Currently, there are also no standards for canine first aid or safety education required of dog professionals. We are working to change that. 

          Like any profession, there are going to be professionals who want the absolute best for their clients (check out DOGSAFE graduates with multiple *asterisks* beside their name on our Find A Certified Dog Professional webpage) and there are going to be some businesses who will do the bare minimum of safety training, or yikes, none at all. 

          We love dogs as much as you do and we want your dog... ALL dogs... to play, be groomed, trained, dog-sat, kennelled, walked, massaged and exercised in extremely SAFE commercial environments. We want your dogs interacting with exceptional dog professionals who understand, without question, how important your dog is to you and have invested in their safety with exceptional canine first aid and safety education.

          Would you want anything less for your dog?

          We want to help you keep your dog safe. We have provided some safety questions that you may use to ask your dog professional about their canine first aid and safety practices. If they cannot answer YES to the questions below, yet are keen to learn, excellent, please refer them to DOGSAFE for additional training. We want to help them so that your dog is safe. If they cannot answer YES to the questions below, and have excuses why or are not interested in learning how to improve their canine first aid and safety practices, thank them for their time and take your dog someplace else. Your dog is worth more than that, don't you think?

1. Are ALL staff, (not just the owner/manager), trained in canine first aid?
         Can you imagine if a truckload of firefighters arrived at your house to put out a fire and only the captain was trained? Or what if paramedics arrived to help you but only one of them was actually trained? Ridiculous, right? Training for emergencies cannot happen during emergencies. Think of your dog.

 
2. Are all staff currently trained in ALL available levels of canine first aid?
          Some dog professionals have training in canine first aid and safety to the highest degree (check out those with multiple *asterisks* beside their name on our Find A Certified Dog Professional webpage). Some businesses may have bare minimum training or none at all. Which one do you feel best about? Think of your dog. 

3. Does the company (even if one person) have a written canine first aid and safety plan outlining all common "what-if" scenarios?
          Thinking about a plan is NOT the same as implementing a written plan. Human emergency responders such as search & rescue, paramedics, police and firefighters don't "wing it", they have detailed, written response plans. Think of your dog.

 
4. Is there emergency information clearly posted in the facility?
         At minimum, the closest veterinary clinic and emergency veterinary clinic information such as phone number and address needs to be posted where everyone, including the public (because they might be assisting in an emergency) can easily see it. Think of your dog. 

 
5. Are ALL staff, (not just owner/manager), trained in lost dog recovery?
         Dogs can go missing and get lost anywhere, and quickly. Wouldn't you want your dog professional to be trained to act immediately with a detailed plan of action? Think of your dog.

 
6. Does the company have a written evacuation plan? Is this plan practiced with all staff?
           Do airlines review evacuation plans at the beginning of every flight? Do school children practice regular fire drills? Of course! Do you want your dog professional to be equally prepared? Think of your dog.

 
7. Has the company conducted a risk analysis of their business and does the company have a procedure to investigate an accident or "near miss"?
          Its less about whether an accident may happen -- they do -- its ALL about what your dog professional has done to prevent accidents and how your dog professional responds to the situation after the fact. Think of your dog.
 
8. If the company transports your dog, do they use an effective restraint system? 
           Are children buckled into seatbelts during car rides? Do you use seatbelts for yourself? Of course! Isn't your dog's safety as important? Think of your dog.

 
9. What is the company’s policy and procedures for contacting you if your dog should become lost, injured or ill?
          Many dog professionals will ask for emergency contact information. That is an excellent start. How often is this info updated? Do they have a printed list within easy reach in the case of evacuation? Do they have ID cards completed and on-hand for each dog in their care? Do they have a detailed process of decision-making whether to call you or your vet? Think of your dog.