Brushing, combing, cutting toenails, being held for vet examinations and treatment - these things are a part of life for our dogs. These aren't events that will happen once and never again. Instead, these are lifelong skills that our dogs will need to learn to deal with as ongoing events in their lives. Yet these are also things that some dogs get very stressed about.
The good news is that we can teach our dogs to think more positively about all of these activities, and we can even teach them to cooperate with us so they are less of a struggle. The better we can prepare our dogs to feel good about grooming, handling and vet visits, the less stress they will feel, and the healthier they will be. Teaching them to be cooperative with us, the groomer and the veterinarian will only make our jobs easier as well!
And teaching every dog to enjoy being touched and handled all over is an important safety skill for daily living. A dog that enjoys and allows touch will be safer in any environment, no matter what role it is expected to fulfill - competitor, companion, therapy dog, etc.
I've written about some grooming topics previously in this blog. Here are some you may have missed or that you may want to revisit:
Also, due to popular demand, our highly recommended online course Grooming, Husbandry and Handling Games is going to be offered again beginning April 7, 2018! This class is offered for 6 consecutive weeks, with new written and video lessons released each week. You can view the lessons and practice in your own time from home, and there is a student FB page as well as the option to get instructor feedback through the online classroom.
Some of the topics we cover are: playing touch games, waking up gently, using a marker, chin targeting and its uses, new surfaces such as tables and scales, introducing grooming tools and creating positive associations, teaching various positions for grooming, nail trimming, techniques for giving medications including ear and eye drops, how to teach common veterinary restraint positions, introducing vet tools and creating positive associations, muzzle training, and tooth brushing.
If you would like to learn how to start a new puppy out right on the path to easy grooming, handling and vet care, this is a great class to learn how to create positive associations from the start!
If you would like to create a less-stressful and more enjoyable grooming and/or veterinary clinic experience for your dog, this class will help you learn the right skills and techniques! This class is stuffed full of great tips and information to help you and your dog achieve just that!
Enrollment is open NOW! Click the link to learn more and sign up!
