On a loose leash through fields, forests & meadows: less frustration on both ends of the leash

If we want to work on reducing undesirable hunting behavior, the dog should be able to indulge in it less often. This is the only way to reduce reinforcement, and alternative behaviors face less competition. Management via a (long) leash is the method of choice, because desired behavior, which should gradually soften the management during the training process, doesn't just happen out of nowhere. Leashed and everything is fine? Yes and no! What may initially be a blessing for the owner can quickly turn into a curse for the dog, because restriction causes frustration. Frustration at the four-legged end of a tight leash quickly backfires on the two-legged end, and training stagnates. If the leash loosens, the frustration loosens as well, and the training thrives. Where foxes and hares say goodnight, hunting fever and acceleration are highly probable and deceleration on a loose leash is highly improbable – the webinar aims to show how humans and dogs as a team can "casually" navigate fields, forests, and meadows in the vicinity of "wild" competition.
Anja Fiedler explains:
•   how various loose-leash ingredients are whisked together to create a successful recipe
•   why good leash handling is so important
•   what's behind the frustration of a tight leash
•   how needs-based rewards loosen the frustration screw and motivate a loose leash
•   which factors determine whether to leash or unleash
•   how the team decelerates together
•   which training tools foster a loose leash.

The Speaker
Anja Fiedler is the head of the dog school "dogable – what (hunting) dogs want". With her diverse seminar program, she travels throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
More about the speaker: http://www.dogable.de/node/5

Photo credit: Anna Auerbach/ Kosmos