A pawesome first aid course specially designed for our canine friends is coming to Wimbledon next week.
First Aid for Dogs, founded in December 2014, runs courses which focus on teaching doggy lovers how to deal with illnesses and accidents.
Company founder Julie Cleasby, owner of 5-year-old cocker spaniel Bella, came up with the paws-itively brilliant idea when she was teaching human first aid a few years ago.
She noticed lots of attendees were asking if the techniques being taught also applied to dogs.
“Puppies are like babies – certain things can be very hazardous to them,” said Julie.
“Our aim is to offer empowering and fun dog first aid courses and keep our four legged friends safe and healthy in case of medical emergencies.”
The courses are open to any passionate pooch lovers, from owners to professionals, and include demonstrations for CPR, choking, car accidents, broken bones, and other problems dogs may encounter such as poisoning and lungworm.
It is particularly popular among those who have responsibility of other people’s beloved pets, such as groomers and sitters, in search of professional knowledge.
For most dog lovers their furry friends are like members of their family so it is valuable for professionals to know how they would react in a doggy emergency.
Courses also run for children aged five and above and are popular among families who are about to buy a puppy.
The three hour courses also discuss dog bites, how to prevent them and how to spot a frightened dog.
“It’s about increasing safety, 70% of people misread dog cues, such as when they are going to bite,” said Julie.
It was recently revealed that ticks are found on one third of dogs, and topical issues such as these are also discussed to increase awareness.
“Tick removal and spotting ticks is part of the course,” said Julie. “There was also an illness called Alabama Rot recently in Sussex.
“It is unknown what causes it, but it can be fatal to dogs and so we focused on this in the course.”
However Julie stressed that the course is not about playing the role of a vet, the focus is on helping pup owners to be able to safely help their pets should they find themselves in trouble.
The next course is on 17 September and will continue monthly at Hillside Church, 37 Worple Road, Wimbledon, London SW19 4JZ.
