Coaching People to Train Their Dogs Workshop

Topics Addressed in These Courses:

• Behavior Problems
• Business Tips
• Chicken Training / Hands On & Learning Theory
• Class Organization
• Dog Training / Hands On
• Ethology / Body Language
• Family Dog Skills / Children & Dogs
• Husbandry / Dog Care
• Instruction / People Skills
• Learning Theory / Application
• Observation / Participation, Legacy classes
• Puppy Development, Socialization, Training
• Special Events
• Training Equipment / Use

"Coaching People to Train Their Dogs" consists of two five-day courses for anyone with an above average interest in dog training and/or student instruction. Course I has a larger percentage of training material, Course II has a larger percentage of instructing material. There is no prerequisite for Course I except enthusiasm and a desire to learn. Course II is for those completing Course I only. Legacy DogSense graduates are also accepted in Course II. The maximum number of participants is 16. The classes are often smaller and frequently include people from several different countries. One or more sessions are scheduled each year and open to the public.

Courses are taught at Legacy's new training and conference center. Most of the material will be conveyed live by: seminars consisting of PowerPoint presentations, video, interactive exercises and hands-on work. Terry Ryan teaches 90% of the course. Terry's bio is on Legacy's website: www.legacycanine.com. The remaining 10% of the course work will be taught other Legacy staff members with a special area of expertise and/or in some cases, by the course participants themselves!

Terry, with the help of Legacy's flock of chickens, will conduct daily sessions on learning theory and mechanical skills. This unit, which we fondly call "Poultry in Motion" has been a big hit at Legacy courses! The exercises we practice with chickens in the morning are then adapted and applied to the dogs in the afternoon.

It is not necessary to bring your own dog. A community pet dog selected by Legacy will be provided for you. It's possible, but we discourage bringing your own dog. Please make arrangements with the Legacy office if you are considering bringing your dog.

We will meet 9:00 - 5:00 with an hour for lunch. There will be two designated evening sessions that are mandatory and others will be presented as options. There will be access to the resource room after hours to enjoy books, DVD's, Skinner boxes and computer programs for ambitious people! The evening sessions often involve guest instructors or local training opportunities in addition to the advertised curriculum. Morning and afternoon snacks are served. Lunches are provided. At Course I you will be invited to a welcome dinner at the Ryan's house and a potluck barbeque with an interactive native American drumming circle at the training center. The rest of the dinners are on your own, but we can organize some impromptu group dinners if desired by the students.

Course I includes a copy of Terry Ryan's 404-page manual, "Coaching People to Train Their Dogs", which will be mailed to you prior to the event. Please come to the course with a good working knowledge of the material in the book. To share more knowledge, we will make your "live" experience while in Sequim different from, but relating to, the material in the book. Course I and Course II include several additional booklets, handouts and printed information. You will receive a "Coaching People to Train Their Dogs " logo t-shirt in Course I and a logo mug in Course II. There will be daily door prizes, gifts and many free product samples.

Most of the topics described in this syllabus follow the outline of knowledge requirements for CPDT certification. CPDT continuing education units have, in the past, been granted for the material in this course. For more information about the Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers, see the CPDT website www.ccpdt.org.

Following, in alphabetical order, are some of the experiences you will have at Legacy's "Coaching People to Train Their Dogs " courses.

BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS 10%

70% in Course I, 30% in Course II
Taking profiles, getting to the source of the problem, applying Terry's "Toolbox". Pros and cons of each tool are thoroughly discussed. We then go on to lateral thinking procedures to come up with new ideas for approaching problems. Aversives and their fallout are discussed. Critical thinking exercises help us evaluate our ideas. We end by formulation and implementing a behavior modification program for a visiting (actor!) client.

BUSINESS TIPS

Course II Handout
There are some definite dos and don'ts when it comes to the business end of a dog training program. A booklet prepared by business and legal professionals will be provided for take-home study.

