MHC Extended Learning partners with regional parks for dog safety training
Medicine Hat College (MHC) Extended Learning is pleased to have partnered with several provincial parks in the region, including Dinosaur Provincial Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Kinbrook Island, and Tillebrook, to deliver Smart Strategies for Safe Dog Encounters. This customized training experience supported park staff by providing helpful strategies for day-to-day interactions involving dogs, tailored to the park’s unique frontline and visitor environment.
This interactive, instructor‑led workshop is designed to build a practical understanding of how dogs perceive their environment, including key canine senses and common factors present in dog bite situations. Workshop participants also learn how dogs communicate through body language, movement, and posture, enabling them to quickly assess risk and recognize early signs of stress or escalation.
For Park leadership, the ability to tailor the curriculum to their specific region and workplace experiences was beneficial.
“We want to be able to give our staff the tools that they need to work successfully,” says CoriAnn Nielson, supervisor for visitor services at Alberta Parks, Dinosaur District. “Customizing a course for our needs gears it more towards our region and our specific needs.”
Dinosaur Provincial Park employee and workshop participant Nathanael Kneeland shares that learning the body language and ways to encourage safe encounters with dogs will be helpful. “I just feel more confident with how I can deal with dogs in the park with the public,” says Kneeland.
The workshop was led by MHC instructor Marissa Jordan; she shares that this knowledge is beneficial for anyone regardless of occupation, as encounters with dogs can be unpredictable and having the necessary knowledge and skills can protect both the individual and animal.
Regional Training Development Strategist with Extended Learning, Olena Mitsuk, shares that this is an important topic for staff working in public and natural environments. “We really appreciate Alberta Parks’ proactive approach to supporting both staff safety and positive public interactions,” says Mitsuk, “this training is the first of its kind delivered through Extended Learning, and it’s also the first in a series, as we look ahead to delivering similar dog focused training to municipalities and to dog owners as well.”