Handling your dog

Get your dog super comfortable with body handling. A great way to start is the ‘May I’ Game (see video below). Here are the steps to play:

• Say “May I” (or any verbal cue) to tell your dog you are about to touch them.

• Touch their body somewhere that they’re already comfortable with.

• Give them a food treat after you touch.

In the following video I do a quick session of toenail clipping with my dog, Halfway. Notice that I start with some simple May I’s to check if he’s comfortable before I clip his toenail. I keep the session short to minimize stress. I only did one actual clip in this session.

In the next video I demonstrate how I would prepare my dog for getting ear drops. I’ve had to do this for my dogs in the past, and its much easier if they are comfortable and cooperative. I deconstruct the process for my dog... First I just I touch his ear and give him a treat. Then I show him the medicine bottle and give him a treat. I gradually piece together the process of administering the ear drops over several repetitions. This may take several sessions (or even weeks), the important thing is to make sure your dog is VERY comfortable at each stage.

The following video demonstrates some tips for putting on a harness. I use food a few times to lure my dog through the harness. After that I use an empty hand to lure him through. Putting the harness over the dog’s head can be stressful for them. I recommend a harness that doesn’t need to slip over the head, like a Blue-9 Balance Harness.

Also notice that looming over the dog can be stressful. It’s better to put the harness on beside your dog, rather than facing and hovering over them.

Do some simple body handling every day. This will help you and your dog prepare for times when you need to give your dog medicine or do something that they may not like. Keep the practice sessions short and fun!