Action 4 Dogs were delighted to organise a Weekend Seminar featuring:

 Turid Rugaas
International Dog Trainer and Behaviourist

Canine Communication & Handling Skills

 25-26 October 2008
Napier University, Craiglockhart Campus, Edinburgh

Turid Rugaas came to our Capital city to conduct a two day seminar sharing her knowledge  with participants who had travelled the length and breadth of the country to hear her speak. This was Turid's first visit to Scotland since 2001. Turid is renowned for her groundbreaking work on communication signals that dogs use towards each other and humans. For two days the rain poured down on the Capital but it did not deter the enthusiastic attendance of participants at Napier's fabulous venue.

The participants were given an introduction to the calming signals that dogs use to resolve conflicts and misunderstandings with each other. This made for fascinating listening as Turid explained the variation in facial expressions and body postures that dogs use in their complex communication system. She also explained how we can recognise these signals for ourselves and reply to them with our own body language. 

After a short break Turid then went on to talk about stressful reactions in dogs and the emotions and behaviours synonymous with them. This was an important and mind stimulating subject that covered the major causes of stress and how we can unwittingly contribute to our dog's stress levels and also what we can do to identify and take measures to minimize them.

Prior to breaking for lunch Turid invited questions from the audience addressing the issues that had been covered.  With so many people from the  vast  and varied spectrum of living and working with dogs, the questions sparked discussions that were passionate and  thought provoking.

After lunch the audience were introduced to a session dedicated to general handling skills. This session introduced methods to prevent your dog from pulling on leash and teaching the dog to focus on the handler.  Dogs were brought in one at a time and the audience were given short practical demonstrations on how best to handle their dogs. Turid discussed the various levels of stress associated with keeping a dog on a tight leash and instead demonstrated by using a longer leash and a reward based method that the dog could be much more responsive making walks more enjoyable for both dog and handler. She condemned harsh training methods that used brute force and pain and showed owners how relaxing and more rewarding it was to have a dog walk on a loose leash.

These discussions continued throughout day two of the seminar as Turid went further into the causes of stress and recognising the emotions that dogs show when in such a state of mind. The audience were shown a short clip from her new DVD to show the problems that some people encounter when trying to train their dogs to walk on a loose leash. The final session of the day was dedicated to Barking and the messages that dogs convey when using their voice. The audience learned how barking is used as a communication tool, how to treat it as a problem behaviour and the various levels that barking is used when dogs are excited, fearful or frustrated. Turid explained that this was a complex subject that she could easily spend a whole day speaking on but nevertheless gave a quick and concise introduction to this often misunderstood behaviour. After meeting and speaking to those who stopped to convey their appreciations before heading home, Turid stayed one more night and dined in the Great Hall of Borthwick Castle to unwind after the intense but satisfying two days. She went back home to Norway determined to return at a future date.

'I would personally like to extend my gratitude to all those who attended the seminar and also to those who brought their dogs for demonstration purposes. The staff at Napier were absolutely fabulous and all those involved in the organisation of the event have my special thanks, especially my wife, Cecile, who ensured that the event ran smoothly. Most of all, I would like to thank Turid who's passion and determination continues to inspire me in my quest for knowledge and understanding of our dogs. We will never live long enough to fully understand and appreciate what it is that mesmerises us about dogs but we can go on learning and applying that knowledge to ensure that dogs live better lives under a society that cares, cherishes and understands them.'  

Maxwell Muir

PICTURE GALLERY

The Seminar was well attended with over 100 participants coming from a great mixture of backgrounds: Guide Dog Training Schools, Hearing Dogs Trainers, Blue Cross, SSPCA, Welfare & Rescue Centres, Dog Training Clubs and Schools, Dog Wardens, Universities, Dog Trainers & Behaviourists, Dog Walkers, Dog Breeders and interested Dog Owners.

PROGRAMME

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