First, Do No Harm
Est. 2009 | 250-929-1400 | Join Us On Facebook
Image Heading
Canine First Aid Course by DogSafe

Instructor: Michelle Sevigny (founder of DOGSAFE)

Saturday (DogSafe 101)

This course is designed to teach you the knowledge and skills to deal with a sick or injured dog until veterinary care is available. The topics are covered in-depth so that students have a thorough understanding of the principles of canine first aid. Since this is a very comprehensive course, we need your full attention and dogs do not come to class.

You'll Learn How to:

  • prevent common injuries
  • conduct a head to tail assessment
  • tell if your dog is experiencing pain
  • recognize 4 signs of illness or injury
  • respond to any emergency in 4 easy steps
  • safely approach an injured dog
  • take your dog's vital signs and 3 other health tests
  • perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
  • perform artificial respiration
  • remove an airway obstruction  (choking)
  • prevent and treat for shock
  • control deadly bleeding
  • respond to penetrating objects
  • prevent and treat eye injuries
  • prevent and treat abdominal wounds
  • recognize risk factors and respond to bloat
  • prevent and respond to drowning
  • assess and respond to bone and joint injuries
  • prevent and respond to poisonings
  • prevent and respond to frostbite and hypothermia
  • prevent and respond to heatstroke
  • treat minor burns
  • treat and manage wounds

Training techniques ​

Dogsafe courses are designed to make complex topics easy and everyone will learn thru seeing, listening, moving and doing which improves knowledge retention. This means that you not only learn  topics on course day, but retain the information for the future when you'll need it. Effective, but fun too!
​Our training techniques include: 
  • instruction
  • demonstration
  • hands-on learning
  • discussion
  • question & answer
  • and videos

Training tools

We'll bring the learning to life with
  • canine resuscitation manikins
  • plush demonstration dogs
  • bandages
  • first aid kits
  • even fake guts, eyeballs and more!

Sunday (DogSafe 201)

This course is designed to take the knowledge and skills learned in Dogsafe Canine First Aid 101 and apply them to a real dog. Graduates of Dogsafe Canine First Aid 101 attend with their own dogs. Bring your patience and a sense of humour for this fun and interactive workshop. All supplies included.

You'll Learn How to:

  • conduct a head to tail assessment
  • monitor canine body language
  • muzzle your dog with commercial and improvised muzzles
  • restrain your dog in a standing and sitting position
  • transport your dog with a stretcher
  • take your dog's vital signs
  • assess three critical health tests
  • practice proper positioning for artificial respiration (AR)
  • practice proper positioning for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
  • practice proper positioning for obstructed airway (choking)
  • practice wound management, including bandaging eyes, ears and paws

This is all about hands-on practice with live dogs while under the supervision of Dogsafe Instructor Michelle Sevigny (founder of DOGSAFE), but we do not force the dogs and offer lots of intermissions and bathroom breaks. ​

 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THESE TWO COURSES

What's New?
What Clients Are Saying:

Dear Lisbeth, I have just passed my Foundation Programme with my dog Lucky. I just want to mention how much I enjoyed the classes with Karen. She was delightful to work with and I look forward to some more classes with her in the spring.

Maxine Yeomans & Lucky

Hi there, Ed and I are doing pretty good. The vet is tackling his some health issues and Ed seems to be much happier overall with summer being here. He's even willing to roll on his back and let me rub his tummy now which I think is a good sign of our improved relationship. Anyone I talk to about Ed gets a big recommendation from me regarding Cowichan Canine. I sing your praises every chance I get since I know that I would be in a pretty bad situation without your help every step of Ed's development. Thanks so much for all the education that I needed and all of the fun times as well

Heather Welychko
Vancouver Island

See more...

©2025 Cowichan Canine Behaviour & Training Ltd. All rights reserved.
Group Classes, Private or Semi-private in-home training Lessons and confidential
Behaviour Consultations in the Cowichan Valley area, on southern Vancouver Island, servicing Chemainus, Cobble Hill, Cowichan, Cowichan Bay, Crofton, Duncan, Glenora, Ladysmith, Lake Cowichan, Malahat, Maple Bay, Mill Bay, Saltair, Saltspring Island, Shawnigan Lake, Vancouver Island and Youbou.
Palm Tree Creative