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I was just 10-YO when I took my 1st pup thru 8-weeks of dog training classes, run by a local breeder & trainer of GSDs - via 4-H. 
My puppy was just 4-MO; dumped in our farm driveway as a small pup, we didn't know his exact age - he lost a baby-tooth by accident, & our vet overestimated. In hindsight, this was also lucky, as dogs had to be at least 6-MO to join the class - pushing his formal training much further back. :cheers:
Not only was i incredibly lucky to have a very fair, humane trainer as my teacher for that time, but to this day, i think the most-critical thing Ms Arnold taught me was to LOOK at the dog before i even touch the leash, approach the dog, or speak to the dog - just look; try to see how s/he feels at the moment, via their body-language & behavior.
That she lived a mere 30-minutes away by car in our rural county was a miracle; that she wasn't a disciple of Koehler was simply incredible. She also told me, "See the dog." - Don't take the owner's description as Gospel, don't assume their vet understands dogs, don't jump to conclusions at a glance. Take Ur time, look at the dog - quietly, without staring - & what do U see? -- Then & only then, decide how to approach that dog, & what U will do.
This advice IME over 40-plus years, has been the most valuable to me. After seminars, conferences, DVDs, mentors, workshops as an adult... the advice I got as an 11-YO was solid gold.
I'm not disparaging my adult learning - far from it! - but that one piece of the behavior puzzle was IMO, critical to my understanding.
As a pet-owner or trainer, groomer, etc, how key would U say dog body-language is to safely working with dogs, casual interactions, or training & B-mod?
Kinda, very, crucial, or irrelevant?
thanks in advance,
- terry
My puppy was just 4-MO; dumped in our farm driveway as a small pup, we didn't know his exact age - he lost a baby-tooth by accident, & our vet overestimated. In hindsight, this was also lucky, as dogs had to be at least 6-MO to join the class - pushing his formal training much further back. :cheers:
Not only was i incredibly lucky to have a very fair, humane trainer as my teacher for that time, but to this day, i think the most-critical thing Ms Arnold taught me was to LOOK at the dog before i even touch the leash, approach the dog, or speak to the dog - just look; try to see how s/he feels at the moment, via their body-language & behavior.
That she lived a mere 30-minutes away by car in our rural county was a miracle; that she wasn't a disciple of Koehler was simply incredible. She also told me, "See the dog." - Don't take the owner's description as Gospel, don't assume their vet understands dogs, don't jump to conclusions at a glance. Take Ur time, look at the dog - quietly, without staring - & what do U see? -- Then & only then, decide how to approach that dog, & what U will do.
This advice IME over 40-plus years, has been the most valuable to me. After seminars, conferences, DVDs, mentors, workshops as an adult... the advice I got as an 11-YO was solid gold.
I'm not disparaging my adult learning - far from it! - but that one piece of the behavior puzzle was IMO, critical to my understanding.
As a pet-owner or trainer, groomer, etc, how key would U say dog body-language is to safely working with dogs, casual interactions, or training & B-mod?
Kinda, very, crucial, or irrelevant?
thanks in advance,
- terry
