‘Is your dog feeling ruff? This Canine First Aid Course at Target 3D, Hackney Road will help you treat a pawly pal in an emergency. Led by Chris Mattin, dog first aid expert, these ticketed classes cover heat stroke, drowning, injuries and even dog CPR.’
“There are similarities between human and canine first aid, but the technique differs,” says Chris. “A dog cannot tell you where it hurts, or what has happened. Our first aid course is designed to give attendees the confidence to act, to think about prevention and to plan for an emergency.
“We will always recommend seeking advice from your vet after carrying out any kind of first aid, but the skills that are learnt are a bridge between accident and arriving at the vet.
“We talk about what to do and not do in the event of all kinds of emergencies. We may not be able to change the outcome but we arm attendees with skills and confidence to try and improve recovery and prevent further injury.”
Owners are not the only people who can benefit from learning these lifesaving skills. “Our course is designed for anyone working with or thinking of working with dogs,” Chris explains.
“We have had groomers, pet sitters, walkers, canine nutritionists, trainers, and behaviourists to name a few!”
One past attendee of the course described how the lessons helped him to save another person’s dog named Storm in February.
“Storm had swallowed a rubber tennis ball and was choking to death. He was really struggling to breathe and the tennis ball was getting more and more lodged into his throat. The techniques for treating choking were all unsuccessful,” Kieran Moore tells me.
“Storm kept running away and went further and further into the wood. He then lay down on his side, thankfully in the recovery position. His eyes started to glaze over and there was now barely any movement in his body.
“He then suffocated and stopped breathing completely. This allowed the owner and myself to remove the ball from his throat.
“I instantly began CPR and thankfully remembered the techniques from the course. After the second attempt at CPR, Storm started breathing again. Storm is alive, healthy, fit and happy today.”
Human or canine first aid can be daunting to newcomers, but Chris promises “clear and concise” training. “I deliver the course in a friendly relaxed way. I encourage questions and try to explain the content simply, by using real life examples.”
All proceeds from the course will go to three independent charities that care for dogs in distress.
Kathy Hall runs dog-walking group Sighthound Sundays, which has teamed up with Dog First Aid to bring this event to Hackney. “Sighthound Sundays is committed to supporting less fortunate hounds through our fundraising efforts,” she says.
“This event will support Candy Cane Rescue, a UK charity that rescues dogs from the meat trade and illegal greyhound race tracks in China. Proceeds will also go to Kent Greyhound Rescue and Hector’s Greyhound Rescue, which save greyhounds, lurchers and other sighthounds from around the UK.”
