I think relationship is really the heart of it. If you can do something that's going to safeguard your

relationship with your dog, then that's a bit of a no-brainer to me.

Welcome to the Absolute Dog Sex and a Squirrel podcast. I'm Lauren Langman. I'm one of the world's leading dog trainers and it's my mission to help owners become their dog's top priority. In each episode, you'll discover how to gain trust and communicate with your dog like never before, creating unbreakable bonds that make you the most exciting part of their world.

Cooperative care, you know what is massive. And Karen, you know probably more than most when you've

got a dog that doesn't like being handled and you maybe visit the vets or the groomers or you have a

dog that maybe needs grooming, like you have a gock-a-pooh, he needs screaming. Why does cooperative

care matter? What even is

cooperative care? Do I need it? I would say everybody needs it. I mean, I'm just learning

from Jamie and from the new course, but it's just so helpful. It's one of those things that I

kind of wish I'd known nine years ago because Rupert really does not like being handled.

And he goes to a groomer and he is fine with the groomer.

But I would say he probably shuts down and she's even acknowledged that.

He kind of goes in there.

He hates it.

He stands still and he has stuff done to him, which is the exact opposite of cooperative care,

which is all about having the dog

kind of opt in and say, yes, I am cool with this. And if I'm not quite cool with something,

I've got the right to tell you and you will stop. And that's such a massive difference in how

you can handle it. I think that's just so powerful because if a dog is not enjoying something, yes, there are

some things that still have to be done.

But being able to do that with the dog kind of in control of it is so much nicer.

Now, I know watching the cooperative care learning and all of the cool skills that we've had the

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