Observation & Awareness

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the five main categories of observation.
• Identify common physical characteristics observed in dogs in both stress and calm states.
• Recognize and correctly interpret canine body language and communication signals.
• Identify and describe the five primary coping strategies dogs employ when feeling threatened or stressed.

Observation has been a key piece to the Method since its inception.  As a way to understand behaviour, we use our powers of observation, visually and with our hands, to become “detectives” and work to understand underlying issues of behaviour from habitual patterns of tension and dysfunctional posture or limitations due to injury or loss of function.

This piece is not meant to label or judge the animal, it simply provides feedback to what is being observed in that context, at that moment of time.

Observation is not limited to our animals, but is used for ourselves as well as a road to self-awareness.