By Sophie

You know that great feeling when your pet parents get you all leashed up and put you in the car for a bye-bye? And then once you’re on the road, that sinking feeling when you start smelling the vet’s office from a mile away?

I used to feel your pain, my fellow pooches, but now I look forward to these trips, and I’ll tell you why.

• Of course it’s no fun at all to get poked with that shiny, pointy thing, but it only lasts a second or two, and then you get lots of ear scratches and maybe even a tasty treat – am I right, my dears?
• It’s also a pain in the tail (BOL!) when they take your temperature. Again, it only takes a second or two and then you usually get rewarded with at least a nice ear scratch.
• The vet has a magical way of making me feel better whenever I’m under the weather. Sometimes I have to swallow really yucky pills, but they’re usually followed by a tasty treat.
• My vet is very nice and has a gentle touch. I bet yours does too. Sometimes an exam can be the next best thing to a belly rub!
• The waiting area is almost like a dog park – so many new pooches to meet! The darlings are usually stunned by my calm demeanor and ask me how I can be so relaxed. “Vet?” I bark. “Schmet.”
• If your pooch pawl is going to the vet with you, your calmness can actually rub off on her. To tell you the truth, a trip to the vet’s used to make me shake like a Chihuahua. Then my old pawl Larry demonstrated how much easier the whole ordeal is if you just relax and try to make it a fun experience. He was absolutely right. Now I’ve passed this wisdom on to my buddy Leroy, and he likes vet visits as much as I do.

So the next time you smell the distinct fragrance of the vet’s office, do not fear – instead, think about all the ear scratches and tasty treats you’re bound to get!

What do you like about going to the vet? Let us know in the Comments area below!

was almost 84 dog years old when she crossed the Rainbow Bridge. She was adopted by i Love Dogs writer Laura Goldman in 1998 from a Hawthorne, Calif. shelter. She was adopted by i Love Dogs writer Laura Goldman when she was a year old from the spcaLA shelter in Hawthorne, Calif. Sophie loved long naps, looking out the front windows and, most of all, her best buddy Leroy. Check out her other articles!

PHOTO: U.S. Air Force