Getting in TTouch With Your Dog: A Gentle Approach to Influencing Behavior, Health, and Performance

132 Pages·2001·6.543 MB·English

by  Linda Tellington-Jones

GETTING IN T OUCH WITH
A Gentle Approach to Influencing Behavior,
Health, and Performance
LINDA T E L L I N G T O N-J O N E S
C C
Dogs enrich their owners’ lives in so many
ways with their gifts of unconditional love,
friendship, and loyalty.We can all reciprocate by
being mindful of the Canine Golden Rule:Treat
your dog as you would like to be treated, and
use theTTouch method to reshape your dog’s
behavior with kindness and understanding.You
will find it carries over in your attitude toward
your family and even yourself. It encourages you
to open your heart to embrace a happy, healthy
relationship with your dog, as well as members
of your own species.
LINDA TELLINGTON-JONES
Highly acclaimed animal expert, LindaTellington-Jones,
renowned for her groundbreakingTTouch bodywork
with all animals, has finally written a hands-on guide
specifically for dogs.TheTellington TTouch Method
(TTouch) offers a way to effectively influence the
behavior and character of dogs, as well as their willing¬
ness and ability to learn. Unlike many training books, the
focus is more on improving and maintaining the quality
of an animal companion’s life, instilling self-confidence
so that a mutual relationship can be developed with
the owner - a relationship based on appreciation and
friendship, rather than on dominance and submission.
The Tellington TTouch Method is currently being used
by dog owners, trainers, breeders, veterinarians, and
vet technicians, as well as in animal shelters around
the world. Although it offers a positive, no-force
approach to training, it is much more than just a training
method: Using a combination of specific TTouches
(22 are described in detail), Leading Exercises, and the
Confidence Course (exercises over obstacles), a dog’s
performance and health is improved, common behavior
issues are solved, and physical problems are positively
influenced. It can both assist a dog with recovery from
serious illness or injury, and enhance the quality of the
animal’s life on a daily basis.
continued on back flap $16.95
GETTING IN TTOUCH
with
Your Dog
BY THE SAME AUTHOR
The Tellington TTouch: A Breakthrough Technique to Train and Care
for Your Favourite Animal
Getting in TTouch: Understand and Influence Your Horse’s Personality
Let’s Ride with Linda Tellington-Jones
Improve Your Horse’s Well-Being
GETTING IN TTOUCH
with
Your Dog
A Gentle Approach to Influencing Behavior,
Healthy and Performance
LINDA TELLINGTON-JONES
with Gudrun Braun
TRAFALGAR SQUARE PUBLISHING
North Pomfret, Vermont
First published in the United States of America in 2001 by
Trafalgar Square Publishing
North Pomfret, Vermont 05053
Published simultaneously in Great Britain by
Kenilworth Press Ltd
Addington, Buckingham, MK18 2JR
Printed in Great Britain
Originally published in the German language as Tdlington-Trainingfur Hunde
by Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbFl & Co., Stuttgart, 1999
Copyright © 1999 Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co., Stuttgart
English translation © 2001 Trafalgar Square Publishing
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior
permission of the copyright holder.
Disclaimer of Liability
The author and publisher shall have neither liability nor
responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any
loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or
indirectly by the information contained in this book.
While the book is as accurate as the author can make it,
there may be errors, omissions, and inaccuracies.
Library of Congress Card Number: 2001089545
ISBN 1-57076-206-6
Typographic design by Paul Saunders
Layout and typesetting by Kenilworth Press
Contents
Acknowledgments 8
INTRODUCTION 10
A VET’S POINT OF VIEW 18
THE EXPERIENCE OF A DOG TRAINER 21
TEST YOUR DOG - THE CHECKLIST 23
THE TTOUCHES 26
