Why does my dog forget house training after the vet?
Stressful veterinary visits trigger temporary behavioral regression, causing dogs to have indoor accidents and hide for days afterward. This sudden setback makes routine care difficult and leaves owners scrambling to manage unexpected messes right after a vet trip.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1taking the dog to the vet parking lot just for treats without an appointment
- 2giving pre-visit anti-anxiety medications
- 3switching to a different vet clinic with kinder handlers
- 4desensitizing the dog to handling very gradually at their own pace
- 5Researched extensively online during veterinary hospitalization
- 6Seeking advice and community experiences from other puppy owners
- 7sitting with the dog in the backseat
- 8using dog beds and pillows
- 9allowing the dog to look out the window
- 10researching plush car seats or foldable transport boxes
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“our dog (10 months) has always been uncomfortable in the car. As a baby he actually slept during the drive. Nowadays he just pants , lays down on my leg, gets up again, and just seems very stressed. Even on short drives to the park.”source ↗
“My puppy is a 13 week old dachshund, I have had him for 3 weeks. Let me tell you it has been a ride.”source ↗
“But he is home now and doing well, unfortunately he no longer will sleep in his kennel, he freaks out, he is up all night long, he also is mouthing and biting harder and more than he did before.”source ↗
“Plus im exhausted emotionally and physically. I just need advice.”source ↗
“Does your dog experience regression after such an experience/visit? Example specific to us: is potty trained but for 2-3 days after will act as if she isn't aka have accidents in the house”source ↗
“my dog does similar, after stressful vet visits he forgets his house training for couple days and hides under the bed like the world is ending.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 11How do I deal with severe separation anxiety in a newly adopted dog?
- 4How to handle a dog with intense guarding instincts
- 11How to stop your dog from causing embarrassing scenes in public
- 2How to handle severe leash reactivity in a busy city
- 3What to do after your adopted dog tries to bite you
- 5How to tell normal puppy crate whining from real distress