I'm really looking forward to being at Pet FunFest on February 12 and 13 (Valentine's Day weekend). It is located in Downsview Park and is in the building with all the mural painted delivery doors.
Pet FunFest is like a mini-indoor Woofstock and I believe the inspiration for them to try an indoor version themselves this year. We are more family friendly though and encourage children and well behaved dogs and humans to attend.
We will have a lot of vendors there, a play area for your dogs to run around in if they like, lots of multispecies rescues there helping you to decide which animal is best for your household and of course All Creatures Tellington TTouch!
I will be there doing demos, giving speeches as to what TTouch is all about and hopefully answering a lot of questions. I will have TTouch books for sale as well as a few other products.
Hope you can come on out. Check out the official website for more information. www.petfunfest.com
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Royal Winter Agricultural Fair and TTouch
I got to spend a few days down at "The Royal" in Toronto. It is one of the oldest and largest agricultural fairs in Canada. I do love it. So many people from so many places and the slew of new breeds of animals that I have never heard of or seen before. I was rather entranced by the beauty of some of the new - or new to me - breeds of chickens. Lovely copper tear drop shapes surrounded by black liner designs all over their bodies like a sea of organized Egyptian eyes. Beautiful.
Many years ago, just after I started to learn TTouch, I went and checked out the petting zoo. It was a hot, dark, chaotic place where people and animals were allowed to fully intermingle. It was a nightmare. There was no water in buckets and the people who worked there didn't seem to care much and seemed stressed out themselves.
I was drawn to one beautiful little donkey. They had wedged themselves in a corner as far away from everything as they could. The poor dear looked totally in shock and just wanted to be any place but there. My heart broke for them. I watched as kids were shoving food in their face and parents were tossing their kids on their back thinking it was all great fun. I cried.
As I did my best to block them from people, I just calmly stood beside them and spoke very softly. They flinched as I started to gently touch them. Eyes stared vacantly down in front. I continued to do gentle ear slides. What luxury on those marvelous ears. Slow Clouded Leopards down the neck and over their back. Lots of pauses. It took me a solid ten minutes before they started to blink again. Then the deep sigh. I still consider that to be one of the most important sessions I ever gave. They were in crisis. I can only hope that they retired them soon after. That is my wish so I hold onto that hope.
Last year when I attended I once again went to check out the petting zoo to see if my buddy was back. I found that the old company had not been rehired but a new company was brought in. That same company is back this year. Once again I found myself in tears; not of saddness but of joy. The room that the animals had was much larger. People were not allowed to wander amongst the animals but low fencing was all around them allowing food clutching hands, both large and small, to have access. Areas were divided amongst the animals so that certain species were separated off from each other reducing stress amongst the smaller beasties. It was wonderful to behold.
What made me most happy was that the animals had choice. Allowing choice is a huge tenent in TTouch. When you know you have options, it makes you less stressed and more likely to try something new. The animals had a variety of surfaces, levels an the ultimate choice - to opt out all together and have a nap. This was just marvelous.
The outcome of this rather unusual and thankfully thoughtful way of displaying the animals was that they were bright, healthy, happy, kind and gentle animals wanting to engage. Even the littlest hands were only rapidly lipped instead of being bitten and bullied. The animals loved engaging with the humans and most seemed to understand to be even more careful with children.
My hopes were proven to me with two incidents. Someone had unfortunatley place a rather noisy hand dryer right near the entrance of the petting zoo where people had a tendancy to congregate. None of the animals seemed the slightest bit concerned about it's high pitched whine. I was impressed.
I was even more impressed when I was saying hello to a small cluster of goats and two came over to inspect me. I did not have any food with me and confessed to such. Two of them did not mind and just sort of hung out with me for a bit. I started earslides on one when their buddy shoved them out of the way wanting a piece of the action as well. LOL. Two hands no waiting. I was working on both of their ears when I started to move onto the neck of the goat closest to me. I could see their eyes starting to drift as they enjoyed the new and relaxing sensation. Their friend was lured away with the promise of snacks but they didn't care. We were having a little visit and that was fun for us both. I learned to love goats all over again. They really are lovely creatures.
What was clear was that these were happy animals. What was clear was that these animals have humans that not only take care for them, but love them. I had a short chat with one of the owners of the company and you could see his pride when I complimented the condition of his animals. They are not just stock but are pets. A little bit of love and patience goes a long way. Attempts to understand the real needs of others that share this planet pay back tenfold. Three cheers for all those that try just a little harder to hear the furred, feathered and scaled.
