Tellington TTouch practitioner Janet Finlay who is also a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers UK (no.01046) looks at the 5 things that she most likes about Tellington TTouch

 

Janet Finlay, TTouch practitionerTTouch is a gentle and effective training method that uses a combination of bodywork, wraps and groundwork to change a dog's behaviour. There are many things I love about it, as a way of working with animals, but these are my top five:

Its ETHOS: TTouch starts from a position of respect for the animals we work with. We do TTouch for dogs, not to them. The way we work lets the dog know that we are listening to it: we constantly observe the dog's response and adjust what we do accordingly. If the dog is uncomfortable with something that we try, we move back to a point that was accepted. We are aiming always to enable the dog to be the best it is capable of being, and we recognise that the animals we work with are the very best teachers we can have.

It's EASY TO LEARN. Anyone can learn some basic TTouch to help their dog and some of the most powerful tools it provides, are among the simplest to learn. For example, TTouch ear work can reduce shock, induce relaxation, and lower the respiratory rate, and the "Zigzag" slide is great for refocusing over-stimulated or "stuck" dogs. Yet both are touches that can be learned in minutes and done anywhere.

It EMPOWERS owners, equipping them with tools they can use on a daily basis, at home and out in the world, to help their dog. Simply doing regular TTouch helps develop a stronger bond between owner and dog, and relaxes both. This gives a firm foundation for training new behaviours and making progress.

It ENABLES dogs to move forward, to learn, to focus. It releases physical tensions in the body, reducing reactivity and increasing calm. It gives them greater self-awareness and self-control and allows them to experience alternative ways of responding to situations. Whether they have "issues" or not, TTouch helps dogs to develop confidence and fulfil their potential.

It's EFFECTIVE. It is not that it works in the same way for every dog – it is certainly not a one-size fits-all "magic wand" for all canine problems. But I have yet to meet a dog that was not helped to some degree by something from the TTouch "toolkit". Sometimes the effect is dramatic: putting on a wrap, for instance, can completely change a dog's physical and emotional response – for example, a previously reactive dog may voluntarily lie down and relax. Sometimes the effect is more gradual, for instance where a dog that was previously sensitive to touch, slowly becomes more accepting of being handled. But whether the results are immediate or develop over time, or the changes dramatic or gradual, the bottom line is that TTouch works!

 

 

Janet Finlay is a TTouch Companion Animal Practitioner 2 and a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (01046). She lives in Cardiff with her partner and her two dogs, Jake, a Smooth Collie, and Mirri, a Lurcher. To find out more about Janet Finlay's work or to book onto one of her workshops, visit her website http://www.canineconfidence.com/

To read more about Tellington TTouch visit  http://www.xtradog.com/ttouch-for-your-dog.html or visit www.ttouchtteam.com

 

Xtra Dog has recently launched the Thundershirt dog anxiety T-shirt from the USA. People are wondering how this shirt can work to help with anxiety, noise sensitivity, separtion anxiety, hyper activity, lead frustration, travel anxiety etc. The principle is based how a body wrap works in Tellington TTouch, but unlike a wrap, a Thundershirt can be used as a long term solution Kathy Cascade a Tellington TTouch instructor explains how body wraps work...

One of the most useful tools of the Tellington TTouch Method is a simple ace bandage known as a “body wrap.” For years, TTouch and TTEAM Practitioners have been using body wraps to influence an animal’s posture, movement, and behavior. Sometimes the result is subtle, as when a horse picks up a foot to step into a trailer when he couldn’t do it previously, and sometimes the result is seemingly miraculous, as when a dog that is terrified of thunder storms is able to calmly lie down and sleep through the noise. How can a simple piece of cloth have such a wide ranging influence on an animal? Part of the answer lies in how the sensory information from a wrap is processed in the animal’s nervous system.

Typically, a body wrap is applied to an animal ‘s body in some sort of figure eight fashion, making contact around the chest and crossing over the back, sometimes extending to the hindquarters. (Of course we can also use body wraps for people in any number of configurations).

While the wrap is applied comfortably, it is never put on tightly, as the purpose is simply to bring awareness to the area of the body it contacts, rather than for any type of support. Because of the slight stretch inherent in an ace bandage, the contact provides a light sensation of pressure against the body that also moves slightly as the animal moves. This has the effect of bringing a heightened attention to or awareness of how an animal is using his body parts during movement.

 

Much of the thinking behind the products that Xtra Dog sells conforms to the Tellington TTouch philosophy, and there are many references on the site to TTouch.

What exactly is TTouch? Our colleague and friend Marie Miller, a Tellington TTouch dog Practitioner Level 3 and member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, explains what it is and how it works.

The Tellington TTouch was developed by Linda Tellington-Jones who has been closely supported by her sister Robyn Hood in its development. It is a method of working with animals without fear or force. The non-habitual movements release tension using gentle bodywork and physically balancing groundwork exercises

TTouch works on the nervous system, helping to improve mental, physical and emotional balance and bringing in turn an enhanced ability to learn and co-operate by opening new channels of communication. It crosses language barriers and is now used in many different countries around the world. One of the most exciting things about this work is that it constantly evolves as we experiment and add more tools to our toolbox.
TTouchcreates the opportunity for animals and people to experience a different way to respond. Over time this can help them to learn how to shift from previously habitual behaviour patterns.

Marie Miller looks at Tellington TTouch ground work for dogs and how this can help the posture and balance of dogs

TTouch Confidence Course or Groundwork Exercises

If an animal is holding habitual tension in certain parts of the body it will affect its ease of movement and physical balance. When out of physical balance, confidence and the ability to cope in a range of situations can be seriously compromised. Many things can affect physical balance and the nervous system can quickly form the habit of holding the body in an awkward posture.

Puppies grow quickly and can often start to move awkwardly as their body parts grow at different rates, affecting physical balance. They also go through 'fear periods' during development. This emotional response can encourage them to hold tension patterns which affect posture and go full circle to further affect emotional response. This encourages erratic, fast movement where the puppy starts bumping and banging into things and people. Emotional tension goes to the jaw area and the puppy often starts to mouth again as a coping mechanism to release this tension. This is often seen as naughty behaviour; in truth the puppy can't help it as it does not have the experience to move in any other way.

In this article Marie Miller offers a simple intrroduction to Tellington TTouch and explains various TTouches that you can try on your dog.

Basic Tellington TTouch - Getting Started

 

 

This is a very basic over view of some of the most common TTouches. It is here to give people a starting point if they are trying to find out more about this work over the internet.

TTouch is now right at the top of my 'toolbox' and frequently used as a starting point to ease aggressive, stress related and boisterous behaviour, as well as easing discomfort from physical problems. It eases the way in a retraining programme and also gives the owner a way to make a positive connection in what has frequently become a dented relationship.

TTouch body work is a wonderful way for the family and dog to form an even closer bond and if the puppy or dog is confident when physically handled he is more likely to be happy and more confident when visiting the vets or the grooming salon. The groundwork exercises are brilliant for helping dogs to learn to walk in balance and walk nicely on a loose lead.

With practice and experience, the TTouches used become more intuitive. The hands just seem to know where to go and which TTouches to use. If an animal is anxious about physical contact it can sometimes help to just sit quietly with him for a while, waiting for him to accept your physical presence. It helps if they are 'attached' on a long loose lead. It is important not to focus too much attention by looking directly at or speaking to the animal much in the 'need to help this poor animal' as it can get the sense that you are too intense and this pushes them further away. When an animal is very reactive and touch sensitive, wands, a piece of sheepskin, cotton sock or towel can really help them to begin to accept TTouch. ALWAYS work at a pace that the animal can cope with.