A rescue dog that would “shake with fear” at the prospect of a vet visit has overcome her fear to become the perfect patient.

Spanish rescue dog Barley now “wags her tail in delight” when she goes to Coastway Vet’s practice in Freshfield Business Park, in Brighton's Kemp Town.

Barley was referred to Coastway because of her extreme fear of vets that would leave her “quivering with nerves" biting at the air and would slip her harness to avoid going inside.

But after lots of reassurance and slow progress, Barley began to become more comfortable.

Veterinary nurse Jay Maxim said: “Barley didn’t even want to come through the door, but we have a separate entrance at Coastway that our behaviour clinic patients can use, so they don’t have to walk through our reception where they might encounter other pets and people.

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“Once she was in the building, we gave Barley lots of reassurance and rewarded any positive progress she made. She was worried about being examined, so we started with getting her used to having her paw touched, then her leg and built up from there.

“The next stage was to introduce new people and show her they weren’t anything to be scared about, then get her used to the medical equipment we use to examine pets.”

With the support of her owners, who practised exercises with her at home, Barley, a Labrador X Podenco, is now relaxed and happy and is said to love visiting the Coastway team.

Coastway vets is offering sessions for pets with fear or anxiety, handling issues, or show aggressive behaviour towards people.

Behaviourist Trixie Howard, a former veterinary nurse at Coastway Vets, works with Jay to tailor a desensitisation plan for each individual pet.

She said many young dogs suffer from anxiety due to the Covid lockdown, as they were unable to socialise properly during their formative months.

The Argus: Barley outside the vets with JayBarley outside the vets with Jay (Image: Coastway)

She said: “Through the sessions we can help improve a dog’s behaviour, although it isn’t a quick fix and it’s important the owner is on board as there is a lot of homework involved.

“As well as helping the dog, we aim to increase the owner’s understanding of their pet, why they are behaving in a certain way and how best to manage it.”  

Barley’s owners described it as a “huge relief” that she was no longer scared of vet trips.

The Argus: Barley with Jay the vet and owners Alex and EliseBarley with Jay the vet and owners Alex and Elise (Image: Coastway)

Owners Alex Hurst and Elise Cook adopted their pet when she was rescued from the streets of Spain.

Alex said: “The work Jay has done with Barley has completely transformed her and he’s taken away her fears. It has made life so much better for her, as well as making things easier for us.

“Before, Barley could sense if we were anywhere near a vets and she would become incredibly anxious, but through having lots of positive experiences inside the building at Coastway and with its veterinary team, she’s now very keen to go inside."