Go back to main page
dog with tennis ball

Dog First Aid: Choking

Dani Hickman

|

Every time I am asked, "Why do you train dog first aid" I always answer with this question:


"What would you do if your dog was choking?"


More often than not, the answer is, "I don't actually know". Sometimes people will suggest whacking the dog on it's back, a technique learnt in human first aid. However, this technique isn't effective in dogs as their shoulder blades are much closer together than ours.

So what should you do if your furry best friend suddenly starts choking?

Clearing Visible Obstructions Safely

1. Open your dog's mouth and see if you can see and reach the obstruction. If you can, you can use your hand to remove it.

⚠️ Please be aware there is a risk that you will be bitten if the dog is panicking.


Removing Bulky Objects

2. If the dog is choking on a bulky item such as a tennis ball or a hide chew it is possible to "milk" it back into the mouth.


Use your thumb and forefinger to locate the item from the outside of the dog's neck and apply firm upwards pressure to guide it out of the airway.


Dealing with Small Obstructions

3. If the obstruction is something smaller like a kibble or a pebble, shaking the dog vigorously can help to move it to a position where they can cough it out. 


Lift your dog by their hind legs (hold them in the thigh area) and shake them from side to side and back and forth.


Coupage Technique

4. If this does not produce the desired result, we can use coupage:

✅ Stand with the dog facing away from you. 

✅ Curve your hands so that they are cupped and not flat. 

✅ Starting behind the rib cage, strike your dog with your cupped hands on alternate sides moving forwards towards the shoulders. 

✅Once you reach the shoulders, go back to behind the ribs and repeat another 2 times.

opening dogs mouth

Repeating Techniques

5. Alternate steps 3 and 4 until such time as either the item is coughed out or your dog goes floppy.


Last Resort

6. If your dog has gone floppy, and you are really concerned for their wellbeing, progress to the abdominal thrust technique.


⚠️This is a last resort as it can cause serious, and sometimes, fatal injuries.


  • Put your arms around the dog and interlace your hands.
  • Make a point with your thumb knuckle.
  • Just underneath the ribcage is the diaphragm. Punch your thumb knuckle into the diaphragm - this will force breath out of the airway at speed, hopefully dislodging the obstruction.
dog coughing

Fortunately choking is a relatively rare occurrence. Knowing these crucial steps will give you the confidence in the moment that could save your dog's life.

Assess the Situation : Open your dog’s mouth to check for visible obstructions and remove them if accessible, while being cautious of biting.

Use Effective Techniques : For bulky items, use the "milking" method to guide the object back into the mouth, and for smaller items, employ the shake-and-lift technique.

Employ Coupage and Thrusts : If initial methods fail, use coupage and alternate between techniques until the obstruction is dislodged; resort to abdominal thrusts only if the dog becomes floppy.

woman hugging dog
man hugging dog

Dani Hickman

This blog was submitted by Dani Hickman from Dog First Aid Training Ltd. Dog First Aid Training delivers CPD accredited, half day dog first aid workshops across the UK and online. To find a course near you go to dog-first-aid.com/finder or email info@dog-first-aid.com