Vinal Tech Veterinary Science Department

🐾 What an incredible day for our 10th grade class! 🐾

Today was our final visit with Doggy Dojo: Train, Play, Rescue for the school year. Students continued learning about canine body language and how understanding animal behavior is essential when working with animals in a professional setting.

We were also honored to welcome guest speaker Thom Page, an attorney and animal advocate who has dedicated years to fighting for animal rights. Thom is the founder of The Center for Animal Litigation, which works to protect companion animals and challenge outdated laws affecting animal welfare.

Tom shared powerful stories from his work advocating for dogs facing difficult circumstances. He explained how a dog's environment and experiences can influence behavior, sometimes leading to bites or aggression that place the animal at risk of euthanasia. Through education, advocacy, and legal action, he helps give deserving dogs a second chance while helping people better understand the factors that contribute to these behaviors.

Students also learned that dogs are constantly reading us just as we are reading them. Dogs can detect changes in hormones, pheromones, and body language. Remaining calm, confident, and relaxed can help dogs feel safe and comfortable. We discussed the importance of making positive first impressions, building trust, and demonstrating leadership when working with animals.

One of the biggest takeaways from today's lesson: To be successful working with animals, become a leader they can trust.

For students interested in helping animals in the future, Tom encouraged them to:
🐶 Adopt
🐶 Foster
🐶 Rescue
🐶 Advocate

Thank you, Thom, for sharing your experiences, knowledge, and passion for helping animals in need. Our students gained valuable insight into both animal behavior and the many ways they can make a difference in the lives of animals.

✂️🐾 A Fantastic Final Grooming Day! 🐾✂️

Yesterday marked our 10th Grade Vet Science students' final large grooming day of the school year with Matt, owner of Dogfather Mobile Grooming!

Students focused on practicing puppy cuts on three adorable Shih Tzus—Stormi, Penelope, and Dennis. These sweet pups were wonderful grooming partners and helped our students put their skills and confidence to the test.

Under Matt's guidance, students worked hard to perfect their techniques, paying close attention to safety, handling, coat care, and breed-appropriate grooming styles. Their dedication and teamwork showed in the final results, and all three dogs left looking fresh, comfortable, and ready for summer! ☀️🐶

We are incredibly proud of how much our students have grown throughout the year and grateful for the hands-on learning opportunities provided by Matt and his furry assistants.

A huge thank you to Stormi, Penelope, Dennis, and Matt for spending the day with us. We can't wait to welcome them back in the fall for another year of learning, grooming, and making our canine friends look their best!

🐾 Vet Science Update! 🐾

On Tuesday, our 9th Grade Vet Science students participated in their final interactive class with Doggy Dojo: Train, Play, Rescue! 🐶

This session focused on understanding canine mental states, body language, and how to safely interact with dogs in different situations. Students learned that a dog's behavior is constantly communicating how they feel—and recognizing those signals can help keep both people and dogs safe.

Some of the canine behaviors we explored included:

🐕 **Neutral & Relaxed**
✔️ Loose, open mouth ("canine smile")
✔️ Weight evenly distributed
✔️ Relaxed, wagging tail
✔️ Ears and head in a natural position

🎾 **Play Solicitation**
✔️ Play bow
✔️ Soft eyes
✔️ Loose body language
✔️ Tail held high and wagging

⚡ **Arousal**
Students learned that arousal isn't always negative—it can be great for play, but less ideal during stressful situations like veterinary visits.

🛑 **Submission vs. Aggression**
We discussed the differences between passive submission, active submission, defensive aggression, and offensive aggression, along with the body language cues that help us identify each state.

👀 Key takeaway: Always pay attention to a dog's body language before approaching. Not every wagging tail means a dog wants attention, and understanding canine communication helps prevent fear, stress, and conflict.

We also explored:
🐾 Positive dog greetings
🐾 Why dogs prefer side-by-side introductions rather than face-to-face greetings
🐾 The role of pheromones in canine communication
🐾 How domestication has shaped the human-dog relationship
🐾 Maternal corrections and social learning in puppies

A huge thank you to Doggy Dojo’s Mike, Sharon, Sue, Chris, Sophie and Juda for helping our students develop a deeper understanding of canine behavior and safe animal handling practices. 🐕❤️

On May 4th, our 9th and 12th grade students had the opportunity to enjoy an incredible Wildlife & Exotics Show! Students were introduced to a variety of exotic animals including emus, snakes, parrots, a skunk, tortoise, alpaca, and even alligators. 🐍🦜🦙🐊

Studying exotic animals is an important part of our senior curriculum, and experiences like this allow students to connect classroom learning with real-world animal care and handling. We are always so thankful to ZooShows for making the trip from Massachusetts to share these amazing animals and their extensive knowledge with our students.

From husbandry and housing requirements to personalities, body language, and medical care, students learned valuable information about what it truly takes to properly care for exotic species.

