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© Suzanne Clothier
BARKS presents session details from PPG’s 2020 Summit and Workshops in Phoenix, Arizona
Session Details:
Presenter: Suzanne Clothier
Session Title: Tell Me Who You Are – Understanding the Individual Dog
Session Type:Lecture/LAB – 8 handler/dog teams (1.5 Hours)
Each dog presents a unique blend of genetics, history, learning and experience, temperament, preferences, abilities and limits. Humane training is possible when we understand each dog in a nuanced way that reflects who they are as a social, cognitive, emotional and physical being. The more deeply we can understand the individual dog, the more effectively we shape our choices for that dog. Observation based assessment is at the heart of this approach. Learning how to see each dog will be taught using the framework of The Elemental Questions™:
- Hello?
- Who are you? (how do you process your world?).
- How is this for you? (the dog’s moment by moment experience).
- Can you…? (abilities and limitations).
- May I…? (permission to interact, direct or shape behavior).
- Can we…? (combined abilities and limitations of the dog/human team).
Some basic elements of the presenter’s temperament assessment tool, CARAT™, will be included as we consider a variety of individual traits, including sensory awareness, persistence, biddability and patience. All good assessments are, in essence, asking questions. Getting useful answers from the dog requires that we know how to ask, and how to really see the dog. This session will focus on deepening observation skills of live dogs during a simple, practical assessment to gather detailed information about the individual.
Learning Objectives:
- The Elemental Questions™ as a framework to guide assessments and interactions.
- Practical observation skills for assessment.
- Recognizing patterns of response (temperament) vs. trained behaviors.
- Understanding how observable behaviors guide appropriate and effective. selection of technique, methods, tasks and interaction style.
PPG Summit 2020 will take place in Phoenix, Arizona and offer two unique programs:
Program 1: The Four-Day Summit
Program 2: The Four-Day Summit + Daily Off-Site Workshops at the Arizona Humane Society
Dates: Friday, September 18 – Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Event theme: Collaborative Care and Enrichment – Creating Partnerships for Positive Results
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