Many years ago, just after I started to learn TTouch, I went and checked out the petting zoo. It was a hot, dark, chaotic place where people and animals were allowed to fully intermingle. It was a nightmare. There was no water in buckets and the people who worked there didn't seem to care much and seemed stressed out themselves.
I was drawn to one beautiful little donkey. They had wedged themselves in a corner as far away from everything as they could. The poor dear looked totally in shock and just wanted to be any place but there. My heart broke for them. I watched as kids were shoving food in their face and parents were tossing their kids on their back thinking it was all great fun. I cried.
As I did my best to block them from people, I just calmly stood beside them and spoke very softly. They flinched as I started to gently touch them. Eyes stared vacantly down in front. I continued to do gentle ear slides. What luxury on those marvelous ears. Slow Clouded Leopards down the neck and over their back. Lots of pauses. It took me a solid ten minutes before they started to blink again. Then the deep sigh. I still consider that to be one of the most important sessions I ever gave. They were in crisis. I can only hope that they retired them soon after. That is my wish so I hold onto that hope.
Last year when I attended I once again went to check out the petting zoo to see if my buddy was back. I found that the old company had not been rehired but a new company was brought in. That same company is back this year. Once again I found myself in tears; not of saddness but of joy. The room that the animals had was much larger. People were not allowed to wander amongst the animals but low fencing was all around them allowing food clutching hands, both large and small, to have access. Areas were divided amongst the animals so that certain species were separated off from each other reducing stress amongst the smaller beasties. It was wonderful to behold.
What made me most happy was that the animals had choice. Allowing choice is a huge tenent in TTouch. When you know you have options, it makes you less stressed and more likely to try something new. The animals had a variety of surfaces, levels an the ultimate choice - to opt out all together and have a nap. This was just marvelous.
The outcome of this rather unusual and thankfully thoughtful way of displaying the animals was that they were bright, healthy, happy, kind and gentle animals wanting to engage. Even the littlest hands were only rapidly lipped instead of being bitten and bullied. The animals loved engaging with the humans and most seemed to understand to be even more careful with children.
My hopes were proven to me with two incidents. Someone had unfortunatley place a rather noisy hand dryer right near the entrance of the petting zoo where people had a tendancy to congregate. None of the animals seemed the slightest bit concerned about it's high pitched whine. I was impressed.
I was even more impressed when I was saying hello to a small cluster of goats and two came over to inspect me. I did not have any food with me and confessed to such. Two of them did not mind and just sort of hung out with me for a bit. I started earslides on one when their buddy shoved them out of the way wanting a piece of the action as well. LOL. Two hands no waiting. I was working on both of their ears when I started to move onto the neck of the goat closest to me. I could see their eyes starting to drift as they enjoyed the new and relaxing sensation. Their friend was lured away with the promise of snacks but they didn't care. We were having a little visit and that was fun for us both. I learned to love goats all over again. They really are lovely creatures.
What was clear was that these were happy animals. What was clear was that these animals have humans that not only take care for them, but love them. I had a short chat with one of the owners of the company and you could see his pride when I complimented the condition of his animals. They are not just stock but are pets. A little bit of love and patience goes a long way. Attempts to understand the real needs of others that share this planet pay back tenfold. Three cheers for all those that try just a little harder to hear the furred, feathered and scaled.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Bostoberfest!
Well we sure did have some fun on Saturday out at SuperDog Central in Bowmanville. The Boston Terrier Rescue threw their annual fund raiser and all round fun day. All Creatures Tellington TTouch was asked to attend and we had a great time watching around 80 Boston Terriers running around and playing and showing off just how much energy that they actually can have.
Of course there were a few other breeds there, namely two Pugs. Bless them. I'm sure they felt like they had walked into a bar in the wrong part of town. They were actually very welcomed by both two and four leggeds.
Wraps using Tensor or Ace bandages is a common TTouch tool. It helps to bring an animal a sense of body awareness that can have some pretty amazing results. Was very pleased that I was allowed to put some TTouch Wraps on two dogs there. One was having issues with being over stimulated from all the noise and action and it just overwhelmed her. The wrap helped to keep her from staying in fifth gear. She still had a few issues but was able to access her coping skills and reduced her snapping at other dogs.
The other dog was one of the Pugs. Poor guy was just a shy fella who wanted to go home. Too much chaos. A wrap helped him find his self confidence and allowed him to be able to interact with others instead of just hiding behind his human waiting to be able to get out of Dodge.
One of the reasons I love this work so much is that wonderful, magical moment when you see an animal start to think and process a situation instead of just going internal and having a melt down. Kudos to their humans for seeking out some options for their furkids and for being able to see the huge changes that a Wrap brought to their dogs.