Which animal would you want to learn more about? Let us know in the comments! 👇

On May 8th, our freshmen participated in their second lesson with Mike, Sharon, Chris, Sue and pups Sophie and Juda from Doggy Dojo: Train, Play, Rescue. During this session, students focused on safety, handling equipment, and proper leash techniques.

Topics covered included:

The importance of the “place” command and how it helps distinguish well-trained dogs from average dogs by promoting calmness, focus, and control.

The value of slip leashes and why facilities such as veterinary hospitals commonly use them for safety and efficient handling.

Different types of leashes, collars, and harnesses, along with the effects they can have on a dog’s physical well-being and overall mindset.

Comparisons between martingale collars, slip leads, slip collars, and standard collars, including appropriate use and handling techniques.

Students then participated in hands-on leash handling practice with the dogs to apply the skills and concepts discussed during the lesson.

🐠🌊 Career Exploration in Action! 🌊🐠

On Tuesday our 9th grade Vet Science students had an unforgettable trip to Mystic Aquarium as part of their Career Exploration class! From behind-the-scenes access to hands-on experiences, it was a day full of discovery, curiosity, and inspiration.

Students learned about a wide range of exciting careers, including:
🩺 Veterinarians caring for marine life
🛟 Stranding Coordinators leading rescue efforts
🐬 Animal Trainers working with seals and other species
🧪 Aquarists and Husbandry teams keeping ecosystems thriving

They even got an exclusive look at the aquarium’s filtration systems and areas for quarantined and traveling animals—talk about behind-the-scenes access!

The day didn’t stop there… students watched the seal show and saw trainers in action, explored the aquarium exhibits, and got hands-on in the touch tanks! 🖐️⭐

Experiences like this help bring classroom learning to life and open doors to future careers. Who knows—maybe we have some future marine biologists in the making! 🌎💙

We’re a little behind on posting, but we couldn’t miss sharing this! 🐾✨

Last Thursday, our **sophomore class** enjoyed their monthly grooming session with Matt from Dogfather Mobile Grooming & Supplies! Our calm and stoic little models, **Sylvester** and **Dennis**, were pampered with facial trims, full body clean-ups, a relaxing scrub in the tub, and even a blueberry facial 🫐🛁

Experiences like these give our students hands-on learning opportunities that go far beyond the classroom. We are so grateful for our amazing community partners who help us provide real-world skills and confidence as our students prepare to enter the workforce in their junior and senior years.

💙 Thank you for supporting our future veterinary professionals!

This Wednesday, our sophomore class had the opportunity to visit dog and hen, a local Connecticut business specializing in all-natural, gourmet pet treats. This experience gave students a firsthand look at what it takes to build a company from the ground up.

During the visit, students toured the store and kitchen, learning how high-quality ingredients are carefully sourced and prepared. Dog & Hen prides itself on using USDA-certified, human-grade proteins and creating preservative-free products through low-heat cooking and freeze-drying methods. These processes help maintain nutritional value while ensuring products remain shelf-stable without additives.

Students also explored the importance of proper pet nutrition, including appropriate feeding, balanced diets, and exercise. The team shared insight into their commitment to quality control, including batch testing through outside labs and partnerships with local farms.

In addition to their signature treats, Dog & Hen offers unique services such as pet-friendly birthday dinners, wedding gift bags, and specialty items made with the same high standards.

This trip provided valuable exposure to potential career paths in food production, quality control, and entrepreneurship. We are grateful to Dog & Hen for sharing their knowledge and inspiring our students to think about future opportunities in business and beyond.

We are always so thankful of our community partnerships and the knowledge and love for animals they share with our program and students.

Edit: Unfortunately the Live Stream is not cooperating, we’ll let you know if we get it back up and running!

Well… our hatching plans didn’t quite go as expected this year — not a single chick hatched! 🐣 But in true “plot twist” fashion, we suddenly became the proud temporary hosts of 6 adorable chicks who needed a place to land!

Even more exciting — six Ameraucanas will be our classroom VIPs for the next 4–6 weeks. Students will get a front-row seat to their growth before they head off to safe, loving homes.

✨ BONUS: Our brooder is going LIVE! Check out our chick cam so you can watch all the peeping, fluffing, eating, and napping in real time. Trust us… it’s oddly relaxing.

Vinal Tech Veterinary Science Vinal Tech Veterinary Science Live Stream Part II

Our Vet Science sophomores took over Doggy Dojo: Train, Play, Rescue today for a masterclass in canine communication. From mastering leash grips to toggling between English and German commands, these students are officially leveling up their Vet Assistant game.

Huge thanks to:
✨ Mike, Sharon, Chris, & Sue (The Dream Team)
✨ Sophie & Juda (The MVP Pups)

Nothing beats hands-on learning. Check out these future vet professionals in action! 👇