The Clouded Leopard TTouch 28
CASE HISTORIES 30
The Lying Leopard TTouch 32
The Python TTouch 34
The Abalone TTouch 36
The Llama TTouch 37
The Raccoon TTouch 38
CASE HISTORIES 40
The Bear TTouch 42
The Tiger TTouch 43
Tarantulas Pulling the Plow 44
Hair Slides 46
The Lick of the Cow’s Tongue 48
Noah’s March 50
The Zigzag TTouch 51
The Belly Lift 52
The Mouth TTouch 54
CASE HISTORIES 56
The Ear TTouch 58
CASE HISTORIES 60
Leg Circles with the Front Legs 62
Leg Circles with the Hind legs 64
TTouches on the Paws 66
TTouches with the Paw 68
Toenail Trimming 69
The Tail TTouch 70
THE LEADING EXERCISES 72
The Balance Leash 74
Using the Wand 75
Introducing the Haiti 76
Leading with the Haiti 78
CASE HISTORIES 80
The Body Wrap 82
CASE HISTORIES 84
The Double Diamond 86
The Dog Harness 87
The Journey of the Homing Pigeon 88
CASE HISTORY 90
THE CONFIDENCE COURSE 92
The Labyrinth 94
The Platform and Boards 96
Wire Mesh and Plastic Surfaces 98
The Teeter-Totter (See-Saw) 100
The A-Frame and the Board Walk 102
Cavaletti, The Star, and Poles 104
The Ladder and The Tires 106
The Slalom with Cones 108
TTOUCH TRAINING PLAN FOR YOUR DOG 110
SOLVING BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS 112
TTOUCH RESOURCES 119
TTOUCH GLOSSARY 124
INDEX 127
To my sister, Robyn Hood,
for her continuous contributions to the development oj
TTouch and TTEAM training over two decades.
Illustration Credits Drawings: 7 drawings by Jeanne Kloepfer
Photos: All photos by Jodi Frediani; (pp.29, 33, 35, 37, 39, 42, 67); 9 drawings by
except p. 11 by Lothar Lenz; p.3 by Christof Salata; Cornelia Koller (pp. 16, 45, 49, 50, 51, 63, 74, 79,
pp.19, 20 (bottom), 75, 82, 83 by Sandra Wilson; 87); 1 drawing from Der neue Weg im Umgang mit
p.13 by Stevi; and p.15 by Aaron Strong. Tieren, Franckh Kosmos, Germany (p.83).
Acknowledgments
My heartfelt thanks goes to my American publisher, Caroline Robbins,
for her patience and understanding, for her endless hours of editing,
and work on the phone with me discussing the smallest details of the
manuscript.
I am grateful to Martha Cook for her support, and for being such
fun to work with. My thanks to David Blunt, Lesley Gowers, and
others at Kenilworth Press in England for their continuing faith in my
work, and to Gudrun Braun, whose concept this book was, and
without whom the original manuscript in German would never have
been written. Almuth Sieben, you’re an angel for continuing to suggest
new books.
Thank you, Jodi Frediani, for your photos, and your patience in
getting just the right angles. I wish to thank the illustrators Jeanne
Kloepfer and Cornelia Roller for their excellent drawings.
In addition, I wish to thank Kirsten Henry for her dedication,
patience and attention to fine details of the work, and to Ingrid Winter
and Christine Schwartz for their editing contributions. And my
deepest appreciation as ever to TTouch instructors Edie Jane Eaton,
Jodi Frediani, and Debby Potts, and several hundred TTouch practi¬
tioners in twelve countries who continue to bring the work to so many
appreciative people and their animals.
Thanks also to the dedicated organization, trainings, and promotion
in the German headquarters by Bibi Degn; in England by Sarah Fisher;
in Switzerland by Doris Suess; in Austria by Martin Lasser; in Australia
by Andy Robertson; and by Eugenie Chopin in South Africa.
My special thanks for their cooperation, patience, and sense of
humor at the photo sessions go to the following dog lovers and their
dogs: Erika Hull and T-Rex, Mary Ellen Laidlan and Billy G, Jo
Buckland and Gimli, Veronica Bridge and Bandit, Lois Shumyk with
Tess and Grady, Linda Burnam and Jesse, Adele Getty and Cumae,
Sandra Wilson and Griffin, and Uta Henrich.
To my husband, Roland Kleger, for getting me back on course in the
last hours of writing when I thought I couldn't finish in time. I must
acknowledge our loyal West Highland Terrier, Rayne, who kept me
company for so many hours at the computer.