Humane Society University

Humane Handling of Fearful Dogs for Animal Shelter Staff

Course Description

This is a one-day workshop created by Dr. Mark Johnson, wildlife vet in Wyoming – first given in 2010. Dr. Johnson is renowned for teaching animal officers how to handle wolves – and has converted his methods and material to apply to aggressive or fearful dogs in a shelter or disaster environment. The course teaches techniques and methods of handling dogs who are anxious, frightened or have a tendency towards aggression. The workshop also explores our role in the energy of conflict when interacting with fractious dogs and creates an open forum to discuss specific challenges and scenarios.

Course Objectives

This unique workshop prepares shelter staff for handling in-house fearful or dangerous dogs in a calm, humane, safe, and successful manner.

By the end of the workshop participants will be equipped with a practical knowledge of:

• Ethical issues relating to dog capture & handling within a professional context
• A variety of tools and techniques for catching dogs by hand in a safe, humane, and efficient manner
• Compassionate physical restraint including: scruff, lateral restraint, muzzle, and hobbles without adding energy to any struggle
• How to create a calm conscious manner to minimize the energy of conflict even with very uncooperative dogs
• The Y pole – what it is, how it works, and how to properly use it
• Presenting challenges and scenarios in an open format so all participants can discuss solutions

Schedule

Where: The location of onsite workshops will be determined by the host agency.

When: This is a one-day workshop held between the hours of:
8:30am to 5:00pm
Check in begins at 8:00am

* Note: Participants will be given an hour for lunch

Registration & Fees

Cost Options: The Host Agency can choose from one of the three cost options, below. Rates are specific to each workshop topic and length of the workshop

• Hosting Agency Flat Rate/No Student Registration Fee: The Hosting Agency pays a flat rate to cover the cost of the workshop; individual students do not pay HSU. The cost of each workshop varies according to the requirements of each workshop and your location. For specifics, please inquire with hsuonline@humanesocietyuniversity.org.
• Low Cost Student Registration Fee/Back-up Hosting Agency Matching: The student registration fee is set at a low rate determined by the hosting agency (i.e. $25). The hosting agency would match the difference between the low student rate and the normal registration fee. An invoice will be sent to the hosting agency following the completion of the class.
• Student Registration Fees only/No Hosting Flat Rate: HSU sets the registration fees based on our average class size of 35 students. Workshop fees vary in order to cover costs of instructor travel and materials. In general, our standard student rates are:

Workshop Rate:

Registration deadline is two weeks before the start date of the workshop.

Cancellation fee is 25% of the registration fee.

No refunds will be given after the two-week time period.

HSU reserves the right to cancel this workshop due to low enrollment or in the case of a major animal disaster response.

Accommodations

Recommendations for accommodations will be made by the host agency and will be posted on the specific webpage for each workshop.

Instructors

All of our instructors are subject - matter experts with 10 or more years of experience in their field of instruction.

Required Materials

Workshop materials will be provided by HSU and sent to the host agency within 7-10 business days prior to the start of the workshop.

Upcoming Workshops

View all upcoming Humane Handling of Fearful Dogs for Animal Shelter Staff workshops