{"id":4146,"date":"2017-07-26T21:57:47","date_gmt":"2017-07-26T19:57:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/illis.se\/en\/?p=4146"},"modified":"2024-12-30T21:05:20","modified_gmt":"2024-12-30T20:05:20","slug":"does-your-animal-have-control","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/illis.se\/en\/does-your-animal-have-control\/","title":{"rendered":"Does your animal have control?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Many animal trainers, veterinarians and pet owners highlight the importance of controlling<\/em> animals. Controlling them, as in restricting the animals\u2019 movement, their choices and their opportunities to control their environment through their behaviour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes you have to, for safety reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obviously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But often you don\u2019t – and more often than you might think. Actually, the trend in modern animal training is to deliberately and strategically shift control from the handler to the animal, while still staying safe.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Who’s controlling the cut? You – or the dog?<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Giving control to the animal \u2013 or the illusion of control – has many advantages, including reducing fear and improving well-being. This concept of agency, of being capable of acting, making choices, and resolving problems, is of huge importance, for animals as well as humans. Empowerment has direct and measurable health benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And paradoxically, by giving <\/em>control to the animal rather than restricting<\/em> choice and control, the situation often turns out safer, since the animal is less fearful and less likely to switch into defensive aggression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This blog post is not about all the advantages of providing control to animals. Rather, I want to discuss some of the ways that you can increase control for animals during formal training sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Actually, this blog post came about as an excuse to publish a film that I wanted to share with you. I just need to frame it, give it context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But first, see if you can make sense of the infographic below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Opportunities for giving control to animals during a formal training session. Version 2 (forgot the Saying “no” in version 1)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Say you do one short training session a day. Let\u2019s dive in and look at all the opportunities of letting the animal in on the decisions to be made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n