stress-free husbandry work at home
Many dogs are anxious about receiving husbandry care—especially if they find new experiences scary or if they have had a bad experience in the past. The good news is that by training low-stress handling at home, you can reduce or alleviate your dog’s fear about receiving veterinary and grooming care.
In this video, Karen Pryor Academy (KPA) Certified Training Partner (CTP) Sarah Rodriguez demonstrates how to teach a dog to accept brushing. Before you begin brushing, let your dog investigate the brush, clicking/treating for any interaction. Once your dog is comfortable with the presence of the brush, you can begin by lightly touching the brush to your dog’s body. Follow with a high-value treat. When your dog is calm and relaxed with light contact, begin lightly brushing your dog’s fur, keeping sessions short and always following a session with a treat. Over time, you can increase the duration and expectations of the brushing session gradually.
While Sarah focused on grooming in this video, you can use the same handling skills to set your dog up for success for future vet visits. For more tips on how to prepare your clients’ pets for successful vet visits, check out our Better Veterinary Visits course!
Happy Training!