Kathy Hobson is dog mum to cheeky chap Freddie, a mixed-breed rescue dog from Greece, and teaches first aid for dogs to both dog owners and dog businesses throughout Sussex. Kathy tells her story about how she got involved in Dog First Aid and how it has made her a better dog mum.
EVER WONDERED WHAT YOU WOULD DO IF YOUR DOG NEEDED FIRST AID?
Kathy Hobson is dog mum to cheeky chap Freddie, a mixed-breed rescue dog from Greece, and teaches first aid for dogs to both dog owners and dog businesses throughout Sussex. Kathy tells her story about how she got involved in Dog First Aid and how it has made her a better dog mum.
“We were so excited when Freddie arrived from Greece in early 2019. We could see straight away what a sweet-natured dog he was. He did have some minor behavioural ‘issues’ and lacked any basic training, but we’ve worked hard with him. He’s still not perfect, but he’s so much better than he was, and we love him to bits!”
There are 9 million dogs in the UK and most of them will need first aid at least once during their lifetime. Kathy would argue that rescue dogs may be at higher risk than most dogs because of behaviour shaped from previous (and often unpleasant) experiences. For example ex street dogs are used to scavenging which puts them at an increased risk of poisoning, or of burning themselves in the kitchen.
“We’ve had a few mishaps with Freddie. I was already working as an instructor with my local dog training club before Freddie arrived and studying dog behaviour, so I felt reasonably well-equipped to deal with any problems Freddie might have. It’s different when it’s your own dog though and you have that emotional attachment. He’s had a few tummy upsets because of eating things he shouldn’t, and was also quite reactive to other dogs when we first got him. I got anxious about him getting hurt.”
I didn’t even know that dog first aid was a ‘thing’, I’d never heard of it before.
“Then one day while scrolling through Facebook I saw an advert for a dog first aid course. I didn’t even know that dog first aid was a ‘thing’, I’d never heard of it before. I realised straight away that this could relieve a lot of my anxieties around Freddie, so I signed up.”
This is when everything changed for Kathy. She enjoyed the course so much and believed so strongly in the value of having this potentially life-saving knowledge, that she decided she wanted to be able to teach these skills to other dog owners. Kathy spent most of the rest of the year training intensively with members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons to become a qualified Dog First Aider, delivering her first training class in November 2019 and becoming the owner of Dog First Aid Sussex.
“Apart from the little blip of a global pandemic, I haven’t looked back since. I run courses almost every week, sometimes several in a week. I’ve trained dog owners and professionals, students at Brighton University and Plumpton college, and volunteers at dog rescue centres. The feedback from my courses has been amazing. I love meeting doggy people and hearing their stories. Dog people are always nice people.”
The course is regularly reviewed and updated by vets, Kathy receives regular training to keep her knowledge up-to-date, the course is CPD accredited ‘Emergency Canine Care’ and is also Trading Standards approved. It is the only UK course that can boast these credentials and the Dog First Aid franchise are the biggest providers of dog first aid training in the UK. Kathy is very proud to be a part of this organisation.
“The thing I love most is when I hear back from people who’ve taken my course and had to use their skills. For example, Hannah came on my course in October 2020 because, like me, she had a new puppy whom she adored but felt a little anxious about. Just one week after doing my course Hannah saved her puppy from choking on a piece of sausage using one of the techniques I’d taught her. “
Dog First Aid has changed Kathy’s life. Not just as an exciting and rewarding new career, but as a dog owner too.
“The stories I occasionally hear at the dog training club about a dog that cut its leg, or got an adder bite, or had a choking incident aren’t quite so scary any more. I feel confident that I could deal with any of these situations if it happened to Freddie, and I’m able to give people useful advice. I’m more relaxed now and enjoy spending time with Freddie even more.”
In fact Freddie has had a number of minor incidents since then and Kathy’s so glad she knew what to do. He’s ripped a dewclaw, he’s cut his mouth, he’s had several cuts to his paw pads, he’s caught himself on an electric fence and he’s eaten something mildly toxic. That’s without the incidents that she’s managed to avoid because of being more aware of potential dangers, such as keeping him away from a pond full of algae, safely removing ticks and getting him to leave all kinds of unsuitable or inedible objects.
It’s useful to know about symptoms and warning signs too, when to ring the vet and when it’s ok to wait a bit, especially when vets are over-stretched and not always easy to get hold of quickly. This is even more relevant if you live in a rural area and any out-of-hours emergency means a long drive.
“I also now always carry a basic first aid kit with me – not something that would even have crossed my mind before. I’ve used it too! Even just having tweezers to remove a thorn from a foot is a very useful thing to have. I know how to check Freddie’s vital signs and what rates are normal for him.”
Dog First Aid courses, online or in-person, cover everything from the basics of recognising canine stress signals and checking dogs’ vital signs to how to deal with bleeding, poisoning, choking, burns and much more, with the latest CPR techniques demonstrated on dog dummy, Cassie.
