Tellington TTouch

Studying dogs and horses has always been an interest and in 2008 I discovered Tellington TTouch and embarked on a course to learn and become a Practitioner. It has improved my understanding of animals and influenced the way I work with dogs. Being able to recognise issues I can help promote a dog’s confidence, helping them cope with anxiety, identify health issues and use my knowledge as an aid to training.

Over the last few years I have used my knowledge to help many dogs overcome anxiety and I have used many dogs in my care as case studies for my assessments. Since qualifying, I have worked with dogs in Battersea Dogs and Cats Home and we have adopted our own rescue lurcher who, after 7 months in kennels, has been rehabilitated into his forever home.

What is TTouch?

Tellington TTouch is a kind, positive way of working with our animals. It was developed over 30 years ago by Linda Tellington-Jones and is now used in countries all over the world by many people who work with animals.

TTouch recognises an inextricable line between posture and behaviour. By using TTouches on the body, groundwork exercises, body wraps, where appropriate, we can release tension and create calm and a sense of wellbeing. This increases an animal’s self-confidence and self-control which helps them move beyond reacting instinctively to situations.

Observations are a key part of the TTouch work. Observing how the dog stands, moves, their posture and their balance, how a dog responds to stimuli, the texture and appearance of the coat and whether it is dry or greasy, tension in the head, ears and tail etc. are all areas that I will look at. As a Practitioner I pay close attention to how the animal responds to contact on its body, its ability to move through the groundwork and the session will be altered accordingly. I will always work within your dog’s comfort zone, and focus on what they can achieve, not what they can’t.

The Tellington TTouch has a great effect on the animal’s ability to focus and influence their responses. Some behaviours that have been part of the animal’s life for a long time can be altered through using TTouch.