Chin Rest: The Small Cue That Makes Vet Care Easier

Ryan Leese
Nov 10
3 min read

If you’d rather watch than read, follow this link for the video: Chin Rest – Real Training Sessions with Kira.

Why a Chin Rest Matters

There will be times in your dog’s life when you’ll need to handle eyes and ears—think eye drops, ear drops, or quick inspections. A chin rest—your dog calmly placing and keeping their chin in your hand on cue—turns those moments into predictable, low-stress routines. It’s simple, practical cooperative care that says: “Pop your chin here; something a bit weird might happen; rewards will follow.”

This post isn’t a polished, textbook tutorial. It’s a real look at how I trained Kira’s chin rest across a handful of short sessions—what worked, what didn’t, and how small adjustments made all the difference.

Real Sessions, Real Progress

Session 1: Finding the Idea

I started by presenting an open hand and paying any interest in it. Kira offered a few old favourites—eye contact, paw lifts—before she experimented with putting her chin in my hand. I mixed a bit of luring (food to guide) with shaping (rewarding increments) to speed up that first “Aha!” moment. The instant her chin touched my palm, I marked (“good”) and paid. That clarity helps the right behaviour repeat.

What you’d see in the video: a little messiness, a few false starts, and then the penny drops—“chin in hand = reward.”

Session 3: Adding Duration and Mild Distractions

Once the “place chin here” idea was consistent, I paid 1-second, then 2-second holds—short, achievable wins. I added tiny distractions: wiggling fingers, a tickle, showing a syringe (just a plastic dropper). If she lifted her head, no drama—no reward, reset, try a touch easier next time. This is the rhythm: raise criterion, observe, adjust.

I also named the cue now that the behaviour was reliable: “Chin” as I offered the hand.

What you’d see in the video: me occasionally pushing criteria too fast, then stepping back a stage to help her win again. That’s normal training.

Session 5: Bringing in Water “Eye Drops”

With the foundation in place, I introduced actual water in the dropper. The plan: rehearse a few good chin rests, then briefly bring the dropper toward the eye. If that felt too much, I moved it further away next rep, paid a few easy wins, and crept back in. When Kira held the chin rest and tolerated a tiny droplet, we celebrated. Short session, lots of breaks, and generous pay.

End result: Kira could place and hold her chin, accept a small water drop near/into the eye, and recover quickly if something felt too difficult.

Honest Lessons From Imperfect Training

Greed is the enemy. When I raised difficulty too quickly, Kira told me by lifting her head. The fix was always the same: make it easier, then rebuild.
Criteria need clarity. If “chin in hand” earns pay and “chin lifts” doesn’t, the picture is simple. Consistency matters more than flawless timing.
Name it late. I only added the cue (“Chin”) when the behaviour was happening reliably—otherwise words just become noise.
Short and sweet. We worked in very short sessions with restful gaps. That keeps it fun and avoids drilling through frustration.

Where a Chin Rest Helps

Eye drops / eye rinses
Ear drops / ear inspections
Quick health checks at home or before a vet visit
Grooming moments that benefit from a steady head

It’s not about perfection. It’s about giving your dog a clear job that makes necessary handling predictable and rewarding.

If You’re Trying This at Home

This post reflects what I actually did, warts and all. If you give it a go:

Keep sessions tiny and easy.
If your dog lifts their head when you add a challenge, go back a step next rep (e.g., hold the dropper higher/further).
Pay generously for relaxed, steady contact.
End while it’s going well.