Trust and Handling 4 - Restraint
Being physically restrained is a necessary part of our dogs’ lives. When we visit the vet for routine appointments like check-ups and vaccinations we need to hold our dogs in position. Should your dog need some more medical investigation, like blood tests or examination of a wound on their paws or ears, it will also be necessary to hold them still while the vet carries out the procedure.
It’s not surprising that most dogs are not naturally comfortable with being physically restrained; it’s quite an intrusive thing for us to do to our dogs. Restraint technique is something that is worth building up slowly through good handling foundations, to make sure our dogs are comfortable with being restrained and will trust us to do this. By building this trust outside the vet, we can reduce the stress of vet visits which in turn can lead to better health outcomes. In this video, Di demonstrates how she slowly builds confidence with a two-hand restraint, keeping the sessions fun and building up at the dog’s own pace.
See more in the Trust and Handling Series.
If you’d like to get started with building trust in handling, an excellent resource is our Early Foundations Online Course includes 5 hours of essential training techniques. Or check out Di's Full Online Puppy Training Course