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As a Trainer, One of the Essential Skills You Mush Have is the Skill to Observe Behavior

laurelannpilkingto

Updated: Jan 24

Thoughtful Thursday


Have you ever been at a seminar and watched the instructor/trainer do something with a dog that seems like 'magic'. Somehow, they just know what the dog is about to do or have that one small tweak that changes the entire picture for the dog and/or the handler?


Typically this has to do with the trainer/instructor's ability to observe behavior. They can slice down a specific behavior into the milliseconds that lead up to it and dissect what is happening. They can capture the dog's behavior at the exact millisecond to either capture or correct the behavior. And sometimes even the exact millisecond the dog 'thinks' about doing the behavior.


Observation skills are acquired.


You must train your eye to focus on the small body movements of the animal.


The twitch of an ear.


The crinkle of the lip or the slight movement of the nose.


The shuffle of a foot or the arch of an eyebrow.


The micromovements of the handler can be as important as the movements of the dog. Why? Because are dogs are true masters of observing OUR behavior. In turn, we need to be masters of observing theirs.


You must practice this skill. I have nine dogs. This requires me, on a daily basis, to train and continue to hone those observation skills. I am able to detect the millisecond the dog sinks into their sit/stare when developing a bridge. I am able to maximize the .02 second window I have to click and tell the puppy, 'Yes, that is the odor I want you to find! It is the most important odor on the planet!"


The eye/hand coordination between observation and 'click' is a skill. As a trainer, I am always working on those skills.


Why is that observation skill so important? Because if you are late in capturing the correct behavior, you most likely reinforced a behavior you did not want. Better never than late.


What are some games you play to work on your observation skills WITHOUT your dog?


The K9Sensus training calendar will be announced soon for 2023. I will also be launching several webinars for this winter. Make sure to join the K9Sensus Trainer's Group on FB!

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