Kay Laurence - Learning About Dogs

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Almost 20 years ago, Kay Laurence developed a game to teach communication skills and learning concepts to students.

Over the years, Gen Abacab has been used in universities, schools and seminars for human and dog training, and on ships in the middle of the Caribbean.

Just as doing a task is not the same as learning a task, experiencing the learning process is not the same as observing the learning process. Experiencing and learning skills of puzzle solving are unique to each individual - person, dog, chicken.

The Gen Abacab  game is a valuable experience for learner and teacher and everyone should have experience in both roles. Experience of poor teaching is as valuable as much as experience of good teaching. Good teaching will leave the learner enthused, satisfied, confident and "expanded" !

On the Learning About Dogs website, look for the members section. Join this learning community.

Video of Gen Abacab being played.

We want you know of some new courses coming up from Learning About Dogs online.

Training  Beyond and Above Online course

This course is for people who relish learning as a community with a plentiful opportunities to travel with new eyes and change the way you look at things.

We shall go Beyond and Above the standard recipes that will generate many Aha moments, engineer more questions, dissolve assumptions and challenge habits. This is not a course for replicating demonstration but identifying how to learn from demonstration, select critical points, identify skill sets, build clear task analysis, explore the concepts, adapt and apply the concepts to new conditions.

The Art of Teaching Dogs is a six week in person course offered by Sue McGuire at the Humane Society of Sonoma County, in Santa Rosa, California. 
Continue to check up back for more  Level 1 classes.

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What is the best way to learn about dog training?

In person working seminars or auditing one?

How about a webinar, a conference, or a lecture?

How about online courses?

There are many ways to add to your knowledge base about dogs and training, but not all are created equal.

On this episode of the Learning About Dogs podcast, Kay Laurence and Sue McGuire debate the good and the not so great about different ways to learn.

We want you know of some new courses coming up from Learning About Dogs online.

Training  Beyond and Above Online course

This course is for people who relish learning as a community with a plentiful opportunities to travel with new eyes and change the way you look at things.

We shall go Beyond and Above the standard recipes that will generate many Aha moments, engineer more questions, dissolve assumptions and challenge habits. This is not a course for replicating demonstration but identifying how to learn from demonstration, select critical points, identify skill sets, build clear task analysis, explore the concepts, adapt and apply the concepts to new conditions.

The Art of Teaching Dogs is a six week in person course offered by Sue McGuire at the Humane Society of Sonoma County, in Santa Rosa, California. 
The Level 1 Class starts February 29th

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What are we to our dogs?

Teacher?

Trainer?

 Instructor?
 
 Coach?
 
 Parent?

On this episode of Learning About Dogs, Kay Laurence and Sue McGuire go through the labels we give ourselves and what others apply to those of us who work with dogs. 

If you share your life with a dog, then you are a dog trainer.

“What is a Trainer?”

“Extremely fine skills in a very specific specialty.” Is that maybe the correct description for a trainer?

We want you know of some new courses coming up from Learning About Dogs online.

Training  Beyond and Above Online course

This course is for people who relish learning as a community with a plentiful opportunities to travel with new eyes and change the way you look at things.

We shall go Beyond and Above the standard recipes that will generate many Aha moments, engineer more questions, dissolve assumptions and challenge habits. This is not a course for replicating demonstration but identifying how to learn from demonstration, select critical points, identify skill sets, build clear task analysis, explore the concepts, adapt and apply the concepts to new conditions.

The Art of Teaching Dogs is a six week in person course offered by Sue McGuire at the Humane Society of Sonoma County, in Santa Rosa, California. 
The Level 1 Class starts February 29th

Send a text

On this episode of the Learning About Dogs podcast, we questions from listeners

We have a Facebook group, "Whilst I was listening to your podcast," where listeners can pose questions and ask for clarification on discussion topics heard on the podcast. We pulled some of these inquiries and are answering them in this episode.

Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire, teacher of "The Art of Teaching Dogs," always have questions after an educational adventure. One should never stop learning and asking questions.

