I know they are good and I want to keep it that way.

Mmm! that is a difficult situation.

When my granddaughter Isabelle first left school she got a job at the local vet hospital in the nearby little town. One day a chow chow came in - I cannot remember what for now - but she was in for 2 or 3 days. The vet nurses branded her as nasty which really annoyed Isabelle and she told them that the noises she was making were not growls - she was talking to them.

They were putting a muzzle on her when they needed to treat her and that really wound Ibs up and she got cross with them at which they said "You do it then without a muzzle!"

So Ibs went into her kennel area and sat down and talked to her and got all the "Harrumphs!" MMm's Aaahs etc. from the chow and she talked back to her. Isabelle then went on to do whatever it was that needed doing without any trouble and certainly without a muzzle. The others were shame faced and admitted they had misread the noises from the chow chow.

So a lot is ignorance and it is a shame to brand a breed simply because you don't understand. The thing is, our chow chows do talk to us with sounds and grunts and Harrumphs that other dogs do not use.

They need telling!!

Yeah, her mom and i (well, my boyfriend and i, he likes to call himself her momma) decided that we have to find another vet for her. I mean Violet is a typical puppy, she freaks out when anyone uses force to restrain her, but I'm just worried that she'll hate the vet because of these people. But in my experience, I've been turned down by another hospital because she was a chow chow. But the good news is that she starts her puppy classes, so hopefully that will help. I only go into the hospital on Mondays and Tuesdays, from what i see, this vet hospital is very good with animals, but when a dog shows fear or agression, the workers slip on the muzzle or sedate them. I hate that! Honestly, if it was my puppy, I know for a fact that she would be sedated before she's worked with. How are your experiences with vets?

NN, very mixed experiences with vets for our Chows. We had one who was very tolerant and confident with them that did just fine. He 'sorta' retired, but kept his offices open with other vets and the experiences went downhill immediately. When we got Rory, we asked for recommendations from the breeder. Even though she is a 45 minute drive, she understands the breed and is very good with our dog. We continue to drive the distance for everything and dont regret it a bit.

It's a shame, but vets and their staff have to be properly socialized to chows. Our current vet was not that hard to train. It took a few moments, but my two were able to successfully train the staff. You know, I have been out of town for 6 weeks, maybe I will take the dogs out and socialize the staff today.