Recent Article from
TTEAM® Connections Newsletter
Grounding your puppy the fun way!
by Adam Rogers,
TTouch Practitioner 1
TTouch offers ways to help animals overcome a wide variety of behavioural problems without the use of dominance, fear or force. In addition to the specific "TTouches," the Tellington Method suggests a whole array of ground exercises, and this "ground work" can have a dramatic effect on a puppy's mind and body. Using a combination of bodywork and ground exercises, TTouch aims to improve a puppy's physical balance, because when an animal is in physical balance, mental and emotional balance follows.
The behaviour of a puppy can be linked to its posture in many ways. For example, animals with tension through the hindquarters can often be afraid of loud noises such as fireworks, they may be reluctant to being picked up and placed on a veterinarian's table, and/or they may behave in undesirable ways in the car. With the use of TTouch and ground work, these patterns of tension can be removed, and along with the tension patterns, the unwanted behaviour also stops.
What is ground work and what does it do?
Ground work can be used for many species of animal to improve confidence, coordination, focus and physical, emotional and mental balance. By going through and over various, gentle obstacles at a slow pace, often even the most hyperactive animals become calmer and more willing to learn and cooperate. Two specific ground exercises -- walking on different surfaces, and walking over ground poles -- can help puppies to become less tense and more grounded. The more grounded a puppy is on its feet, the greater confidence it will have in life, especially when it comes to new or unusual situations.
How do ground exercises work?
Every animal and every person uses a sense known as proprioception; this sense gives us all knowledge of where our bodies are in space. The sensors for proprioception are located throughout the body, mainly in the joints, muscles and tendons. To understand proprioception, try closing your eyes, and then touching your nose: you can place your finger on your nose without having to look because of proprioception; you know where both your nose and your finger are in space.
need to constantly readjust their proprioception, because their body posture, and thus their awareness of their own body in space, seems to be ever changing. This is especially true for the larger breeds. Because different body parts are growing at different rates, puppies can be uncertain how they are supposed to walk. A puppy needs to learn how to weight its limbs differently as it grows, and the changing proprioception can cause areas of tension to appear. This tension in turn can cause anxious behaviour from the puppy, which often results in more tension, especially around the jaw. The puppy will show this tension by mouthing and chewing, for which the puppy is scolded. As a result, the puppy becomes even more anxious and tense; it's a vicious cycle. Remember, there can be a relationship between a growth spurt and a seemingly unrelated behavioural problem.
Ground work uses slow, concentrated movements to stimulate a puppy's proprioceptive receptors, and thus to give feedback to the body. With this feedback, the puppy develops greater knowledge of its own body. As they say, knowledge is power, and with this knowledge the puppy is able to choose a balanced posture, and the puppy is far more aware of how it relates to its surroundings. Furthermore, proprioceptive input actually releases serotonin, one of the "happy hormones," which in turn brings about a calm mental state. The ground exercises also stimulate both brain hemispheres, which is incredibly useful for a growing pup. Because of all of these elements, ground work can help your puppy develop into a well-balanced individual.
Here are two simple exercises to try with your puppy:
Different surfaces
The puppy in photos A and B is being led slowly over a variety of different surfaces: the laminate surface of the desk, carpet tiles, and white plastic sheeting. The non-habitual feeling of the new surfaces gives the puppy new sensations through its feet (which are more sensitive than you would expect), and so stimulates learning. Notice how the puppy walks tentatively over the surfaces, placing each foot very carefully. Remember, these exercises should be fun. The puppy in the photos is being encouraged across the surfaces with a toy, to him this is one big game!
Walk-over poles
The use of walk-over poles encourages greater coordination and proprioceptive input. The puppy (photos C & D) is learning to carefully place each foot in turn as he steps over the poles. The walk over poles used in the photos are TTouch wands, but you can use almost anything as long as it is safe: pieces of dowel, rolled up tea towels, cardboard tubes all work. Use your imagination! It is essential that the poles are NEVER raised into jumps, for this could damage a puppy's delicate bone structure. As puppies have very short attention spans, it is important to make sessions short so as not to overexert them.
Walking at whose speed?
These ground exercises are meant to be completed at a slow, mindful speed. If you try walking very slowly, you will find yourself having to think much more about the placement of your feet. Dogs are just the same, except they have four feet to coordinate, not just two! Puppies (and dogs in general) tend to walk faster than we do; by inviting puppies to walk over different surfaces and poles at a slow pace, the proprioceptive receptors are activated, and puppies learn how to coordinate their legs and to move them independently and mindfully.
What a difference!
Many people are amazed at the differences the TTouch can make to adult dogs; indeed it is proving invaluable to many rescue centres across the country. If puppies can be offered this simple and revolutionary work from a young age, the possibilities are endless. Breeders and rescue centres can make huge changes for puppies and their future development. We are all familiar with the mental experiences we need to give puppies in order to encourage them to become well balanced adult dogs; however with the use of the TTouch a whole new avenue of physical stimulation is being opened up. By using the exercises shown, your puppy can be helped to mature more quickly, and with fewer issues. And in rescue centres, where puppies can have limited socialization due to the risk of catching diseases, the TTouch work offers an opportunity to safely develop their minds. Above all TTouch should be a fun and enjoyable way for every one of us to positively affect the dogs of the future.
Adam Rodgers is a TTouch Companion Animal Practitioner 1 and lives in England. He worked for several years at the Bath Dogs and Cats Home. He has a passion for all animals especially rabbits, chickens, large snails and rescue greyhounds.
