On one of the Sunday’s I volunteered with Alpha Dog Training in Finsbury Park (London), I was also given the opportunity to sit in on a dog philosophy talk. When Sue (head of Alpha) mentioned this on the phone I had no idea what it would entail and had a comedy vision of a new super breed of intelligent dogs sitting next to a fire, wearing tweed jackets, smoking pipes and mulling over the meaning of a dogs life.
In fact it was an incredibly interesting and thought provoking talk by Tamsin Durston, which she was presenting later that week in Manchester for Dogs Trust. Tamsin compared a number of different modern philosophical theories with dog psychology and studies on dog behaviour. I thought this was a really clever way to add a new dimension to understanding what is happening in a dogs mind. Tamsin is a qualified behaviour advisor for the Dogs Trust. Not only does she help owners to understand their dogs behaviour on a 1:1 basis, she also runs workshops challenging the skills of handlers and dogs, especially involving scent. Visit her website ‘Life is Better with a Dog‘ to find out more.
I couldn’t have felt more grateful with the opportunity to submerge myself so completely in the world of dog training and dog behaviour. It was pure joy to be part of Alpha Dog Training and I truly hope this is the start of a long lasting relationship. Its a fantastic environment to be part of, the excitement of the new owners is infectious and you can feel their love through their desire to find a better connection with their canine friends. The closest thing I can compare it to is watching new parents. There is so much hope and expectation in this new special relationship. So much joy and pride when the dog follows an instruction well, and conversely, embarrassment when things don’t go as planned!