Canine first aid class popular among adventurers

A Chilliwack woman’s canine first aid classes are proving popular among dog owners who take their furry friends with them wherever they go.

As more hikers, bikers and runners take their pets into the backcountry, basic canine first aid is becoming more important, said Laurie McPhee.

“Take along a first aid kit for your dog,” she advises. “Think about how you’d get your dog off the trail with a blown knee.”

As a paramedic and former search and rescue volunteer, McPhee has seen the worst. She recalls attending a car crash where four dogs were thrown from a vehicle.

“If they’re not belted in, your dog becomes a projectile,” she said.

As part of her canine first aid classes, McPhee teaches pet safety, instructing participants on the proper way to transport dogs in a vehicle. She also addresses airplane travel, water safety (her dog, Quincy, wears a life-jacket when they go paddleboarding together), canine body language, and pet emergencies.

McPhee is a Dogsafe Canine First Aid certified instructor. The program was developed by a former Vancouver police officer and offers online training and instructor certification to people around the world.

“Growing up, many people didn’t wear seatbelts,” said McPhee. “Now, that’s the standard, but we don’t think about our animals, and we should be.”

The paramedic offers her classes in various communities through her company K9 ABCs. McPhee’s next course takes place Sunday in Chilliwack.