katiescottdyer.com

View Original

quick tip on animal training and behaviour

There is so much information out there, why should I add more?

Ren knows how to get my attention!

Why? Because I have a passion. A passion for knowledge. After all knowledge is power, right! A thirst for knowledge and a keen sense of sharing and growing and learning from one another and the best teachers are the animals. They know themselves better than us, they speak their own language fluently and us mere mortals can only continue to learn from them.

Brace yourselves, one of Katie's tips are coming!

If you're having behaviour problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 problems and the glitch ain't one. Hit me!

Kidding.

Here is the actual tip:

Look at the other end of the lead. Or lead rope.

Toffee learning loose lead walking

What do you find? A person.

We as humans are pre-programmed to notice when things go wrong around us and often forget that our animals aren't human and they speak a different language. We also often forget they are prey animals especially when it comes to horses and small furries, therefore the flight or fight button is closer to the emotional surface. They are pre-programmed to notice things going on in the environment and can't always escape.

So your horse does not bolt or buck out of nowhere, your dog does not bite out of the blue and your cat doesn't leave a present in your shoe for no reason. 

Human behaviour change

Sometimes we have to adapt and change OUR behaviour in order to change our animals behaviour. For instance we may need to ride our horses slower past a bucket or leaf that wasn't there yesterday, or we may need to relax our hands on the lead or change leads to prevent the tension being felt by the dog at the other end so he doesn't worry as much, not scold the cat if he leaves a present in our shoe so he doesn't leave one on the bed instead (same applies to puppies too if they have an accident on the floor), teach our birds to step up voluntarily rather than shoving our hands in the cage and forcing them out, or handle our rabbits with more concern for their well being than ours. 

 

Like this, let meknow, share with friends, hit subscribe for more!