This is one of many such episodes planned for the second season of this podcast.
To catch up and listen to past episodes, which we STRONGLY encourage you to do, here is a link to the full list.

New Online Course from Kay Laurence-Learning About Dogs
Training Beyond and Above
This course is for people who relish learning as a community with a plentiful opportunities to travel with new eyes and change the way you look at things.

We shall go Beyond and Above the standard recipes that will generate many Aha moments, engineer more questions, dissolve assumptions and challenge habits. This is not a course for replicating demonstration but identifying how to learn from demonstration, select critical points, identify skill sets, build clear task analysis, explore the concepts, adapt and apply the concepts to new conditions

Classes: At Humane Society of Sonoma County, Santa Rosa, California
Taught by Sue McGuire TAKL Certified
"The Art of Teaching Dogs" Level 1: Saturday February 29th
We start with how the teaching process works and develops into clarity of understanding for our dogs. This first level class explores the reinforcement process.  We will investigate how rewards compliment a behavior. Reinforcement types, delivery and patterns are in play when developing behaviors.  Only with a deep understanding of what dogs find motivating, can we begin to unravel the mysteries of how dogs learn.  

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We're not quite sure why dog training turned into an exercise of "must be fun" or "must be entertaining" in order to be of "value."

In this first episode of season two of the "Learning About Dogs" podcast, Kay Laurence of "Learning About Dogs,"  and Sue McGuire discuss what is a behavior and what is a trick? Is there a difference?

We have all seen the marketing. Tricks for fun! Agility for fun!

How is the dog to know if what is being taught is for fun? The labels we use for human comfort often come at a cost to the dog.

All teaching should be done carefully and thoughtfully and for the benefit of the dog and the life they live with us.

Article:
One Dog's Trick is Another Dog's Lifeskill by Kay Laurence

New Online Course from Kay Laurence-Learning About Dogs
Training Beyond and Above
This course is for people who relish learning as a community with a plentiful opportunities to travel with new eyes and change the way you look at things.

We shall go Beyond and Above the standard recipes that will generate many Aha moments, engineer more questions, dissolve assumptions and challenge habits. This is not a course for replicating demonstration but identifying how to learn from demonstration, select critical points, identify skill sets, build clear task analysis, explore the concepts, adapt and apply the concepts to new conditions

Classes: At Humane Society of Sonoma County, Santa Rosa, California
Taught by Sue McGuire TAKL Certified
"The Art of Teaching Dogs" Level 1: Saturday February 29th
We start with how the teaching process works and develops into clarity of understanding for our dogs. This first level class explores the reinforcement process.  We will investigate how rewards compliment a behavior. Reinforcement types, delivery and patterns are in play when developing behaviors.  Only with a deep understanding of what dogs find motivating, can we begin to unravel the mysteries of how dogs learn.  

Send a text

Giving a cue and responding to a cue is a conversation where questions are asked answered. We give cues and the dog can answer, dog will also give us cues and we need to listen.

This edited BONUS version of the Cue Technology episode is a must listen.

Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs, as usual, has a unique and fascinating approach to the technology of cues.

Not to be missed is a course on Cue Technology that she is offering through Learning About Dogs. The six-week, online course, is must learning.

The course starts September 18th.  For a full description of the course go to Learning About Dogs CUE TECHNOLOGY.

Sue McGuire, Producer of the Learning About Dogs podcast, is presenting a course on Living with Dogs, which is an evidence-based course. Participants will provide evidence of their own learning about how they will teach and live with dogs.

The course starts October 5th at the Humane Society of Sonoma County, in Santa Rosa, California.

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Connection is about being aware of each other. There is a way to find comfort and pleasure in walks for both parties. To become a Master Dog Walker, you will need to develop skills to achieve success.

Every Dog Every Day from Learning About Dogs.

You can assess the right environment.
Respond to changes in the environment.
Walk at the right speed for you and your dog.
Alter the length of the lead according to demands the situation.
Set boundaries--gently.
Know what reconnection looks like and continue.

The walk with the dog is as much for their benefit as yours. Try not to be selfish and just consider your own agenda.

