Dogsafe Canine First Aid
Upcoming In Person Class Date:
Wednesday April 23rd, West Kelowna Library, 3731 Old Okanagan Hwy, West Kelowna
DOGSAFE® Canine First Aid’s mission is to equip you with the essential knowledge and skills to confidently respond in any emergency involving your dog. Canine first aid is distinct from human first aid—dogs cannot communicate their pain, and there’s no emergency ambulance specifically for them. While prevention is always the best approach, accidents can happen at any time.
What you do in those critical moments between an injury/accident and the arrival of veterinary care can significantly influence your dog’s chances for a full recovery. Our in-depth courses cover all aspects of canine first aid, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of the vital principles. The topics are covered in-depth so that students have a thorough understanding of the principles of canine first aid. Since this is a very comprehensive course, we need your full attention and dogs do not come to class.
Continuing Education Credits Approved by: CCPDT (7), IACP, (7) and IAABC.
Cost $130.00 (tax included). Confirmation with details of the class will be sent via email once registration and payment have been received. Payment must be received with registration in order to reserve a spot.
Course Details
DOGSAFE® Course Manual
Course Manual Included
- DOGSAFE: Everything Your Dog Wants You to Know in an Emergency, by DOGSAFE® creator, Michelle Sevigny is included FREE with DOGSAFE® Part 1 course registration ($21.95 retail value). The 116 page comprehensive manual includes 56 real-life photographs. The course training and reference manual is reviewed by veterinarians, including Dr. James Lawson, Chief Animal Health Officer of the BC SPCA.
- PLUS, the course manual includes:
- Vital Signs Checklist for keeping track of your dog’s essential information,
- Disaster Preparedness Checklist,
- Essential Phone Numbers list for easy access in emergencies
- K9 Incident Report Form to ensure accurate info during veterinary follow-ups.
The DOGSAFE® training and reference manual contains even more topics that are not covered in the course – a priceless manual for future reference
Topics Covered In Class
- how to prevent common injuries
- conduct a head to tail assessment
- tell if your dog is experiencing pain
- recognize 4 common signs of illness or injury
- respond to any emergency in 4 easy steps
- safely approach an injured dog
- to take your dog’s vital signs and 3 other health tests
- perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
- perform artificial respiration
- remove an airway obstruction (choking)
- prevent and treat for shock
- deal with penetrating objects
- prevent and treat eye injuries
- prevent and treat abdominal wounds
- recognize the risk factors and how respond to bloat
- prevent and respond to drowning
- assess and respond to bone and joint injuries
- prevent and respond to poisonings
- prevent and respond to frostbite and hypothermia
- prevent and respond to heatstroke
- treat minor burns
- treat various wounds
Hands on learning techniques with Dogsafe
DOGSAFE® courses are designed to make complex topics easy to understand and engaging. Through a combination of visual, auditory, and practical learning, we ensure that everyone grasps the material effectively, while making the experience fun and interactive.
Each student will receive the Everything Your Dog Wanted You to Know Manual, a comprehensive guide that covers all essential information. During the course, you’ll also have the opportunity to practice on your own fully sanitized life-sized Canine CPR manikin. These manikins are invaluable educational tools, far more realistic than stuffed toys, with functioning pulses and lungs. This allows you to practice actual canine CPR, a technique that cannot be performed on live dogs.
Additionally, each student is provided with an individual first aid kit containing supplies to practice key bandaging techniques. The DOGSAFE® course goes beyond just observing—students will engage in continual hands-on practice, ensuring the skills learned are both retained and applied with confidence
Other learning tools include:
- plush demonstration dogs
- bandages
- first aid kits
- even fake guts and eyeballs
- situational videos
Authorized Dogsafe Canine First Aid Instructor
I have been a professional dog trainer for over 20 years and found that first aid training tips went hand in hand as guidance for puppy and new rescue dog owners. So I completed the Dogsafe 101 – 196 hour training and qualified to become a Dogsafe authorized instructor in 2013.
About Nina Houghton, CPDT
From 2003 until recently Nina Houghton was a professional dog trainer and canine behaviour consultant in Vancouver committed to a force free approach using only friendly, positive, reward based training techniques. (banshockcollars.ca)
With the move to the Okanagan in January 2023, Nina is now focusing solely on Dogsafe Canine First Aid courses and no longer offering group or private training classes.
Nina graduated from the International College of Canine Behavioural Sciences in 2003 after completing Level one obedience, canine and training psychology then continued her education further over the next several years with the same College and graduated with the following:
- Intermediate/Advanced Obedience
- Beginner and Intermediate Agility training
- Behaviour Modification and Rehabilitation
- Recreational Tracking
- Defensive Personal Protection
Graduate of the Dogsafe Canine First Aid 101 and 102 as a dog professional, then in 2013 trained, studied for 196 hours and qualified to become an Authorized Dogsafe Canine First Aid Instructor. Over the years have worked with various clients to obtain Therapy Dog and Good Canine Citizen status with their pets.
Nina also attended and continues to do workshops with the Canadian Association of Professional Pet Dog Trainers and Dr. Ian Dunbar. Is an avid supporter of Rescue Societies and Shelters and volunteers at the Penticton SPCA. Many dogs are surrendered to shelters because they are misunderstood and lack training and/or socialization skills. Coaching clients to communicate effectively with their dogs to set them up for success and help guide the rehabilitation of unwanted behaviours which is a truly rewarding experience. Our dogs love us unconditionally so it is our responsibility to show patience and understanding to create a bond that will last a lifetime.
