Pet-Friendly Handling Handout Ariel Fagen, DVM Veterinary Behavior Consultations of Colorado Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital Symposium October 18, 2015 DOG EXERCISE 1: TREAT TOSS EXERCISE 2: PROPER LEASH HOLD EXERCISE 3: SLIP RELEASE LEASH EXERCISE 4: TURN YOUR BACK For timid dogs who might be willing to walk out with less social pressure, or fearful and defensively aggressive dogs Open door wide enough for the dog to just walk through Turn so your side-back is blocking the door opening wider Crouch down (knees off floor) Extend outstretched hand with wide open loop in front of open door Wait, feel free to offer treats to entice them to be brave enough EXERCISE 5: FOR BOLTERS For gregarious or anxious dogs that will jump or push their way out of the kennel Open door outwards just enough to stick arm through Stand sideways facing open door Block dog from pushing open door with foot, leg Have the leash open Loop leash around the dog s head EXERCISE 6: MODIFIED BOLTERS For potentially offensively aggressive dogs Follow previous technique, but Keep loop between you and patient at all times with extended, locked arm If patient lunges towards you, he will have to go through the loop and you can quickly tighten down the loop and keep the dog at arms length away IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO KEEP YOURSELF SAFE BY HAVING PATIENT AT ARMS LENGTH AWAY put a muzzle on! EXERCISE 7: TWO HANDED HAND OFF To have owner hand you the dog 1
Come from behind Rear end facing towards you EITHER: two handed OR One hand hold collar, football hold with other EXERCISE 8: ONE HANDED HAND OFF If aggressive, do a one handed transfer coming in from behind EXERCISE 9: PICK UP FROM FLOOR Small dogs Crouch parallel to dog Hold collar or close grip leash hold Farther hand scoop over and under (football hold) Slide dog up your side If will bite then hold leash directly out in front of dogs head HEAD RESTRAINTS EXERCISE 10: C-HOLD small-medium dogs, only large dogs that need minimal restraint Grasp laterally behind mandible with thumb and forefinger EXERCISE 11: U-HOLD small-medium dogs, only large dogs that need minimal restraint Grasp behind mandible ventrally with thumb and forefinger EXERCISE 12: HUG RESTRAINT Shorten leash as you crouch sideways next to the dog Rostral arm under neck of dog, elbow bent behind mandible Turn your palm flipped up so back of hand can be used to restrain the head - better restraint of head Caudal arm over dogs back Caudal hand under chest just behind axilla EXERCISE 13: HEAD LOCK RESTRAINT Same as hug restraint but place the palm of your rostral hand behind your head EXERCISE 14: TOWEL RESTRAINT Great for aggressive brachycephalics, small breeds, other aggressive respiratory risk dogs you don t want to muzzle (may need bulkier towel if not brachycephalic) Approaches from behind and wraps towel around head like donut +/- Wall Squish Restraint or sit behind 2
+/- PBR STERNAL RECUMBENCY RESTRAINTS EXERCISE 15: SMALL DOG With one hand do a U-hold under the neck With the other and reach over the back and grab both forelimbs in between your fingers distal to the elbow Bend the elbows so they are ready to weight bear Should be in lying down position just tilted off table Tilt the dog onto the table EXERCISE 16: MEDIUM DOG Get dog into sit On the floor, squat caudal-lateral to dog with one knee behind the dogs rear end so he cannot back up. Follow procedure for small dog Make sure your other knee is not in the way of the dog s chest If too hard on your back, follow large dog procedure EXERCISE 17: LARGE DOG, NO HEAD RESTRAINT Get dog into sit Person 1: stands or squats behind dog so he cannot back up Person 2: o Reaching over back with one arm to forelimb farther away, grasp distal to elbow o With other hand grasp forelimbs closer to body distal to the elbow o Bend elbows supporting body weight o Tilt body down to floor EXERCISE 18: LARGE DOG, WITH HEAD RESTRAINT Large dog don t trust won t bite, lick wound or flail Get dog to sit Person 1: o Stands or squats behind dog so he cannot back up o Grasp forelimb closest to second restrainer, distal to elbow Person 2: o Face dog from side at level of the shoulder o Head restraint with one arm o Second arm reaches over dog to grasp opposite forelimb distal to elbow Bend forelegs at same time and tilt dog down LATERAL RECUMBENCY RESTRAINTS EXERCISE 19: LATERAL RECUMBENCY, LARGE DOG FROM STERNAL 3
