This simple routine can be done with all dogs to help them comfortably and confidently accept touching during day care, boarding and grooming. Practicing these body-handling exercises will help desensitize your dog to being touched in ways and places that aren’t normally a part of our petting routine. This can help them feel more comfortable in interactions with strangers and with veterinarian exams too.

To help instill a positive association with the touches, it’s best to offer a reward with each movement. You can touch and you or a partner can give a treat at the same time as the touch, or you can touch and then you or your partner can give a treat immediately after. Alternatively, you can try a loaded lick mat or kong (cream cheese, nut butter, canned pumpkin, mashed sardines, liver sausage), to keep a high value reward close by while your hands are busy.

  1. Talk in a friendly voice to your dog as you run your hand from head to tail over their back several times in a row.
  2. Inspect each ear
  3. Lift the lips to look at teeth
  4. Run your hand down each leg and gently hold each paw for a moment
  5. Gently, but firmly hold the tail and lift to look at groin area
  6. Gently pat the top of your dogs’ head 5 times in a row
  7. Give your dog a gentle 5 second hug

Signs that Your Dog is Nervous:

  1. Tail tucked
  2. Lip licking
  3. Yawning
  4. Turning away from you
  5. Whipping their head towards whatever it is that you’re working on
  6. Freezing

If at any point your dog is doing any of these, pause and take it back a notch. For example, if they were doing any of the above while you’re picking up a paw, try not picking it up, but just gently touching it. If they are tolerating that touch, keep working there and taking small steps to be able to eventually pick it up without them being nervous about it.

Doing these body-handling exercises daily at a time when your dog is relaxed is suggested for puppies and for dogs that are averse to touch, or nervous at the vet or groomer. For dogs that are usually comfortable with most body-handling, it’s still good to revisit this routine on a weekly basis to keep them well practiced and to help inform you of any changes in their health status.