Consent To Care

Why is husbandry training important?

Consent to husbandry is essential for maintaining a dog's physical health and emotional welfare. When a dog willingly participates in grooming, veterinary procedures, and other aspects of care, it reduces their stress levels and fosters a sense of trust and cooperation with their guardian. This positive relationship not only makes routine tasks more manageable but also ensures that the dog receives necessary care without experiencing unnecessary fear or discomfort. Ultimately, by prioritizing consent to husbandry, we promote the overall well-being of dogs and cultivate a stronger bond between them and their caregivers. Imagine if you could just ask your dog to lie down for 5 minuets while you Dremel their nails or ask them to jump in the bathtub when they get covered in mud. Not only is this lower stress for both you, and your dog, it can save hundreds on yearly grooming visits!​ With husbandry lessons we create a positive "conditioned emotional response" to healthcare such as:​

• Nail Care

• Hair Brushing

• Hair Trimming

• Bathing

• Toothbrushing

• Wearing A Cone

• Ear Cleaning/Medicating

• Eye Cleaning

• Accepting Oral Medications From The Vet

• Accepting Topical Medications

• Holding Position For Exam 

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Here is a quick cone games demo video when we adopted our rescue dog Ever:

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         Did you know that having short nails affects your dog's posture health, proprioception, and a critical role in injury prevention? Here is my favorite free video from a D.V.M doing a deep dive into the importance of regular nail care:

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The big one at my home was when my dog Trico broke his arm. He had a metal plate put in, and there were many complications. For months he had to go into the Vet many times a week, and a lot of home care. He had to wear a cone constantly, hold still to change splint wraps for 1-2 hours at the office, treat splint sores and surgery wound, fight infection topically and orally, followed by at home wrap changes where he would need to lie still while I treated the wound with vet supplies by myself without a helper for 30-40 minuets. I also had to keep the area shaved, and his feet to prevent slips. I was so grateful that in his first year of life we had pretrained all these skills. Don't wait until an accident happens to start training! Here is a short progress video I made in our video journal showing his injury and a few things we did to fight to keep his leg.

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