Handling tecHniques
Lying in sternal recumbency To persuade a dog that is not familiar or used to the position to lie in sternal recumbency first get them to sit down. Then hold a piece of food in front of their mouth and lower it to the floor in a position caudal to the dog’s head (Fig. 7). The reward is given once the dogs is lying down or in successive approximations until it eventually lies down. If the dog is reluctant to lie down, try to find another means of performing the examination;
a
notwithstanding, it is a good idea to show owners how to train their pet to adopt this position for future appointments and as part of their education. There are a few tricks to help encourage dogs to lie down, such as squatting or creating an arch with one leg and luring the dog underneath, hence the animal will lie down as part of a playful activity in order to earn its reward (Fig. 8a). Instead of a leg, objects such as chairs can be used for large dogs (Fig. 8b).
b
Figure 7. Luring a dog into the sternal incumbency position.
a
b
Figure 8. Using a lure and aids to coax a dog into sternal incumbency.
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