This past Sunday, June 28th, a group of Atlanta dog parents gave up their evening for something most people put off until it’s too late. They came to Splootsville Pet Boutique to learn what to do in the moments that matter most: when their dog is hurt, scared, or in danger, and help is still minutes away.
This class was part of our Pet Parents series, and it could not have come at a better time. June is National Pet Preparedness Month, a reminder that loving your dog also means being ready for the day something goes wrong. It is easy to assume an emergency will never happen to your dog. Most dog parents who have lived through one will tell you it happens fast, and the first few minutes are the ones that count most.
Over 20 community members joined us for the session, led by Dr. Dorsey. The energy in the room said it all. These are dog parents who see their dogs as family, and they wanted the same kind of preparation for their dog that they would want for anyone else they love. Nobody in that room was there because they thought something bad was coming. They were there because they wanted to be ready if it did.
Knowing your dog’s baseline matters more than people realize
The class opened with something a lot of dog parents skip entirely: learning what normal looks like for their own dog. A resting heart rate, a normal breathing pattern, healthy gum color, these are things that are simple to check when your dog is calm and well. But if you have never checked them before, you have nothing to compare against in a crisis. Dr. Dorsey walked the group through how to take these baseline measurements at home, so every dog parent in the room left knowing exactly what healthy looks like for their own dog. That single skill can be the difference between recognizing a problem early and missing it until it becomes serious.
Canine CPR, hands-on and unforgettable
From there, the group moved into canine CPR. This is not something most dog parents ever expect to need, and that is exactly why it deserves attention. Dr. Dorsey guided participants through the technique step by step, covering positioning, compressions, and rescue breathing for dogs of different sizes. Watching a room full of dog parents practice this, focused and a little nervous, was a reminder of how much people are willing to learn when it is for a dog they love.
Building real first aid skills
The class then covered first aid essentials dog parents can use for everyday injuries and emergencies alike. Wound care, how to control bleeding, how to safely muzzle an injured dog who might snap out of fear or pain, and how to stabilize a dog before transport were all part of the conversation. These are not dramatic, rare situations. They are the kind of thing that can happen on an ordinary walk.
Knowing when it’s a vet visit, and when it’s not
One of the most valuable parts of the evening was the conversation about judgment. Dog parents often want a clear rule for when something is serious enough to call the vet, but the truth is that it usually comes down to reading the full picture. A limp that eases up after rest is different from a limp paired with swelling or a dog who refuses to put any weight on the leg. A little vomiting after eating too fast is different from repeated vomiting, lethargy, or blood. Dr. Dorsey walked through these distinctions in detail, giving dog parents a framework for telling the difference between something they can watch and manage at home and something that needs a vet right away. That framework replaces panic with confidence, which matters just as much as the medical skills themselves.
Being ready before you need to be
The evening closed with a conversation about building a canine first aid kit and thinking through what emergency preparedness really looks like day to day. Knowing where the nearest emergency vet is, having a plan for who to call if you are traveling, and keeping basic supplies on hand are small steps that make a real difference when something unexpected happens.
What’s next
Our Pet Parents series continues on Sunday, September 13th with Kibble to Raw, presented by Rebel Raw Atlanta, a local raw food company. If you have ever wondered whether raw feeding is right for your dog, this is the class to attend. Learn More HERE.
At Praline’s Backyard, we believe knowing your dog goes far beyond feeding schedules and walk times. It means understanding their baseline, their behavior, and their needs well enough to notice the moment something feels off, and knowing exactly what to do next. That is the kind of care every one of our Canine Enrichment Specialists brings to the dogs they support, every single visit.