Would your pet care supervisor agree to a TV news interview on dog body language if you were out of town? To my pleasant surprise, Nancy, one of our hospitality supervisors, called me when I was out of town on business and said, "Susan, I guess I should make sure you don't mind that the local CBS affiliate wants our input on the TV news anchor/dog bite story. They will be arriving in a couple of hours at Urban Tails. They called wanting feedback from someone here, as they heard we really understand dogs. I know you and Teri (our dog training manager) are out of town but thought this was a good opportunity for the business; I can handle the interview."

Her reply to the reporter confirmed confidence in her knowledge in dog behavior. The reporter told her they would be out in a couple of hours so she would have time to prepare. Nancy replied, "I've lived dog language every day for nine years; I don't need time to prepare."

That may have been my proudest moment as a pet care center owner. The local news affiliate recognized our center as a knowledgeable expert on dog behavior. Our supervisor had the confidence from her experience and the training we had invested to talk about it to a reporter. As with all investments, you never quite know when dividends will be paid. However, you will find that every pet care center can profit from their investment in staff training.

Staff safety is an obvious benefit from formal staff training programs that include pet body language basics. Gaining knowledge and understanding of body language leads to confidence in dog handling skills for all staff that work in pet care centers. Think about the number of pets you care about daily and translate that to the number of handling interactions that happen in boarding, grooming, dog daycare, and even the front desk. Making body language a key component of your staff training will result in handling consistency in your center. Having the knowledge to handle pets safely based on understanding their body language results in confident staff. Safe pet handling will result in fewer worker compensation claims, keeping your premiums reasonable.

Dogs respond positively to people who understand their body language and signals, and those people earn the reputation as being "pet people" or having "it" -- the knack to work well with animals. This secret "it" is actually an understanding and appropriate response to body language. Dogs, especially, respond better to people who notice and respond to their language. Mutual respect is earned by reading the signals from each individual pet in all areas of pet care. The key is to recognize stress signals and eliminate the source of stress for happier pets. Happier pets are healthier, easier to care for, and result in happy clients who become very loyal to your center.

Well-trained staff will set your center apart as true pet professionals. Use your formal training program as a recruiting tool to attract people looking for a career working with pets. Knowledge of behavior makes the pet care job more interesting and reduces employee turnover. The training investment also differentiates your center from others, so incorporate your training program into your client marketing. Your center will gain the reputation as the center of choice for pet professionals seeking a career and educated clients seeking high-quality pet care.

Pet health is often the first focus when we create formal staff training programs and is a key component in professional pet care. Pet body language and behavior are equally critical components of a formal training program for all staff, not just for dog trainers. Loose leash walking is a basic handling skill all pet care staff should be taught. Also take time to teach staff how to properly fit collars and harnesses on dogs. This is a small step that our clients notice, and with the growing number of types on the market, training staff to use them properly is a necessity.

Make a commitment to formalizing your staff training program beyond pet health. You'll receive daily dividends from your investment from safe, confident staff, happy pets, and loyal clients.

Susan Briggs is the founder and co-owner of Urban Tails, a large multiservice pet care center in Houston, Texas, which evolved into a training resource for pet professionals on safe daycare operations. Staff training is a passion for Susan, resulting in Crystal Canine, a training and consulting resource for the pet industry (www.crystalcanine.com). Off-Leash Dog Play: A Complete Guide to Safety & Fun, her first book co-authored with Robin Bennett, inspired a Dog Body Language poster set and pocket guide tools for pet professionals. It was also the resource for Knowing Dogs Staff Training, a two-volume "staff training in a box" program on dog body language and group play. All resources are available from Dream Dog Productions (www.dreamdogproductions.com).

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