How to help your dog LOVE to learn, and how to learn from them in return – with the Dance of Partnership!
Our host makes no bones about her opinion that partnership with our dogs is much better than simply training them. Partnership is based on a deep trusting connection and it’s this connection that breeds the behavior that we want to see from our furry friend. What could be better?
In This Episode, Kathy starts with an engaging quote from Helen Keller,
“Any teacher can take a child to the classroom, but not every teacher can make him learn. He will not work joyously unless he feels that liberty is his.” ~Helen Keller
She starts this way to illustrate the connection in Helen’s quote and our relationship with our dogs. Our dogs want to be heard and truly understood by us in our roles as partners and leaders with them.
Kathy discusses her “Dance of Partnership” concept – a special way of communication that decreases the need for training, but accelerates learning process and a partnership that is mutually attentive and responsive.
There is a profound connection between all living things especially with our dogs. Through cognition we can learn how to tap into the power of that DNA that we share with our dogs. Dogs are ready, willing, and able to be our joyful collaborators. This dance is a heart centered leadership within your relationship with your dog. Equanimity is at the heart of this dance.
Kathy mentions author, horse woman and socially intelligent leadership expert Linda Kohanov who inspired and continues to inspire her in the way she interacts with her own dogs.
“To be clear and confident of your own dreams while remaining responsive to the needs and gifts of others you must check your ego at the gate.” ~Linda Kohonav
Consensual leadership:
• Given to the individual in a family group who at any given time is
◦ The calmest
◦ The clearest
◦ The most creative
We can avoid this by following consensual leadership. Sometimes the dog will lead: tracking, herding, fetching. Sometimes we are leading. It’s a contemporary idea and research that is amazingly illuminating. While doing this we can come away with a profound understanding of what it means to connect with our dogs and why our dogs are designed for partnership with humans.
While conducting research Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods of Duke University said the following:
• “All dogs are skilled at using human gestures.”
In This Episode
- In This Episode, Kathy starts with an engaging quote from Helen Keller, “Any teacher can take a child to the classroom, but not every teacher can make him learn. He will not work joyously unless he feels that liberty is his.” She starts this way to illustrate the connection in Helen’s quote and our relationship with our dogs.
- Our dogs want to be heard and truly understood by us in our roles as partners and leaders with them.
- Dance of Partnership – a special way of communication, decreases need for training, but accelerates learning process.
- Dogs are ready, willing, and able to be our joyful collaborators.
Quotes
“When we are teaching and training from the heart with the best interest of our dogs at the center we will never go wrong.”
“A brilliant partnership starts with us taking responsibility for our part of the dance.”
“To be clear and confident of your own dreams while remaining responsive to the needs and gifts of others you must check your ego at the gate.” ~Linda Kohonav
“Any teacher can take a child to the classroom, but not every teacher can make him learn. He will not work joyously unless he feels that liberty is his.” ~Helen Keller
“A cognitive approach works so well with dogs, not because they have no mind, but because precisely because they do.” ~Brian Hare
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Show notes: www.dhearts.meltdesigndev.co.uk
