The Forward Thinking Approach to Training, Handling and

Rehabilitation

Photographs courtesy of David and Charles Publishing Ltd

Fear• When an animal is afraid it cannot learn• It may show its fear by running away or

becoming defensive and reactive• Tension in the lower back triggers the

flight/fight reflex• Understanding the link between posture

and behaviour can help you enable an animal to move beyond its instinctive responses and learn new skills

Cool To Be Kind• Forceful handling triggers the flight/fight

reflex and creates tension in the body• Tension inhibits learning and creates

more problems for the animal and the handler

• Many training techniques focus on what the animal can’t do

• The focus needs to be on what the animal can do

Reward Based Training• Reward based training should be

rewarding for both the handler and the animal

• You may need to experiment to find out what is truly rewarding for that animal

• This may vary depending on the situation and some animals may not work for food whilst some may not know how to play with toys

Handling

• Many animals are afraid of being handled• They may have a fear of the known• Equally they may have a fear of the

unknown• Positive training and handling techniques

develop trust and understanding and enable the animal to reach his full potential

Start Where You Can

• The aim is to work below the threshold at which the animal has to react

• The initial approach will vary from animal to animal

• You may need to use wands or fake hands, teach a hand touch greeting with a clicker, or introduce contact with the back of the hand

Wands

• The movement needs to be slow and considered

• For really fearful animals two wands may be needed

• Some may not be able to tolerate being touched at first so keep the session simple by moving the wands slowly in the air

What is the aim?

• This approach has provided an important stepping stone to further handling for many animals

• It is not about flooding the nervous system

• It is about changing an animals expectation of what contact may mean by removing the fear

Training Games

• Training and handling at any stage and at any age should be fun for the animal and for the carer

• Several short sessions are far more beneficial than one long one

• Watch the animals responses and stop the sessions before the animal becomes bored, tired or over loaded

Hand Touch Greeting

• This is a simple and useful training game for dogs

• It teaches an alternative and appropriate greeting behaviour and allows the animal to make its own choices about approaching a person

• It also provides a solid foundation for further training games

Unwanted Behaviours• Behaviours become established for many

reasons• Some dogs have not been taught how to

behave in the world we have created for them

• Others may have developed inappropriate behaviours as a coping mechanism or as a result of tension in the body

Hand Follow

• This builds on the Hand Touch Greeting• It helps to teach the dog how to walk

calmly on the lead• It enables you to move the dog around

without having to pull it by the collar • It can be used when teaching the dog

how to negotiate ground work exercises

The Tellington TTouch

• Gentle TTouch work can help to build trust and increase confidence and self control

• It is also used to release tension from the body that may be inhibiting the animals potential to learn new skills

• It works well on it’s own but can also be used in conjunction with the clicker

Off/Leave Cue

• This is another simple and highly effect training game

• It is important to teach all dogs to leave on cue

• This can be particularly useful for dogs that grab the lead, grab clothing, run off with toys, scavenge and so on

Toys

• Games with toys form an important part of the relationship building process provided they do not get out of hand

• Running away with toys is a natural instinct but dogs can easily learn that a shared game is much more fun

Introducing Something New• Whenever we change one thing, we

potentially change everything for that animal

• The more rewarding experiences an animal has, the more easily he will adapt to new situations

• Think about how you can make it as easy as possible for that animal when introducing something new

Introducing a Collar and Lead• Teach the animal that contact around the

neck is nothing to fear• Use a gentle containment and TTouches

before you introduce the collar• Start with a body wrap if necessary• Use the clicker and food to reward the

dog• Try putting squeezy cheese on a shiny

door

Lead Walking

• Avoid pulling on the lead• Use the Hand Follow exercise to

encourage him to move forward• If he becomes ‘stuck’ gently stroke the

lead and ensure that you are not staring at the dog

• Stay calm and use TTouches to give him confidence and to help him learn

Lead Grabbing• Teach him the off/leave cue• Avoid pulling the lead from his mouth• Use Body Work to help him to release

tension through his jaw muscles if safe to do so

• Use ground work exercises to shift his focus

• Mark all quiet and calm behaviours with the clicker and reward with a treat

Appropriate Stimulation• Dogs in particular need both mental and

physical stimulation• Fast games trigger adrenalin, and slow

movements are calming• Ideally you want to provide both

• Utilise his natural skills, build on what he has already learnt and teach him more activities that he can enjoy in the company of humans

Be Creative

• There are endless ways that you can enrich the lives of the animals in your care

• You do not need to buy lots of equipment to keep the sessions varied and fun

• You can make ground work exercises and fun games from anything that you may already have at your disposal

And Remember Your Hands

Thank you ICAWC for getting in TTOUCH

www.ttouchtteam.co.uk