Michael Shikashio &
Trish McMillan
CANINE DEFENSIVE HANDLING
A crucial skillset for all dog trainers, shelter & rescue personnel to maintain safety in dangerous situations!
Live Sessions
A live webinar in four 2 hour sessions
Tuesdays & Wednesdays
January 7, 8, 14 & 15
Or watch the recordings afterwards anytime, anywhere on any device.
Early Bird Rates
(through December 6, 2024)
Individual: $99
Groups of 4+: $89
Rates go up by $20 after December 6, 2024
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Earning CEUs​
10 CEU's for CCPDT, CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA & IAABC ​
PROGRAM DISCLAIMER
Defensive Handling Is Not About Training!
It is for Emergencies, Threatening Situations & Dangerous Conditions.
Puppyworks, Trish and Mike are committed to positive reinforcement techniques, even in working with the most complicated dogs, but when handlers or animals are in danger, we need to know what tools and techniques to use in order to prevent injury or even death.
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WHY YOU NEED THESE SKILLS
Defensive handling is important in helping animal professionals and volunteers stay safe and manage aggressive behavior. These skills are crucial for ALL who work with dogs who have teeth, because any dog can bite.
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​​Prevention of Injury or Death: Effective defensive handling helps safely manage aggression and reactive behavior.
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Safety in Various Scenarios: So handlers can minimize harm to dogs & staff.
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Controlling Environments: Helps to maintain control via protective equipment & fuller understanding of canine body language.
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Emergency Preparedness: Means managing threats with emergency tools & deterrents.
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Effective Communication: Learning about K9 stress signals so handlers can address issues before they escalate.
Session 1
January 7, 2025
Introduction & Basic Leash Skills​
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Defensive Handling Introduction.
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Equipment: Leashes, Slips, Clips, Muzzles, Harnesses.
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Slip Lead Ninja Skills.
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Hands & Body Positioning.
Session 3
January 14, 2025
Defensive Handling for Bitey Dogs
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Safety in Shelter Environments: Special Clothing; Snares, Catch Poles, Techniques with Leash Climbers, Muzzles, Harnesses & Martingales.
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Off Leash Dogs: Techniques.
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Advanced Leash Skills: Locks, Turns, Distractions
Session 2
January 8, 2025
Approaching & Working with Aggressive Dogs​
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Approaching Aggressive Dogs in Shelter.
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Environments: Body Language, Food Use, Kennel Geography, Special Collars, Crates, Pick Ups.
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Working with Aggressive Dogs in a Home Environment: Planning, Safety Margins, Layering, Tools.
Session 4
January 15, 2025
When Bitey Dogs Meet
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In the Home Environment: Safe Intros, Countering Off-Leash Issues & Threats.
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In the Shelter
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Fight Kit Tolls & Techniques.
SPEAKER PROFILES​​
Michael Shikashio, CDBC, is the founder of AggressiveDog.com and focuses on teaching other professionals from around the world on how to successfully work aggression cases. He is a five-term president of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and was the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) Member of the Year in 2020.
Michael is sought after for his expert opinion by numerous media outlets, including the New York Times, New York Post, Fox News, USA Today, The List TV, Baltimore Sun, WebMD, Women’s Health Magazine, Real Simple Magazine, SiriusXM Radio, The Chronicle of the Dog, and Steve Dale’s Pet World. He also hosts the popular podcast show “The Bitey End of the Dog” where he chats with the foremost experts on dog aggression.
He has been a featured keynote speaker at conferences, universities, and seminars in more than 200 cities and 20 different countries around the world, and offers a variety of educational opportunities on the topic of canine aggression, including the Aggression in Dogs Master Course and the annual Aggression in Dogs Conference.
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Trish McMillan is an internationally-known speaker and consultant on animal behavior and sheltering, who consults and lectures worldwide on animal behavior, sheltering issues, and defensive handling. She holds a master of science degree in animal behavior, and is a certified professional dog trainer who works with horses and cats as well. She wrote the defensive handling portion of the ASPCA’s textbook “Animal Behavior for Shelter Veterinarians and Staff”
Trish first walked into a shelter in the mid 1990’s and has been hooked on shelter behavior ever since. She worked for the ASPCA for nearly eight years, first as director of animal behavior at their NYC shelter, and then with the field team, helping assess and rehabilitate dogs from cruelty cases, dogfighting and hoarding situations.
Trish owns McMillan Animal Behavior near Asheville, North Carolina, where she shares her life with many animal friends of various species on her small farm, Pibble Hill.
Trish also runs a popular online shelter dog and cat behavior mentorships and other courses through the Shelter Behavior Hub, and is one of the founders of the behavioral euthanasia grief support group, “Losing Lulu.”
FAQ
What are the local times for the live sessions?
Each session starts at 10 AM PST - 11 AM Mountain - 12 PM Central & 1 PM Eastern.
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How long is each session?
Each presentation is about 90 minutes, followed by a 15 minute break and a 30 minute Q&A session with Mike & Trish.
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What about the recordings?
The recordings are available to view on demand the day after each live session for up to 1 year. A separate link and password will be emailed to attendees.
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How about CEUs?
This series has been awarded 10 CEUs by CCPDT & IAABC. CCPDT CEU's will apply to both CPDT-KA & CBCC-KA. You will have the option of providing your CCPDT member number during registration and CEUs will be submitted on your behalf. For IAABC please email your code request to info@puppyworks.com.
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Will there be course literature?
You will be provided a resource list containing:
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Mike’s school
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Trish’s school
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Muzzle up project
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Body language resources
Instinct: how to approach a dog -
Safety kit list/where to buy
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ACES
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Bold lead designs
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Favorite muzzles/stores
HOW TO REGISTER
INDIVIDUAL TICKETS:
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Click on the "Register Now" icon on the right.
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Provide the email address to use for your Zoom registration.
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Optionally Add your CCPDT number.
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Complete the check-out using either PayPal or our Credit Card Processor Square. Both processors accept all major credit cards.
GROUPS OF 4 +:
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Click on the "Group Form" icon on the right.
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Enter each group members name & email address.
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Indicate whether the group organizer pays for all or each member individually.
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Submit your Form.
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Your zoom links will be sent January 3, 2025