The current VIN date & time: Eastern

VIN Canine Lab 3: Handling and Restraining Small and Medium-sized Dogs with Skill and Ease (BHVR909) Self Study

This course is a self-paced, non-interactive course.

Presenter: Sophia Yin, DVM, CAAB, M.S. Animal Science (1966-2014)
Course Open: July 1, 2022-June 30, 2023
Total CE Credit: 2.5
RACE Category: 2.5 hours Non-Medical


Enrollment is closed.  

Tuition: VIN/VSPN Member $58
Prices are listed in US dollars.


Course Information:
People tend to restrain small and medium-sized dogs with force due to their size, which causes them to struggle defensively. The result: procedures take longer, and patients become more difficult with each visit. In this lab, you'll learn a variety of holds and be able to identify the directions of movement they control. This will allow you to adapt quickly to the situation and to the dog's response. Patients who otherwise would be difficult to handle will now be calm and cooperative.

Looking for more Sophia Yin behavior courses? Consider enrolling in Low Stress Handling® Silver Certification. A comprehensive review of ten individual courses, including Canine Lab 3: Handling and Restraining Small and Medium-sized Dogs with Skill and Ease (BHVR909). Participants will learn to understand and improve the individual's or hospital's ability to create a low stress environment and handle animals in a less stressful manner. Enroll in Low Stress Handling® Silver Certification and receive 15% bundle discount compared to the cost of individual courses. More information/enrollment: Low Stress Handling® Silver Certification Self Study

To earn a certificate of completion the participant must complete all learning modules and score 80% or better on the end-of-course test. Completion of the course will take a minimum of 137 minutes. Participants must complete the participation requirements by June 30, 2023 to be eligible for a certificate.

To learn more about the requirements for earning a Self Study CE certificate, please refer to Self Study CE Certificate Requirements.


Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of the course, the participant should be able to
  • learn 5 methods for controlling the rear end and 7 methods for controlling movements of the front end. Determine which directions (front, back, left, right, up, or down) each hold controls, and practice adapting to the dog’s movement by switching between holds.
  • safely pick up small dogs who are friendly, but wiggly, as well as those who are aggressive.
  • evaluate which restraint hold is best for a given dog and procedure. Know how to determine, based on the dog's body language and behavior, when to choose something else.


Level and Prerequisites: This basic VIN CE self-study course is open for enrollment to veterinarians and veterinary support staff actively interested in handling and restraint of small and medium-sized dogs. This course is open to VIN and VSPN members only.
Accreditation: This non-interactive course is approved for 2.5 hours of continuing education credit by RACE for veterinarians and veterinary technicians/technologists. (RACE 20-842049)


Course Agenda:

Module 1: Handling and Restraining Small and Medium-sized Dogs with Skill and Ease
Total Time: 127 minutes
Video: 127 minutes
Polls: 11

Module 2: End of Course Test
Total Time: 10 minutes
Successful completion (scoring 80% or better) on the end-of-course test is required to earn a certificate of completion for the course.

Module 3: Course Evaluation

To learn more about the requirements for earning a Self Study CE certificate, please refer to Self Study CE Certificate Requirements.


Enrollment is closed.  

Tuition: VIN/VSPN Member $58
Prices are listed in US dollars.


*For more information on how online CE works, see the Participant Resource Center.

Enrollment qualifications for Self Study CE:
  1. VIN CE Courses:
    1. VIN CE courses are open to VIN members.
    2. Veterinary support staff must be VSPN members in order to enroll in a VIN CE course open to VSPN member enrollment.
  2. VSPN CE Courses:
    1. VSPN CE courses are open to veterinary support staff and veterinarians.
    2. Only VIN and VSPN members can enroll in a VSPN CE course.
    3. Veterinarians will only receive credit for those VSPN CE courses that specify in the Accreditation statement that the course is accredited for veterinarians.
  3. Please check the course Level and Prerequisites, Accreditation, and Tuition before enrolling.
  4. Each enrollee must be able to receive emails from @vspn.org and @vin.com addresses.
    1. Email is our major form of communication with participants; personal emails are highly recommended rather than clinic/hospital email addresses.
  5. For further assistance call 800-846-0028 ext. 797 or email CEonVIN@vin.com. Please include the course title, your full name, and contact information in your correspondence.


Course withdrawal and refund policy: A complete refund of the paid course price will be issued when your withdrawal request is received prior to starting the course. If you wish to withdraw after you have started this self-study course, please contact the VSPN office 800-846-0028, ext. 797 to discuss eligibility for a pro-rated refund.

*For more information on VIN's upcoming CE courses, check the VIN Course Catalog.

Katherine James, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (SAIM)
VIN Education Director

VIN CE Services:
800-846-0028 or 530-756-4881; ext. 797
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from the United Kingdom: 01 45 222 6154
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from Australia: 02 6145 2357