CANINE ATTENDANT TRAINING
LECTURE HOURS: 5.5
PRACTICAL HOURS: 1.5
Canine Behaviour and Safety: Promoting Positive Interactions and Conflict Resolution
Safe, positive, and healthy human-to-dog interactions begin with understanding and effectively communicating in the dog’s language. This comprehensive full-day course is specifically designed for veterinary technicians, kennel attendants, doggy daycare staff, professional dog walkers, and other animal care professionals. It is structured into three main components: Canine Behaviour, Dog-to-Dog Reactivity, and Canine Self-Defense.
Throughout the day, participants will develop the essential skill of reading canine body language and vocalizations, which are vital for understanding a dog’s emotional state in various situations. By learning to recognize subtle cues, participants will be equipped to accurately assess signs of stress, fear, aggression, and relaxation. This foundational knowledge will enable them to respond appropriately to the dog’s needs, ensuring that their actions promote safety and comfort for both the animal and handler.
The course will delve into the nuances of canine communication, helping participants differentiate between signs suggesting comfort and those indicating discomfort or potential aggression. Emphasis will be placed on how to adjust one’s approach based on these observations—whether that involves providing more space, changing the environment, or using calming techniques to help a dog de-escalate. Participants will also learn how to anticipate a dog’s next move by understanding how certain behaviours may escalate or de-escalate in real time, allowing them to diffuse potentially stressful or dangerous situations before they escalate into conflicts.
A key portion of the course, Canine Self-Defense, provides participants with practical skills for safely managing high-risk situations. This includes techniques for defusing an agitated dog, safely intervening in dog fights, and protecting oneself in the rare event of an aggressive attack. By the end of the course, attendees will be empowered with the knowledge and confidence to ensure both their own safety and the well-being of the dogs they work with.
Topics to be covered include:
- How to read canine body language
- Understanding vocal communication
- Typical breed group dispositions
- Human to canine communication
- Identifying and categorizing types of dog reactivity
- How to defuse antagonistic behaviour displays
- How to safely break up a dog fight
- Quickly assessing the intentions of an approaching dog
- Avoiding errors when being approached by a hostile dog
- Defusing displays of aggression directed towards you
- Protecting yourself in the event an attack becomes unavoidable