A horror novelist could not do justice to some of the stories I hear about people trying brush their dog, give their dog a bath, hold their dog still for the vet while he/she gets a shot or even, heaven forbid, clip their dog's toenails. All of these things fall into a category know as husbandry. You can teach your dog to lie still for blood tests and grooming through a simple process of reinforcement. Start with a down command. Praise your dog in a soothing tone of voice for lying still and stroke him/her gently. It is important throughout this process to be calm. Getting frustrated or nervous will in turn affect your pet the same way.

Once your pet is calm and relaxed you may begin touching your dog randomly. For example, pick up your dog's foot. If your dog remains calm and relaxed praise him/her and perhaps give him/her a treat. Then release the foot. Next move to the ear (see picture, left). If you are able to hold the ear without your dog flinching away, praise him/her and offer a treat. When you have achieved random, gentle touching, you are ready to proceed to firmer handling. Examples would be: lightly pinching an area of skin likely to be pricked by a needle when given a shot or grasping and pulling on a leg (which may be done by your veterinarian when checking range of motion). If there is an area of sensitivity (perhaps your dog doesn't want his/her nails clipped), you may have to back up. Start, for instance, with praising your dog for remaining calm while the clippers are held motionless in your hand. Reinforce for calm behavior as you manipulate a paw while holding the clippers, etc.... A variety of husbandry procedures can be successfully conditioned with systematic handling and patience. The cooperation of your pet during husbandry procedures reduces the chance of injury to both your pet and to the handler.