It’s National Dog Bite Prevention week and we know that despite management and prevention, dog bite accidents can still happen. And, healing is not just physical, but emotional after a bite. Here are two existing learning opportunities on Maddie’s^® University to help decrease the chances of dog bites occurring:

Fundamentals of Canine Communication and Safe Dog Handling (self-paced course by Devan Amundsen, CPDT-KA): Reading dog body language and communicating effectively with our own behavior are practiced skills that we need to mindfully develop over time. In this course you’ll analyze videos of dogs and handlers having conversations. The handler needs to understand what the dog is telling them and also communicate their intentions to the dog. The goal is always for the human and the dog to be in agreement that “I’m into you!” Through this course, you’ll recognize behaviors that suggest the dog is unsure, and consider how to de-escalate the conversation to “I’m into you!”

Breaking Up a Dog Fight (on-demand presentation) with speakers Laurie Lawless (Shelter Behavior Integrations) and Trish McMillan (Shelter Behavior Hub). Most of the ways we naturally approach breaking up a dog fight can actually make things worse, so teaching people how to break dog fights up efficiently and safely is an important part of onboarding any employees who may supervise dog interactions.

And stay tuned, because these courses are coming later this year:

• After the Bite: Healing Emotionally (by Valerie Bogle, MSSW, Veterinary Social Worker)
• After the Bite: How Leadership Can Support Staff (also by Valerie Bogle)
• Defensive Handling (by Trish McMillan, MSC, CPDT-KA)