Cooperative Care Does Not Scare – Use of Cooperative Care Training in Routine Husbandry in Dogs

Abstract

Abstract Empowering animals with choice, which increases predictability and control during husbandry procedures, has the potential to increase their well-being and the safety of the handler. This case study will consider differences in dogs’ clinical signs indicating stress during nail clipping when done with or without choice and control. Dogs were in two independent groups based on owner’s current husbandry routine – group 1, where the dogs had been trained with choice and were not restrained during nail clipping and group 2, where the dogs were restrained during nail clipping. Group 2 showed more stress signals. These findings suggest that offering choice and control to a dog during husbandry procedures will most likely lower the clinical sign of stress, possibly having a beneficial impact on their own and their handler’s welfare. Information © The Authors 2023