Get dog into sternal recumbency Caudal person: Rotate hips o Slide one hind leg under to other side by placing hand flat against tarsus and sweeping foot under o Other hand hold cranial aspect of proximal tibia, keep knee bent Rostral person: Head + Front limbs o One arm for head restraint o Other arm reach over back of dog, slide arm under chest and grasp proximal to the carpus closest to your own body (what will be the bottom leg once in lateral), sweep away from you Roll together EXERCISE 20: LATERAL RECUMBENCY, SMALL DOG FROM STERNAL (1P) Step 1: Rotate hips using previous method Step 2: o Hold both shoulders, forelimbs between pointer and middle fingers just proximal to elbow o Loop thumb of what will be down side hand into collar o Rotate Step 3: o Once in lateral, continue to hold bottom forelimb, let go of collar and swoop your elbow out so wrist can lay on top of head o Collect top forelimb in same hand with index finger between legs Step 4: Move free hand to restrain back end Step 5: Stabilize spine against your belly, don t stretch them For small dog that may bite: o Option 1: Previous method with muzzle o Option 2: Two-person with head restraint like large dog EXERCISE 21: LARGE DOG FROM STANDING 1P Slide the dog down your body and legs so that they feel supported and do not slam their heads or thud Grab distal to carpus and hock EXERCISE 22: LARGE DOG FROM STANDING 2PP EXERCISE 23: SMALL DOG FROM STANDING 1P Stand lateral to dog on table facing him Either hold chest or grasp forelimb closest to you distal to elbow with hand closest to caudal end of the dog With more rostral arm slide along closer side/ventral aspect of body to grasp the hindlimb closest to you Bend knees and rotate legs away from you cradling the body against yours using that rostral arm to support its weight all the way down to the floor 4
Re-position to hold down EXERCISE 24: SMALL DOG FROM STANDING 2PP Front person One arm head restraint o Other arm grasps what will be the down side forelimb once in lateral (reaching over) as proximal as can o Support the head so it does not slam against the ground Back person grabs both legs hold tibia and femurs in bent knee position Gently lifts and rotate CAT EXERCISE 25: U HOLD Thumb and forefinger just behind head EXERCISE 26: V HOLD Pointer and middle finger just behind head EXERCISE 27: TOWEL SCOOP Does not require pre-placement of towel, hides head initially Hold towel horizontally with two arms parallel the width of the cat apart from each other Gather 5-6 inches of end of towel in between your thumb and forefinger In one smooth movement, bring your arms down next to cat on either side and swoop the lip of towel in your fingers over and under their head and front feet Close your arms together underneath the cat and rotate your arms to lie the cat on his side Keep rear end controlled my using your body Can wrap free ends around Can use two towels or towel + cat gloves for aggressive cats Ensure air pocket at head EXERCISE 28: BURRITO WRAP Good if you only need access caudal to heart/lungs level, towel pre-placed Place towel out and cat on top of towel in the middle parallel to the short end Fold enough towel to cover head Then wrap one side over, then the other Fold end under EXERCISE 29: HALF BURRITO WRAP Leaves head out, towel pre-placed Place cat on towel as per above and collect towel on front long edge around neck holding at nape 5
Continue wrap as per above with head sticking out EXERCISE 30: SCARF WRAP Leaves head out, requires pre-placement of towel Place cat in center of towel parallel to short edge Wrap one side over cat using the front corner to wrap tight around the neck like you would a scarf Fold up other side then tuck under body If you need access to front limb, start wrap on contralateral side then let the needed forelimb stick out while you wrap RESOURCES Sophia Yin Website: http://drsophiayin.com/ Novice level basic cat handling educational quiz: http://vet.osu.edu/assets/shelter/index.html Fear Free guide: http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/your-complete-guide-reducing-fearveterinary-patients?pageid=1 Top 10 Ways to get started with Fear-free veterinary visits: http://veterinarycalendar.dvm360.com/top-10-ways-get-started-with-fear-free-veterinaryvisits-sponsored-boehringer-ingelheim-vetmedica-in Petting Consent Test https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cgdyi-s-cq The Language of Dogs DVD by Sarah Kalnajs (http://www.amazon.com/language-dogs- Sarah-Kalnajs/dp/1929242409) - ignore the discussion of jumping and dominance Dog Decoder: Learning to Read Your Dog http://www.dogdecoder.com/ Video: Training Dog to Enjoy Nail Trims: http://drsophiayin.com/videos/entry/training_a_dog_to_enjoy_toenail_trims http://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/counterconditioning-for-toenail-trim-aggression Video: Training Kitten to Enjoy Nail Trims: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jazj5rd0fts&list=uu33wtszccnray8kqqb3hdsq&i ndex=74 6
DOG BODY LANGUAGE FOR HANDLING Taken from (Herron & Shreyer, 2014) 7
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CAT BODY LANGUAGE FOR HANDLING Taken from (Herron & Shreyer, 2014) 10
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