CHICKEN TRAINING / HANDS ON & LEARNING THEORY 15%

60% in Course 40% in Course II
"Training is a mechanical skill" (M. Bailey). Each student will work with a chicken selected from Legacy's barnyard. Learning principles will be discussed and then applied to chicken training. Course I tasks include shaping, article discrimination. Course II tasks include chaining behaviors using chicken agility equipment.

CLASS ORGANIZATION 10%

30% in Course I, 70% in Course II
Instructional formatting, orientation strategies, homework headstart, handouts, traffic control, personal space issues and fifty ways to stop barking in class. Evaluating progress, flexibility in methods, are shown in three levels: Pet Dog Manners I, Pet Dog Manners II and Continuing Education classes.

DOG TRAINING / HANDS ON 10%

40% in Course I, 60% in Course II
A concise overview of motivational training methods. Each student will be "issued" a dog from the local community to practice new techniques, fitting equipment, play games and classroom procedures. Course I students will do "The Art of Shaping" - teaching dogs to paint a picture (a Dog Scouts of America badge) and a scenting exercise. We will use the same methods used with the chicken training. Course II exercises will include chaining behaviors.

ETHOLOGY / BODY LANGUAGE 10%

70% in Course I, 30% in Course II
The path of domestication. How dogs view our world. Canine body language including stress identification and reduction. Matters of space and resources. The social development of dogs with an emphasis on puppies. Agonistic behavior. Lot's of video evaluation.

FAMILY DOG SKILLS / CHILDREN & DOGS 2.5%

70% in Course I, 30% in Course II
Preparing for baby's arrival, supervision of children and dogs, good games to play, multitasking for parents of dogs and children. Bite awareness - how to keep dogs and children safe.

HUSBANDRY / DOG CARE

Course I, Environmental Enrichment...
Examples, demonstrations and products provided in several of the other listed topics. In Course II, additional husbandry material is provided as a take-home handout featuring behavioral red flags to a health issue, geriatric dogs and more.

INSTRUCTION / PEOPLE SKILLS 10%

20% in Course I, 80% in Course II
Crafting your information into messages readily understood by client learning styles. The six hats (E. DeBono) method of communication exchange. Changing negatives into positives. Explanation strategies, demonstration techniques, individual coaching methods. Hands-on practice.

LEARNING THEORY / APPLICATION 10%

50% in Course I, 50% in Course II
Classical and operant conditioning, the power of extinction, surfing the extinction burst. Most of the information given is practiced throughout the course with chickens, dogs and each other! Learning theory is one category in the Legacy "Jeopardy" game we will play. It was designed to help people prepare for the national CPDT examination.

OBSERVATION / PARTICIPATION, LEGACY CLASSES 5%

50% in Course I, 50% in Course II
You will observe Legacy instructors teaching one or more of the following classes: "Your S.O.C.I.A.L. Puppy", "Pet Dog Manners" I, "Pet Dog Manners II", and one of our twenty or so continuing education (Level III) classes. We will practice collecting data for a dog and human ethogram, evaluating temperaments and methods. We will critiquing the class and in some cases, you will participate in or help teach the class.

PUPPY DEVELOPMENT, SOCIALIZATION, TRAINING 10%

80% in Course I, 20% in Course II
The research behind our new "Your S.O.C.I.A.L. Puppy" classes will be given in a handout form. You will observe a class, then plan a lesson and teach (under supervision!) it at one of our twice-a-week free puppy drop in sessions.

SPECIAL EVENTS 5%

50% in Course I, 50% in Course II
We take advantage of local training and behavior opportunities and field trips depending on the dates of the course.

TRAINING EQUIPMENT / USE 2.5%

50% in Course I, 50% in Course II
We will practice fitting the Gentle Leader, The EZ Walk Harness and the Calming Cap to our class dogs. We will discuss and see samples of a variety of other dog training equipment. Handouts will be provided.

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