This 4-week class will train your dog not only to tolerate handling and husbandry procedures, but also to be an active, willing participant in these experiences.
Topics include (but are not limited to):
- Teaching consent procedures using a chin rest, the Bucket Game, lying on side, and front foot platform
- Restraint
- Body handling including mouth, ears, and feet
- Nail trimming
- Ear exam
- Eye exam
- Injection or Blood Draw Training
- When to consider pharmaceutical aids
This class is based on the works by Dr. Deborah Jones and her book Cooperative Care: Seven Steps To Stress-Free Handling, as well as on the works of Sarah Stremming, Iris Castaing, and Chirag Patel.
Limited to 6 teams, with a prerequisite: Consent of instructor or Companion 1. This class is not for dogs who have aggression or reactivity issues
Here’s what a student had to say about the class:
We were lucky enough to take a class from Molly recently, and I am so glad we did. We adopted a dog last year who came with a traumatic history: his past vet visits had resulted in “aggressive handling fees” and sedation after he was handled roughly and became frightened and tried to bite. I was nervous about taking him to the vet and exposing him to more trauma, or creating a dangerous situation for the veterinary staff.
Another trainer recommended that we take Molly’s Cooperative Care class. Molly’s advice and exercises were really helpful – she taught us some positions and gave us homework to get the dogs comfortable with common procedures such as nail trimming, blood draws, and various medical or grooming tools. She helped us to check in with the dog to make sure they’re ready to continue or to know if it’s time for a break.
Molly is a natural instructor; she calmly and kindly dispenses advice and ideas to try while walking around the class. Her classes are small (we had 4 dogs in ours) and the facility was spacious with plenty of room between students. Her methods always focused on reducing stress for both dog and human.
The true test came with our first vet appointment after the class: our vet (a certified fear-free clinic) was very impressed with the work we’d done to prepare and especially admired some of the techniques Molly had taught us. Most importantly, our dog was comfortable enough during the visit that he didn’t need to be muzzled or sedated. In fact, he relaxed and laid down on his side halfway through the appointment! More than anything else, that shows that he would recommend Molly’s class, too, if he could tell you himself.
Contact Molly at bredenbergmolly@gmail.com to register.