Dogs

How We Help Your Dog

Dogs are Man (and Woman's!) best friend. Your pooch is in good hands with Bell Rock.

List of Services

House Diagnostic Testing We have in house diagnostic testing, so emergencies and sick pets don't have to wait for their results before receiving treatment.
Learn More House Diagnostic Testing
Digital Radiography We have digital radiography and dental digital radiography for accurate and quick diagnostic capabilities.

Learn More Digital Radiography
Therapies We provide acupuncture and laser therapy.
Learn More Therapies
Emergencies I see after hour emergencies and am available 24/7 unless out of town. We also work in emergencies during the day, being pet people we understand how traumatic it can be when you beloved pet is not feeling well or in an emergency situation.
Learn More Emergencies
House Calls We also take house calls to accommodate those who have difficultly traveling or those who want at home euthanasia.
House Calls
Drop Off System We will allow you to drop off to accommodate you if we can't find an appointment time that works for your schedule.
Drop Off System
Large Examination Room We have a large exam room designed for dogs to keep them comfortable, so we aren't lifting large dogs on a table for them to be scared. We get down on the floor with them to keep them as comfortable as possible during the examination.
Large Examination Room
Anti Venom We carry the anti venom here, not all clinics do, in case your dog is bit by a rattlesnake while hiking or outdoors.
Anti Venom
No Rush We also take our time and don't rush the appointment so the owner and pet can feel at ease and get all their questions answered.

No Rush

Training and Behavior

Ideally every puppy would receive a good foundation of social experiences to have the best chance for them to have good social skills later in life. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case and many dogs have bad experiences that lead them to be fearful. Having a young son and three dogs in our family, I would like to discuss ways to help you socialize your dog so you can be comfortable in various situations.

The way a child naturally pets a dog can be seen as aggressive and intimidating behavior to the dog. If you want your dog to be comfortable around children you can use the below strategies to help accomplish this. When a child is involved in this process there should ALWAYS be two adults involved, one adult handling the dog while the other adult handles the child.

Start by teaching your dog a focus command at home. Have your pet sit and focus on you then give them a treat. Make them continue to look at you for a few seconds and then release them. When releasing them, tell them they did a good job and then repeat the process slowly building the time you hold them in the focus command. Once they have mastered the command it is time to schedule outings with people.

dog behavior bell rock veterinary clinic

The goal is to get your pup used to all types of circumstances from sounds associated with people, sudden movements, and people carrying objects. The more good experiences your pet has under these circumstances the less these situations will frighten your pet.

During these outings allow your pet to approach the people. In doing so, they will feel more comfortable about the situation. If the dog reacts badly to someone, increase your distance from the person and use your focus command to keep the dog’s attention on you; you can use treats to help maintain your dog’s attention. If someone is pushy about petting your dog and won’t listen to your instructions, keep walking and keep your dog’s focus on you. This tells your dog that you will deal with the people, and that you are a leader worthy of following.

By taking the time and putting in a great deal of effort to socialize your dog, you’ll be rewarded with a wonderful bond. Take the process slowly and have fun. You can always enlist the help of your veterinarian or visit the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior at https://avsab.org.New Paragraph

What To Do To Keep Your Pet From Becoming Lost?

Do you know the latest statistics on lost dogs? The statistics according to HomeAgain (www.microchip.homeagain.com) are: 1 in 3 pets will go missing in their lifetime, 10 million pets get lost each year and without ID, 90% will never make it back home. Most people think it could never happen to them and that their dog(s) will never get lost but as the statistics show that is not always the case. The yard or pool guy may not close the gate when they leave, a storm could cause a gate to blow open, a dog could get spooked while out on a walk and get away from their owner; the possibilities are endless.

Now how many people know what to do when your dog is missing? The first step is to be proactive and takes precautions before they go missing. Make sure they have a collar with tags that have current contact information on them. Second, keep their license information current with the County. In addition to proper tags, microchipping your pet before they become lost will help ensure their return.

You will want to keep your contact information with the microchip company current as well. If you have questions on how microchips work talk with your veterinarian.

You have taken steps to have proper identification on your pet before they are missing, then it happens and they are gone. Now what? Social media such as straydar and Lost Pets of Northern Arizona are great ways to get your lost pet visible to the public. Posting flyers in the area in which your pet was lost and at the local shelters, pet stores, and veterinary clinics is also recommended. This way people in your area will be watching for your pet and know who to contact if they find them.

Hopefully you will never be faced with the burdened and sadness of having to find lost family. If you ever are in this situation being proactive is best and the more you can get the information to the public that your pet is missing the better the chance of their return.