Thanks to everyone who came by and had a chat and special thanks to Kelly who invited me to participate.
Of course there were a few other breeds there, namely two Pugs. Bless them. I'm sure they felt like they had walked into a bar in the wrong part of town. They were actually very welcomed by both two and four leggeds.
Wraps using Tensor or Ace bandages is a common TTouch tool. It helps to bring an animal a sense of body awareness that can have some pretty amazing results. Was very pleased that I was allowed to put some TTouch Wraps on two dogs there. One was having issues with being over stimulated from all the noise and action and it just overwhelmed her. The wrap helped to keep her from staying in fifth gear. She still had a few issues but was able to access her coping skills and reduced her snapping at other dogs.
The other dog was one of the Pugs. Poor guy was just a shy fella who wanted to go home. Too much chaos. A wrap helped him find his self confidence and allowed him to be able to interact with others instead of just hiding behind his human waiting to be able to get out of Dodge.
One of the reasons I love this work so much is that wonderful, magical moment when you see an animal start to think and process a situation instead of just going internal and having a melt down. Kudos to their humans for seeking out some options for their furkids and for being able to see the huge changes that a Wrap brought to their dogs.
Thanks to everyone who came by and had a chat and special thanks to Kelly who invited me to participate.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
TTouch Cat Workshop - March 28, 2010
Hello Everyone,
I have an exciting update. We are finally able to have a cat specific TTouch workshop. Yee Haw! I'm also delighted to inform you all that we will also have a special focus on those who work with and rescue cats including fostering. This is also a good workshop for those that work with other small domestics such as rats, rabbits, ferrets etc.
We do use some different techniques with cats and other small domestics and therefore harness and leash work won't be apart of this particular workshop.
There are only a few spaces left so please let me know ASAP if you are interested in attending. Class will be limited to 8 people to allow for time to ask questions and for individual attention from the teacher.
Date: March 28, 2010
Location: Markham, ON (Hwy 7 & McCowan)
Time: 10 am - 6 pm (hour lunch)
Option: $5 for a lunch that will include soup, salad and sandwiches with vegetarian selection as well.
Cost: $100, $60 for members of Helping Homeless Pets.
Contact: 416-638-3450 for more details and to book your place.
We will be having dog specific workshops in the future as well. Feel free to contact me regarding those as well. Spaces are on a first come first served basis.
Hope to see you there!
I have an exciting update. We are finally able to have a cat specific TTouch workshop. Yee Haw! I'm also delighted to inform you all that we will also have a special focus on those who work with and rescue cats including fostering. This is also a good workshop for those that work with other small domestics such as rats, rabbits, ferrets etc.
We do use some different techniques with cats and other small domestics and therefore harness and leash work won't be apart of this particular workshop.
There are only a few spaces left so please let me know ASAP if you are interested in attending. Class will be limited to 8 people to allow for time to ask questions and for individual attention from the teacher.
Date: March 28, 2010
Location: Markham, ON (Hwy 7 & McCowan)
Time: 10 am - 6 pm (hour lunch)
Option: $5 for a lunch that will include soup, salad and sandwiches with vegetarian selection as well.
Cost: $100, $60 for members of Helping Homeless Pets.
Contact: 416-638-3450 for more details and to book your place.
We will be having dog specific workshops in the future as well. Feel free to contact me regarding those as well. Spaces are on a first come first served basis.
Hope to see you there!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
What is TTouch?
I'm often asked to answer the question “What is Tellington TTouch? Is it a training method, a behavioral method or a physical method?” The answer is, “Yes!”
TTouch is a holistic approach to the training, behaviour and care of all animals. One aspect of an animal’s life affects all the aspects of their life so we don’t ignore any one part.
TTouch is based in the human Feldenkrais bodywork so our goal is always to bring a sense of balance to an animal be that mental, emotional, or physical. When any being has tension in their body, it changes who they are and how they move and act. You know how you feel on the days when you have a tension headache. It changes your mood, your gait and you seek out relief. With TTouch, we can do this for animals as well.
I get called in to help with animals who are not coping within their world very successfully. This can manifest in leash pulling, anxiety - either general or situation specific, and reactivity, as well as physical issues from injury. It is also helpful during palliative care. In all of these situations, the animal is out of balance in some way and we strive to help the animal correct that through positive, respectful, co-operation and by using non-habitual movements to create new neural pathways in the brain.
