What is Low Stress Handling®
Low Stress Handling®, developed by the late Dr. Sophia Yin, focuses on teaching the individual how to use humane animal handling techniques. These skills improve animal welfare and strengthen the human-animal bond by continually assessing body language and behavior. This improved communication increases safety, efficiency, and patient care.
The Purpose
To provide the knowledge and understanding of how animals learn, animal behavior, and how fear can lead to aggression. Through our educational courses, individuals and facilities will develop the skills necessary to transform how animals in their care are handled and in turn create a low stress work environment.
- For Veterinary Professionals
- For Pet Owners
- For Shelter Workers
- For Pet Professionals
- For Students
Establish safety and trust with your patients.
A low stress working environment starts from the top down. As a veterinarian you are modeling the skills necessary to protect your staff and create a stress free experience for the animals in your care.
Showing that you are Low Stress Handling® Silver Certified sets a tone of caring and understanding for the veterinary technicians and staff in your clinic or hospital. The certification shows your clients that you are serious about their animal’s well-being, while establishing a sense of trust and confidence in the pet as well. Making sure your facility is equipped with the knowledge and skills can make all the difference in retaining customers.
Low Stress Handling® covers every circumstance you need it to
The Low Stress Handling® training techniques can be used both inside and outside your home. Learning how to reward and reinforce behaviors correctly will improve the communication between you and your dog.
Seeing the Low Stress Handling® Silver Certified logo in a facility means that you can trust the veterinary professionals inside to create a pleasant and low stress environment for your pet. These veterinary professionals are so dedicated to your animal’s care, that in addition to their schooling, they went through a twenty hour training in order to learn the proper handling techniques and awareness of body language. You know when you see that logo, that your pet will be treated like you’d want them to be treated.
Prepare the animals in your care for success.
Knowing proper walking techniques, training tools, and counterconditioning can help you, the shelter worker, prepare the animals in your care for adoption.
Being a Low Stress Handling® Silver Certified shelter sets you apart from the others. The knowledge and skills you demonstrate with the animals in your care prepares them for a happier, healthier, and well adjusted home.
Build a better connection between animals and their owners.
As a pet professional, you educate pet owners on proper timing and training techniques to help build the bridge between animals and humans.
Being Low Stress Handling® Silver Certified means that you have the skills to make the most impact. Some of the topics covered are how to reduce fear and anxiety, effective counterconditioning techniques, and practical learning techniques.
Building a foundation for a better career.
Starting your career with the best information under your belt prepares you for a successful future in a clinic, hospital, or other veterinary facility.
Knowing what body language to look out for, and when to use specific holds, can make all the difference in your first stressful experience. Our twenty RACE certified continuing education credits will impress any potential employers.
Sophia Yin's Ten Principles of Handling
The fundamentals of Low Stress Handling®
Principle 1
Start with a comfortable environment.
Principle 2
Keep the animal from pacing, moving nervously or excitedly, squirming, or suddenly trying to escape.
Principle 3
Support the animal well by having your hands, arms and body positioned appropriately. The pet should not feel as if he will fall or is off balance.
Principle 4
Be aware that physically positioning animals or asking them to perform behaviors when they are nervous, scared or confused can cause them to resist handling. Thus, when they act confused or scared, it's important to move deliberately and slowly to avoid a reflex resistance or escape behavior.
Principle 5
Know how to place your hands and body to control movement in any direction.
Principle 6
Wait until the pet is relaxed before starting a procedure.
Principle 7
Use the minimum restraint needed for the individual.
Principle 8
Avoid prolonged (more than 2 seconds) or repeated fighting or struggling.
Principle 9
Use distractions and rewards when appropriate.
Principle 10
Adjust your handling based on the animal and his response to restraint and learn to adjust your sample-taking technique.
Enroll in the Low Stress Handling® Silver Certification Course
This RACE, IAABC and CCPDT approved certification will improve the quality of care in your facility, decrease bites, and create a Low Stress work environment. This 20 hour course, with no recertification requirements, costs $343. Group discounts are available if enrolling multiple learners.
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Don't have the time to take the 20 hour Low Stress Handling® Silver Certification course? We offer RACE certified individual courses too.
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Testimonials
From the Pens of Past Students
