Waginars

Webinars with a Wag More flavour.

What is a Waginar?

A Waginar is a 90 minute live web based presentation that combines a Power point slide show, voice over presentation, videos and a chance to ask text based questions. There is also an option to the follow up forum to support your learning and training for the following 30 days.

To participate you will need internet access (preferably high speed, with a lower bandwidth you may experience an interruption of download), speakers. A headset is not necessary as interaction will only be through Chat facility. The .pdf of the presentation will be available to download for note taking.

The Presentation will begin with a 10 minute introduction, followed by the presentation with intervals for text-based questions (through the chat facility).

You will be sent a log in details 48 hours before the event.

Successful Shaping with Kate Mallatratt

28 April 2012

There are powerful free shaping tools available to us that are key to successful shaping.  By effectively using these tools, we can set up a "no frustration" environment for optimal learning and minimal errors.  Through careful pre-planning of the shaping session we can avoid the "try anything" behaviour cycle, keep the reinforcement rate high and build learner confidence through success.  By learning to use effective delivery of the reinforcer and thoughtful placement of the object and ourselves, we can support learning by setting the environment to work for us and not against us.  We must consider how each behaviour can be thin-sliced by raising the criteria in bite-sized increments for seamless learning.  

With these tools in place, the shaping sessions should flow and the journey will be set for optimal learning.  Working as a team, you will solve the shaping puzzle together.

After the waginar, there will be a classroom with discussion forums.  This will enable you to ask further question and analyse videos to help build your own observation skills.  You will have the opportunity to write a plan for your own behaviour to be taught using the tools of Successful Shaping, and there will be an opportunity to post videos for feedback.  The classroom will be open for 30 days.

Teaching Connection with Kay Laurence

Jun 3 2012

A "connection" is one of those tricky ephemeral terms that is impossible to measure, difficult to define, but when you see it you recognise it. Although you may not recognise as "connection". I see connection in our species between people that have worked or lived together for some time. Time is not necessarily a factor as you can connect within minutes of getting to know somebody. It is about the balance when being together, an anticipation of each other's needs, and sometimes, to my irritation, a finishing of my sentences. It is the understanding when your partner is tired or stressed and that this is NOT the right time to ask for exceptional behaviour.

We can experience the same sort of connection with our dogs

• an ability to communicate with the same rhythm, not talking too fast or contradicting our cues
• an understanding when extra reinforcement and support is needed
• recognising stressful situations, and that it is NOT an appropriate time to ask for the dog to lie down.

To my joy I have experienced connections at an exquisite level in both everyday life, sports and work, with dogs that understand my stress levels, help me out when needed, or produce exceptional effort unexpectedly. Or even just sit by me in companionship. Dogs are so good at this, and I believe this is at the core of the co-evolution of the human canine species. I see my task as providing the learning opportunities and situations for people to experience a developing connection.

I address the usual anxieties that bring the people to class, but the underlying message is about teaching them to re-connect with their dog through the learning process, and many of the anxieties simply fade away.

Intelligent Luring with Kay Laurence

1 Jul 2012

I can easily understand why luring has such a bad press. It is the usual domain of novice trainers and executed with poor skills or understanding. It can lead to the food lure signal being the cue for the behaviour and without the presence of the food the cue is ineffective. Dogs really are not that stupid, but sadly people often are.

But luring can really earn an indispensable place in your tool box. Learning the skills of luring will teach you an enormous amount about your dog's anatomy, canine movement patterns. It will develop your observation skills and timing. Intelligent luring will teach you how to break down the behaviours, set up effective reinforcement delivery and can build muscle memory for using the significant click.

This webinar is video loaded with luring skills, exercises and fulfilling behaviour cycles that effectively and easily teach you and your dog about each other.