Handling Difficult Dogs

Objective: Learn strategies for promoting positive behavior changes with difficult dogs while maintaining a safe and welcoming facility.

Content: Handling difficult dogs requires patience, skill, and knowledge to ensure the dog’s and handler’s safety. Consistency, patience, and positive reinforcement are essential to successfully addressing challenging behavior and building a trusting relationship with the dog. Counselors can effectively manage difficult dogs by implementing these techniques and strategies while promoting their well-being and improving their behavior over time.

This Lunch & Learn will cover some common behavioral issues you might encounter at your facility, possible solutions for these behaviors, and some preventative and ongoing measures you can implement to ensure the safety of your staff and clients.

Prior to Lunch & Learn Session:

• In preparation for leading the group discussion, the leader should review the supporting document section to determine how the information will be presented.

• Gather any documentation for safety protocols that your facility currently has in place.

• Print a copy of the “Dealing with Difficult Dogs” handout