The backbone of TTouch, that most people recognize, is our movement of the animal’s skin in a circle and a quarter. By moving the skin in this fashion, it helps to release tension, activates the cells of the body and brings awareness of their body to the animal. This helps with focus as well as relaxation and pain relief.
A relaxed and focused animal is an animal that thinks, not reacts. They are much better able to deduce if a situation is actually harmful or scary, and can self soothe or problem solve. In people we tend to call this Coping Skills. When you have that tension headache we mentioned, and the boss is on your back, and you just spilled your coffee on yourself, how embracing are you of the next challenge that comes along in your day? Our animals can be similar.
Some of the less recognized methods that TTouch practitioners use to help create those new neural pathways are by asking the animal to walk through obstacles while helping them to stay in physical balance using harnesses and special leashes. We ask that they maneuver through these obstacles slowly, with concentration. This can be very challenging if you are an animal that is unsure or have some physical ailment. By asking the animal to negotiate the obstacles, their brain learns how to best use their body in space, like the football player who takes ballet.
TTouch is such a great, gentle, multipurpose modality. It takes the entire animal into consideration and can help with training issues, behavioral issues and physical issues, often doing all three at once.
TTouch can help with:
Agility and other animal athletes
Aggression
Aging and Palliative Care
Aloofness in cats
Balance
Barking
Car Sickness/Distress
Fear of Storms, other animals,people etc.
Foot placement
Insecurity
Leash Pulling
Nail Clipping
Nervousness
Stress
Training
And many other situations and conditions.
TTouch is a holistic approach to the training, behaviour and care of all animals. One aspect of an animal’s life affects all the aspects of their life so we don’t ignore any one part.
TTouch is based in the human Feldenkrais bodywork so our goal is always to bring a sense of balance to an animal be that mental, emotional, or physical. When any being has tension in their body, it changes who they are and how they move and act. You know how you feel on the days when you have a tension headache. It changes your mood, your gait and you seek out relief. With TTouch, we can do this for animals as well.
I get called in to help with animals who are not coping within their world very successfully. This can manifest in leash pulling, anxiety - either general or situation specific, and reactivity, as well as physical issues from injury. It is also helpful during palliative care. In all of these situations, the animal is out of balance in some way and we strive to help the animal correct that through positive, respectful, co-operation and by using non-habitual movements to create new neural pathways in the brain.
The backbone of TTouch, that most people recognize, is our movement of the animal’s skin in a circle and a quarter. By moving the skin in this fashion, it helps to release tension, activates the cells of the body and brings awareness of their body to the animal. This helps with focus as well as relaxation and pain relief.
A relaxed and focused animal is an animal that thinks, not reacts. They are much better able to deduce if a situation is actually harmful or scary, and can self soothe or problem solve. In people we tend to call this Coping Skills. When you have that tension headache we mentioned, and the boss is on your back, and you just spilled your coffee on yourself, how embracing are you of the next challenge that comes along in your day? Our animals can be similar.
Some of the less recognized methods that TTouch practitioners use to help create those new neural pathways are by asking the animal to walk through obstacles while helping them to stay in physical balance using harnesses and special leashes. We ask that they maneuver through these obstacles slowly, with concentration. This can be very challenging if you are an animal that is unsure or have some physical ailment. By asking the animal to negotiate the obstacles, their brain learns how to best use their body in space, like the football player who takes ballet.
TTouch is such a great, gentle, multipurpose modality. It takes the entire animal into consideration and can help with training issues, behavioral issues and physical issues, often doing all three at once.
TTouch can help with:
Agility and other animal athletes
Aggression
Aging and Palliative Care
Aloofness in cats
Balance
Barking
Car Sickness/Distress
Fear of Storms, other animals,people etc.
Foot placement
Insecurity
Leash Pulling
Nail Clipping
Nervousness
Stress
Training
And many other situations and conditions.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Welcome
Hello Folks,
A very smart person suggested that I start a blog while my website is being built. This will be a place where people can come and check out what is happening with All Creatures Tellington TTouch (ACTT) and can see when and where I will be holding demos and workshops.
Looking forward to hearing from you and your experiences with Tellington TTouch.
Cheers,
Sandra Rosano
All Creatures Tellington TTouch
Helping you and your animals put the pieces back together.
A very smart person suggested that I start a blog while my website is being built. This will be a place where people can come and check out what is happening with All Creatures Tellington TTouch (ACTT) and can see when and where I will be holding demos and workshops.
Looking forward to hearing from you and your experiences with Tellington TTouch.
Cheers,
Sandra Rosano
All Creatures Tellington TTouch
Helping you and your animals put the pieces back together.
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