Have you ever seen a zookeeper wrestle a tiger for a blood test? No?

Then why are we doing it with our dogs?

Let me back up. Obviously zookeepers have a very different job than us regular ol’ pet families. Over the years, many different methods have been used to provide necessary care to the animals they are responsible for. However, the idea of cooperative care and husbandry have gained popularity. Wouldn’t it just be so nice if a 400 pound tiger would offer their arm and wait patiently for a blood draw – with the promise of a lovely meat treat as a reward, of course. In this case, Palm Beach Zoo actually trained them to accept blood draws from their tail! If stress and force isn’t necessary there, why with our 25 pound Fido at home??

Just as it’s gaining popularity with more exotic animals, like Charlie the Cockatoo, cooperative care for pets is gaining awareness and popularity. More than care at vet clinics, cooperative care and husbandry training can be used to make a large list of tasks easier at home: pulling a burr from a paw, trimming nails, brushing, wearing a muzzle, taking routine or occasional medication, and more. Even putting on your dog’s harness can be a battle… but can be trained to be easier on everyone involved.

If you’re like us, you love your pets like family. Any time you cause them pain or stress is painful and stressful for you, too. And, honestly, why can’t some things just be a little bit EASIER sometimes? By purposefully training tasks before they’re necessary, we can alleviate that pressure for both you and your dog. With training, it can be different. It can be easier for both of you by putting them more at ease and helping you achieve faster results.

If you and your dog struggle and you hate putting them through it – and you’re curious about how to make things better – reach out and let’s see what we can do for you. Start the conversation and ask us anything!