Instructors: Amy Cook and Jamie Robinson
Course Details
Dogs can develop fear of any person, place or thing. Considering that the same thing happens in humans, this isn't surprising. Although some dogs are born with a genetic predisposition toward fearfulness, most fears that we encounter in dogs are due to experiences that they've had during their lifetime or experiences that they've failed to have at certain times in their development. Probably the most important single factor in whether your dog develops into a confident or a fearful animal is its early socialization.
Dogs inherit their temperaments from the dogs who make up the family tree. A confident mom and dad don't guarantee confident offspring, though, since dogs further back in the bloodline may have planted genetic surprises that hide for a generation or even a few generations. Dogs have less reasoning ability to overcome their "hardwired" genetic behaviors than humans do, so a poor genetic temperament can be difficult or even impossible to overcome.
Physical health plays a major role in dog temperament, too. Unable to explain that something hurts, a dog will try to avoid that painful situation. Some dogs do this by moving away if they are free to do so, but these dogs as well as the more assertive types may react aggressively to ward off something they know from experience is going to hurt. With any fearful or aggressive dog behavior, medical issues are the first thing to consider.
This class will show you how to safely manage and support your fearful or anxious dog. Through games designed to assist in dealing with the environment, we will help you build your dog's confidence and create a positive experience to ease the fears of your shy companion.
This class is intended to give you better insight into your dog's fears and how to better assist your dog in regaining equilibrium in our strange human world.
We will engage your dog's natural curiosity, show you how to handle any fear of new objects, people or other dogs and make it safe for your dog to interact with the world around it. This class will give you the tools to change your dog’s emotions and build her confidence in herself and in you. We will cover the basic principles of TTouch and how to apply them to your dog. Tellington Touch is especially recommended for nervous dogs, fearful dogs, aggressive dogs, or hyperactive dogs.
* Why dogs are afraid
* What fear looks like
* Common myths & misunderstandings
* How to handle a fearful dog
* Training concepts & techniques
* Games & activities