Course Details
Dogs are constantly reading the visual picture around them. They often respond to what they see before they respond to what we say. The visual picture we create can influence curiosity, arousal, and a dog’s willingness to engage.
Many handlers focus on cues or reinforcers without realizing how strongly the surrounding picture influences what their dog expects to happen next. The position of the handler, the visibility of reinforcement, movement patterns, and the environment all contribute to the story the dog believes they are participating in. Small changes in that picture can shift how the interaction feels and how the dog chooses to engage. Different dogs may also prioritize different parts of that picture, influenced by breed tendencies and individual experience.
In this workshop, we will explore four visual elements dogs are constantly reading: Reinforcement, Interaction, Pattern, and Environment (RIPE). How reinforcement appears, how we move and interact, the patterns our dogs have experienced before, and the surrounding environment all shape a dog’s expectations during play.
Through observation and simple experiments, participants will learn how adjusting these visual elements can influence engagement and interaction. By the end of the workshop, handlers often find they notice details in the visual picture that previously went unseen and feel more intentional about the picture they present to their dog.
This workshop is designed for handlers who want to better understand how visual communication influences play, connection, and engagement, and who are curious about seeing play more clearly from their dog’s point of view.
Watch the Trailer:
Coming Soon!
Lecture Publish Date: Sunday April 26th
Video Submissions Due Date: Sunday May 3rd @ 12pm noon PT
Feedback & Questions Video Publish Date: Wednesday May 6th
Instructor: Crystal WingCrystal Wing (she/her) taught high school art for 23 years. She has been training dogs since 2006 and traveled the nation learning and competing in various protection sports. ...(Click here for full bio and to view her upcoming classes)
