Safety skills - what signs to look for and how to de-escalate 'aggression' in the consult 

Do you know what to do if a dog becomes aggressive in your consultation room? How can you get yourself, and others, out safely?

I am a Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist and I’ve been teaching defensive handling to rescues for several years. These ‘safety skills’ can be learned by anybody and can help you prevent and de-escalate canine aggression to turn a dangerous situation into a safer one.

What are Safety Skills?

Also known as defensive handling – safety skills are just like ‘defensive driving’ - being proactive, rather than reactive. In a veterinary context, aggression is frequently due to fear, pain or fear of pain (Riemer et al. 2021). When faced with a perceived threat, many animals will choose to move away from the interaction. When the danger is perceived to be too close, and there is no escape route, animals may use forward-moving body language, including aggression, to create space (Panskepp, 1998). An animal’s stress may therefore pose risk to the veterinary team (Nibblett, Ketzis & Grigg, 2015). Safety skills are the way that we reduce this risk, and keep everyone safe.

Step 1: Information gathering

With known fearful or aggressive cases, information gathering ahead of time is the key to success of the session. By exploring the animal’s history, we can make a plan to mitigate the potential risks. Does the dog have a bite history, and if so, what was the level of injury? What techniques have been tried in the past, for example, does the the dog find it less stressful to be examined on the floor, rather than the table? If there is time to plan ahead of the session, it may be beneficial to:

• Chat to the client in advance of session so you know what to expect
• Meet outside the building first and move at the dog’s pace
• Allow for a longer appointment time
• Consider your position in the room
• Be aware of the dog’s safe space
• Consider your own body language
• Take care with movements, food and equipment
• Adapt the session, such as on the floor, in a larger space, or in the car park
• Explore options for muzzling in advance of entering the building

Step 2: In the consult room

If the dog has no issues with resources, is not nil by mouth, and has no dietary issues, you may want to consider using a mix of rewards of varying values as this can increase the response rate (Steinman, 1968). The use of toys may also be beneficial as play can improve social cohesion between humans and dogs, increasing their familiarity and reducing agonistic interactions (Sommerville, O’Connor and Asher, 2017). A study by Salomons et al. 2025 also found evidence that play after training helped dogs who were in the early stages of learning new behaviours improve when they revisited the training the next day.

Food enrichment is known to reduce abnormal behaviours (Schipper et al. 2008), so having a practice enrichment or ‘behaviour box’ including ready to go resources, such as lick mats, snuffle mats or Kongs may help more anxious patients. A study by Squair et al. (2023) used Lickimats® as part of low-stress interventions during veterinary visits and they were found to have a greater reduction in stress over time compared to those without interventions.

Reading canine body language

Reading canine body language can help prevent escalations in behaviour. The following traffic light system is a quick introduction to canine body language:

Doggie Language by Lili Chin is a truly fantastic resource for anyone to learn about dog body language – I recommend it to every client and professional I work with – full of beautifully illustrated cartoons, it’s super easy to flick through and even great for children!  

Alongside body language changes, some other indicators that a dog may be reaching their threshold are:

• Paying more attention to other stimuli e.g. noises
• Not taking food / snatching food
• Invigoration of behaviour i.e. jumping / mouthing
• Not able to respond to known cues, or a ‘time delay’ when responding

Responding to body language clues in the consult room

It is important to constantly assess body language and be aware of the subtle, low-level signals that a dog may be feeling uncomfortable. Each dog will have their own unique communication system, based on what has been effective for them in the past. If we ‘listen to the whispers’ in terms of low-level communication, a dog may not feel the need to escalate their behaviour, or ‘shout’ for space - when choices are removed, options become reduced. When proceeding with caution, with ‘amber’ body language, it is important to consider:

• Is this essential? Can it be done another time?
• Is there a less stressful option? Can we change our body position to give more space? Can we change equipment? Can we change the environment, e.g. the car park? Can we ask the owner to take a picture or video?
• Is there someone I can call? A problem shared is a problem halved! A second person may provide new ideas to approach the situation or help distract the dog

If a dog shows ‘red’ body language – stop what you are doing. Leave the environment, if it is safe to do so, and call for support. If a situation is essential but it has been stressful for the dog, it is important to document this information for the future. Information to record includes the events that led to the incident, the body language and behaviour of the dog, what actions were taken and any resulting injury. This helps from a staff safety perspective but also from the dog's - we may need to put some plans in place for future visits to help mitigate any future risk and to help the dog learn alternative coping strategies.

When working with dogs it is important to be mindful of always adopting safe body positions that mean you can get yourself to safety if a dog’s body language changes:

• Kneel on one knee – means you can stand quickly, if you need to
• Crouch down – an alternative to kneeling – but be mindful of your balance
• Sit down – may provide a safer option than standing / leaning over a dog
• Standing – angle your body slightly away from the dog as this is less confrontational

De-escalating situations

If a dog is displaying body language that makes you feel threatened:

• Raise the alarm - communicate with anyone who is around you clearly and assertively
• Remain calm and still with no sudden movements
• Avert eye contact and angle your body away from the dog
• Can you place a barrier between you and the dog? Think doors, gates, chairs / furniture, bin, blanket, clothing, dog bed, mop or brush
• Use your arms to block your body
• Stay upright – stand with your back to a wall if you are concerned about being knocked over
• If the dog is heavy set, can you gain height?
• Edge sideways towards an exit if possible
• If you fall over, curl into a ball with hands over your head and neck

If you are bitten

1. Raise the alarm

2. Respond – how you respond will depend on the type of bite:

Snapping bites

• Stop what you are doing (if safe to do so)
• Stand still – with the dog in your line of vision
• If safe, slowly move away
• Angle body away, arms close to body

Ragging bites

• Can you drop the item being ragged?
• Can you move to a secure area and drop the item?
• Can you give them something else to trade?
• If clothing is being ragged, can you remove a layer?
• Brace yourself against a wall / furniture
• Attach an additional lead to the dog for security

Grabbing and crushing bites

• Be as still as you can
• Remain calm
• Talk to the dog to keep you breathing normally and lower your heartrate
• Push INTO the bite

3. Report

When reporting, be sure to include the level of bite - the Dunbar Dog Bite Scale is a widely recognised scale.

Conclusion

Every practice will see aggressive dogs from time to time. Many of these dogs are responding to fear, pain, or the fear of pain, and early planning and practice-based interventions can reduce the risk of aggression. Constantly monitoring dog body language and responding appropriately as outlined helps to keep staff, pet owners, and their dogs safe.