The veterinarian sure knows how to create a happy, stress-free environment for pets before their checkups.
Dogs often experience quite a bit of anxiety when visiting the vet. The unfamiliar environment, strange smells and faces can cause these gentle animals to worry. However, having a calm and compassionate vet can make a world of difference. Doctor Thomas Hamilton (@drtom83 on TikTok) recently shared a video where he was seen comforting a nervous patient with a few snacks before their session. The post is captioned, "This patient needed some snacks to feel more at home" and it has gained 1.8 million views with over 1490 comments.
In the video, we get to see the dog seated on a chair with a hint of worry on his adorable face. Hamilton walks in, holding a box of treats and greets the dog, informing him that he is his doctor. He takes a seat next to the dog, who becomes curious and sniffs him. He says, "How are you doing? I bought some snacks," which gets the dog's attention. Hamilton takes out a treat and the dog reluctantly accepts it.
Hamilton asks him if he wants another one and the dog readily accepts. He decides to make the dog more comfortable and asks him to give him his paw. The dog slowly extends his paw and is rewarded with a treat. The owner of the video can be heard saying, "He has such a silly personality!" Hamilton asks him to give him his paw, which the dog does again to get more treats.
At this point, the owner informs Hamilton that the dog also knows how to do fist-bumps. He decides to try it out on the dog and takes up a few treats to reward him. The dog, who now seems more relaxed, readily gives him a fist bump. Hamilton repeated the tricks while offering the dog more treats to make sure he was really comfortable and not stressed. He funnily looks away and quickly asks the dog to give him a fist bump, which he obliges.
For a change, Hamilton asks him to bark with a motion of his hand, which the dog obeys. He does this a couple more times while offering treats. It's very evident that the dog is now comfortable around him, so Hamilton keeps the treats away and leans in to get a few wet kisses from the dog. He wastes no time and puts on his stethoscope and the dog gets slightly nervous again but bravely holds on.
The video concludes with the dog jumping down from the seat, knowing that the examination is over. People loved the wholesome video and shared their thoughts in the comments section. @westcoast_starfire said, "My doctor never brings me snacks. It's like she doesn't even care that I am uncomfortable. I might need to switch to a vet." @thats_right5 commented, "I think if my doctor acted this way and brought snacks, I'd be more likely to want to go, lol." @thelordskennels_nic pointed out, "The fact that you took the time to try and make him feel more comfortable is the best. I'm lucky to have great vets, but not everyone does."