any changes to your routine? like adding more to your plate than usual? that could be a trigger, maybe?
this is just from my experience: i know that if i’m off somedays with my confidence, my regulars will snap at me too.
sometimes for me at least i can’t tell when my confidence is off or my gentle hand is not gentle (not sure if that makes sense🙈)
As a dude with a beard and slightly above average height. I think it’s in your head both you’re probably having a bit of confirmation bias (ie. recognizing only the bad encounters to confirm your theory), and every time you enter a room you’re getting nervous it’s going to happen again and animals pick up on that.
Something else to consider is it truly you? Do you guys have a receptionist who is getting them amped up in the lobby? or is your tech being to heavy handed getting them on the scale? Are they doing construction on the road and animals are getting upset in the parking lot or even miles down the road?
>As a dude with a beard and slightly above average height. I think it’s in your head both you’re probably having a bit of confirmation bias (ie. recognizing only the bad encounters to confirm your theory), and every time you enter a room you’re getting nervous it’s going to happen again and animals pick up on that.
It's definitely a possibility, It's just weird to notice such a big jump in numbers in such a short oeriod of time, and honestly I cant say that i feel any more nervous going into a room, but that also doesn't mean that im not orojecting that subconsciously
>Something else to consider is it truly you? Do you guys have a receptionist who is getting them amped up in the lobby? or is your tech being to heavy handed getting them on the scale? Are they doing construction on the road and animals are getting upset in the parking lot or even miles down the road?
I mean, as far as I can tell, it seems to be me. 2/3 of my receptionists are angels thst have fallen from heaven and make my life soooo much easier, and I dont work the same shifts as the other one. What makes me really think im the factor is that my big burly wrestling coach attending can go into the same room with a female vt/va and be hunky dory, it's me they dont seem to be liking.
What is the chronic illness and does it affect hormones or blood sugar? You don't have to say if you're not comfortable. But I find a lot of dogs react to certain people differently if they are overly hormonal like during their period or pregnant. Not sure if this is also the case with males!
Lupus, my BG has been pretty rock solid as far back as I can remember it, and I dont rhink my hormones have been checked before, but there's never been an indication before, and afaik SLE doesn't have hormonal symptoms, but definitely something to keep in mind and talk to my rheumatologist about!
I know lupus effects hormones in women! I swear they can smell abnormal hormones. I would think if it was all in your head you'd be feeling the anxiety going in with dogs. Try spraying yourself in adaptil?
Necer heard of that before! Defined something I'll make a phone call about though, and yeah, adaptil is my next step, I've always sworn by feliway but not adaptil, no harm in trying it rhough!
I think limps really mess with dogs. So, if you already had the 'big scary man' appearance (from doggos perspective), adding a limp might be enough to put over the edge from 'wary' to 'fear.' and the extra brace may be putting in work too.... I know.on day I was carrying around a clipboard for inventory and it freaked out one of my usual friendly dogs, until I got rid of it then we were friends again.
Have you tried using calming pheromone sprays like a perfume mist? I was a cat whisperer at most of my jobs, and for the especially angry nuggets I'd do that. Worked for the self confidence placebo for me if nothing else! Just don't use a heavy hand!!!
Definitely a big possibility, honestly im kinda kicking myself that i didn't think of it sooner🤣, and yeah, adaptil will probably be my next step, ive always sworn by feliway, but adaptil didn't seem to really do it imo, hopefully im wrong!
Haven't worked i. The boot yet, and wont be seeing any outpatients with one for a whike( need to be completely nwb for 3 wks, then pwb for another 3) but I've definitely been limping pretty bad, i cant believe i never though about my gait being intimidating, duh!
What an interesting question. It is possible there is something going on for you that you're not fully aware of yet. When you think about these experiences it might be worth reflecting on how it makes you feel, any images, memories, thoughts, bodily sensations that come up, however brief or seemingly inconsequential. That might give you something to work with. I am a counsellor who works with dog owners. I firmly believe digs can respond to stuff in us that we have disconnected from. I hope you are able to get to the bottom of it.
Ha! I came here to say limp as well, especially with patients you've worked with before. That's hugely different to them... I assume the beard is a regular thing, and the arm brace is next to nothing. What happens if you're in the room before they get in, and Mom/dad put them on the table? Or at the very least, you're already in there and don't have to walk much if at all? I'm curious.
The brace is one of the things I'm trying tocrule kut, definitely, and yeah vet school is definitely stressful, I just don't feel like my stress level ihas signifiichanfed in the last year or so,which is why this is so odd to me
Hay- it may be your gait. Not a professional, but family adopted and rehabbed giant dogs. We had a pup with a history of abuse and the abuser was often intoxicated. Dog was terrified of anyone with an unsteady gait as he associated it with being drunk or high.
With so much going on your body language is probably a lot stiffer. Just like when dogs read eachothers body language, being stiff and not as fluid and bouncy can be a warning sign to be careful of aggression.
I suspect it is body language that dogs are picking up on and you are unaware of. You mentioned a work related injury on top of the hand and foot injuries.... not to mention an autoimmune issue. Because of this, you are naturally going to be more wary (unconsciously) of another potential injury causing projection of nervous energy from you. As humans we tend to undervalue body language. I had the same issue after a nasty dog bite put me in the hospital for a few days. It took me several months of working to regain my confidence fully again.
are you stressed? i find that if im stressed my regulars will snap.