In this episode of Learning About Dogs, Kay Laurence and Sue McGuire discuss what is going on with the whole business of walking with our dogs. A scenario that doesn't necessarily warrant the use of a clicker. And connected walking isn't always about being on lead. Connection happens off leash too.

Are you interested in a topic for a future podcast? We encourage you to go to Facebook “Whilst I was listening to the podcast and leave a comment.

Courses:
Kay Laurence will be conducting an eight-week online  course on Clean Training,  through Learning About Dogs. "This course will focus on examining the component skills that develop really clear communication between two different species with training and teaching that leaves no doubts, no confusion and no uncertainty." This course starts August 14th.
 
Sue McGuire will be teaching a six-week in person course at the Humane Society of Sonoma County in Santa Rosa, California on "Living with Dogs. "This dog-centered approach embraces that dogs are dogs and understanding their innate behaviors opens a world of possibilities of learning for human and dog. The focus is helping people develop the kind of world in which their dogs succeed. This course starts August 17th. A second session will start October 5th.

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"Too often the focus of luring is about 'getting the behavior' and not enough about the process of teaching or the learning process.If we focus on the process of learning, that will have an impact on every behavior the dog learns," says Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs.

Read the full article here.

In this episode, Kay Laurence and Sue McGuire discuss what skills the handlers should have and understand as part of the process of teaching.

Teach the skills of teaching.

Are you interested in a topic for a future podcast? We encourage you to go to Facebook “Whilst I was listening to the podcast and leave a comment.

Courses:
Kay Laurence will be conducting an eight-week online  course on Clean Training,  through Learning About Dogs. "This course will focus on examining the component skills that develop really clear communication between two different species with training and teaching that leaves no doubts, no confusion and no uncertainty." This course starts August 14th.
 
Sue McGuire will be teaching a six-week in person course at the Humane Society of Sonoma County in Santa Rosa, California on "Living with Dogs. "This dog-centered approach embraces that dogs are dogs and understanding their innate behaviors opens a world of possibilities of learning for human and dog. The focus is helping people develop the kind of world in which their dogs succeed. This course starts August 17th. A second session will start October 5th.

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Connection is our base behavior. It is where learning begins.

What are base behaviors and why go through the process of teaching them?

"It’s about teaching the dog to move to the platform as a choice, or to move the foot as a choice, or to lower their head as a choice, not necessarily about where they just got the reinforcer.  The base position becomes a place where the dog chooses to go to, when they are not sure what to do," says Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs.

In this episode, Sue McGuire and Kay Laurence dive into the value of teaching our dogs the concept of base behaviors as a path of communication and engagement.

Courses:
Kay Laurence will be conducting an eight-week online  course on Clean Training,  through Learning About Dogs. "This course will focus on examining the component skills that develop really clear communication between two different species with training and teaching that leaves no doubts, no confusion and no uncertainty." This course starts August 14th.

Sue McGuire will be teaching a six-week in person course at the Humane Society of Sonoma County in Santa Rosa, California on "Living with Dogs. "This dog-centered approach embraces that dogs are dogs and understanding their innate behaviors opens a world of possibilities of learning for human and dog. The focus is helping people develop the kind of world in which their dogs succeed. This course starts August 17th. A second session will start October 5th.

Send a text

Click - shove

Click - shove

Click - shove

How many of us have heard that in order for understanding to happen when clicking and reinforcing behavior, the “treat” must be delivered within three seconds of the click?

That training protocol was to prevent any other behavior from sneaking in between the click and the reinforcer. Boy is that looking at the process too narrowly.

Learning fast does not  mean learning well.

In this episode Kay Laurence and Sue McGuire dive into the three second rule fallacy and what we really should be focusing on in the reinforcement process, 

People who click and shove should be asked, “What are you trying to teach as opposed to what are you trying to suppress? You can't count reinforcement by number of clicks per minute,” says Kay Laurence.  

The click represents the start of the reinforcement process. That process can vary, and should, depending on the behavior and placement of the reinforcement.

There is an online course on "Reinforcements and Rewards" starting July 10th through Learning About Dogs.