Aggressive Dog

Animal Centred Education (ACE) is an integrated and multi-modal approach to animal wellbeing and education. It incorporates methods that were developed at Tilley Farm by Sarah Fisher over many years, techniques inspired by animals, and modified methods shared by professionals working in the world of animal education, and welfare. Animal Centred Education combines observations of the animal’s posture, coat patterns, movement and nervous system responses, ACE Free Work - a variety of sensory experiences that is changing, and enhancing, the lives of dogs around the world - the introduction of simple educational lessons within the Free Work set ups, and mindful body contact and handling.

On-going ACE observations and ACE Free Work are the foundation of how we connect with, and educate, dogs. Both offer insights into how we can support the animals in our care, and provide a starting point for all our interactions. Clear patterns and preferences as to how dogs gather important data from their external environment have been identified through Free Work. The nervous system is processing all the time, therefore dogs are learning all the time; when we think we are teaching a specific skill, the dog may be learning something else. The ACE approach focuses on income for the dog, as opposed to outcome, and helps to highlight habits in both the dog and the human educator; so often it is our behaviour and habits that triggers, or reinforces, the canine behaviours we believe we need to modify or change.

As well as giving us tools to improve our observations skills, ACE Free Work can help improve the posture of our canine companions without the need to use our hands. If we habitually lead our dogs from our left side for example, we can inadvertently reinforce natural postural tendencies creating uneven load on the skeleton and soft tissue. Comfort expands, and discomfort restricts; dogs that are sensitive to the presence of unfamiliar people and other animals, tend to carry tension around the ear base, through the lumbar spine, and tail, and many suffer from undiagnosed chronic pain. Free Work helps the dog to find more freedom of movement and is a calming activity for the majority of dogs; it enables them to become the pilot of their own body and learning experiences. All the skills taught within the framework of Free Work can be taken out into the big wide world. The increased observations and insights gleaned through Free Work enables you to identify more quickly when a dog is starting to struggle or something is beginning to change. If a dog cannot be at liberty for any reason, starting Free Work with a dog on a long, light line can still be a rewarding and illuminating activity for both the dog and the caregiver.

ACE techniques improve awareness of an animal’s needs, and highlights areas when an animal may require additional support - the more we focus on supporting the dog’s internal environment, the less disruptive the external environment will be. The combined techniques also provide tools to improve the rate of recovery if the dog becomes aroused or anxious, and enables guardians and carers to recognise the impact their own interactions, games, and posture and the environment have on the animal. Modifying the Free Work set ups to meet the needs of each individual dog helps the dog discover, and ultimately maintain, more efficient and more rewarding movement and behavioural habits.

This presentation will include:

• An introduction to Animal Centred Education and ACE Free Work.
• The importance, and role, of movement.
• Re-thinking trigger stacking.
• ACE observations.
• The link between posture, pain and behaviour.
• Creating your first Free Work layouts.
• Building the Free Work layers to support dogs that are concerned about the presence of unfamiliar people and/or dogs.