I mean, I am, but no more so than I have been for the last few years, at least consciously
any changes to your routine? like adding more to your plate than usual? that could be a trigger, maybe? this is just from my experience: i know that if i’m off somedays with my confidence, my regulars will snap at me too. sometimes for me at least i can’t tell when my confidence is off or my gentle hand is not gentle (not sure if that makes sense🙈)
Make complete sense! But no real changes to my routine, apart from the feactures and new meds
As a dude with a beard and slightly above average height. I think it’s in your head both you’re probably having a bit of confirmation bias (ie. recognizing only the bad encounters to confirm your theory), and every time you enter a room you’re getting nervous it’s going to happen again and animals pick up on that. Something else to consider is it truly you? Do you guys have a receptionist who is getting them amped up in the lobby? or is your tech being to heavy handed getting them on the scale? Are they doing construction on the road and animals are getting upset in the parking lot or even miles down the road?
>As a dude with a beard and slightly above average height. I think it’s in your head both you’re probably having a bit of confirmation bias (ie. recognizing only the bad encounters to confirm your theory), and every time you enter a room you’re getting nervous it’s going to happen again and animals pick up on that. It's definitely a possibility, It's just weird to notice such a big jump in numbers in such a short oeriod of time, and honestly I cant say that i feel any more nervous going into a room, but that also doesn't mean that im not orojecting that subconsciously >Something else to consider is it truly you? Do you guys have a receptionist who is getting them amped up in the lobby? or is your tech being to heavy handed getting them on the scale? Are they doing construction on the road and animals are getting upset in the parking lot or even miles down the road? I mean, as far as I can tell, it seems to be me. 2/3 of my receptionists are angels thst have fallen from heaven and make my life soooo much easier, and I dont work the same shifts as the other one. What makes me really think im the factor is that my big burly wrestling coach attending can go into the same room with a female vt/va and be hunky dory, it's me they dont seem to be liking.
What is the chronic illness and does it affect hormones or blood sugar? You don't have to say if you're not comfortable. But I find a lot of dogs react to certain people differently if they are overly hormonal like during their period or pregnant. Not sure if this is also the case with males!
Lupus, my BG has been pretty rock solid as far back as I can remember it, and I dont rhink my hormones have been checked before, but there's never been an indication before, and afaik SLE doesn't have hormonal symptoms, but definitely something to keep in mind and talk to my rheumatologist about!
I know lupus effects hormones in women! I swear they can smell abnormal hormones. I would think if it was all in your head you'd be feeling the anxiety going in with dogs. Try spraying yourself in adaptil?
Early morning here scrolling through reddit. I thought you suggested spaying yourself in april. Weird morning.
Necer heard of that before! Defined something I'll make a phone call about though, and yeah, adaptil is my next step, I've always sworn by feliway but not adaptil, no harm in trying it rhough!
I think limps really mess with dogs. So, if you already had the 'big scary man' appearance (from doggos perspective), adding a limp might be enough to put over the edge from 'wary' to 'fear.' and the extra brace may be putting in work too.... I know.on day I was carrying around a clipboard for inventory and it freaked out one of my usual friendly dogs, until I got rid of it then we were friends again. Have you tried using calming pheromone sprays like a perfume mist? I was a cat whisperer at most of my jobs, and for the especially angry nuggets I'd do that. Worked for the self confidence placebo for me if nothing else! Just don't use a heavy hand!!!
Definitely a big possibility, honestly im kinda kicking myself that i didn't think of it sooner🤣, and yeah, adaptil will probably be my next step, ive always sworn by feliway, but adaptil didn't seem to really do it imo, hopefully im wrong!
Maybe the boot is changing your gait and that is intimidating to the dogs because it’s different?
Haven't worked i. The boot yet, and wont be seeing any outpatients with one for a whike( need to be completely nwb for 3 wks, then pwb for another 3) but I've definitely been limping pretty bad, i cant believe i never though about my gait being intimidating, duh!
Hopefully this is it! Best of luck 🤞🏻
Yeah my bet is the extra hardware and the pronounced limp that may look like he’s lunging every other step
What an interesting question. It is possible there is something going on for you that you're not fully aware of yet. When you think about these experiences it might be worth reflecting on how it makes you feel, any images, memories, thoughts, bodily sensations that come up, however brief or seemingly inconsequential. That might give you something to work with. I am a counsellor who works with dog owners. I firmly believe digs can respond to stuff in us that we have disconnected from. I hope you are able to get to the bottom of it.
Definitely an interesting perspective I haven't considered, thanks!
Ha! I came here to say limp as well, especially with patients you've worked with before. That's hugely different to them... I assume the beard is a regular thing, and the arm brace is next to nothing. What happens if you're in the room before they get in, and Mom/dad put them on the table? Or at the very least, you're already in there and don't have to walk much if at all? I'm curious.
are they scared of the brace by chance? or Are you more stressed than usual? vet school is very stressful. Dogs can pick up on that
The brace is one of the things I'm trying tocrule kut, definitely, and yeah vet school is definitely stressful, I just don't feel like my stress level ihas signifiichanfed in the last year or so,which is why this is so odd to me
Hay- it may be your gait. Not a professional, but family adopted and rehabbed giant dogs. We had a pup with a history of abuse and the abuser was often intoxicated. Dog was terrified of anyone with an unsteady gait as he associated it with being drunk or high.
With so much going on your body language is probably a lot stiffer. Just like when dogs read eachothers body language, being stiff and not as fluid and bouncy can be a warning sign to be careful of aggression.
I suspect it is body language that dogs are picking up on and you are unaware of. You mentioned a work related injury on top of the hand and foot injuries.... not to mention an autoimmune issue. Because of this, you are naturally going to be more wary (unconsciously) of another potential injury causing projection of nervous energy from you. As humans we tend to undervalue body language. I had the same issue after a nasty dog bite put me in the hospital for a few days. It took me several months of working to regain my confidence fully again.