Humane Handling of Fearful Dogs For Animal Shelter Staff

Course Description

This unique course prepares shelter staff for handling in-house fearful or dangerous dogs in a calm, humane, safe, and successful manner. Course topics include tools such as leashes, cables, and crates; compassionate physical restraint; and proper use of the Y pole, which is an essential tool for every animal shelter handling dogs. We will also explore our role in the energy of conflict when interacting with fractious dogs and create an open forum to discuss specific challenges and scenarios.

Instructor

Mark R. Johnson, DVM
Dr. Johnson is Executive Director of Global Wildlife Resources, Inc. This non-profit organization specializes in wildlife capture and handling and promotes care, honor, and respect for all animals and every colleague. He teaches the highest standards in animal handling for the wildlife and animal welfare professional communities nationwide. Dr. Johnson was project veterinarian for the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 1995-96 gray wolf reintroduction program into Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho and was the wildlife veterinarian for Yellowstone National Park for four years. He is Affiliate Faculty of University of Montana. In the past 10 years he has directed his specialty toward improving the lives of people and feral dogs and has handled over 2,000 feral dogs throughout the world including the Caribbean, India, tribal lands, and three rescue operations after Hurricane Katrina. He is also author of the Feral Dog Blog and was an instructor on dog handling for Project Vet train for the government of India Animal Welfare Board.

Objectives

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

View upcoming Humane Handling of Fearful Dogs For Animal Shelter Staff workshops »

For questions about pricing or to schedule an onsite training workshop please contact:

Samantha Hagio, JD
Workshop Coordinator
shagio@humanesocietyuniversity.org
301-721-6436