Sep 29-Oct 1, 2006
Feelings are ancient forces that are part of our animal consciousness. We can’t understand our feelings simply by thinking about them, because our thoughts grow out of modern life, whereas our feelings work by a very old, primal logic. Dogs are our best guide to the animal psyche, including our own. The domestic dog is the only animal that has mastered our emotional milieu; dogs feel what we feel and they learn by heart. If we are in tune with what a dog feels and work with a dog’s nature, we can learn to channel his or her emotional energy in cooperative ways.
Kevin Behan will present an emotional model of dogs that offers a comprehensive and satisfying explanation for the evolution of the wolf, the domestication of the dog, and the nature of the bond between dogs and people. We will learn to see dogs as creatures of the immediate moment, animated by emotion and informed by feeling. Body language and vocal tone can heighten, rather than interrupt, a dog’s emotional continuum.
This workshop is not an obedience school for dogs; rather, it is an opportunity to understand the emotional life of dogs, as well as that of humans. There is room for only ten dogs, so each dog will get individual attention, although two people can come with one dog, or you can come without a dog, if you want. All dogs need to be kept in crates when in our guest rooms. When you sign up, we’ll send additional information.
Kevin Behan grew up in the dog business the way some kids grow up in the circus. His father was world famous for training the Canine Corps in WWII. Since training his first dog at ten, Kevin has worked with all kinds of dogs, including those with extreme behavior problems. Always seeking the “truth of dog,” he started his own kennel in 1981and his book, Natural Dog Training, was published in 1992. Kevin realized it is the dog’s wild nature, not his submission, that lets him bond with us. Forcing a dog to repress his natural energy leaves him blocked and unable to cooperate consistently. Releasing and channeling his energy leaves him open to us on all levels and in all situations. We welcome Kevin back.