Just Say "ohhmmm"

World class dog trainer Captain Haggerty and his equally talented and accomplished daughter, Babette Haggerty-Brennan, traveled all the way to the DRU University Training Center to conduct a mind-opening training seminar called "Zen and the Art of Dog Training".

Using concepts taken from Zen philosophy, and control and relaxation exercises borrowed from martial arts and meditation, Cap and Babette demonstrated how a more centered, physically aware approach to training could help even the most challenging dogs succeed. To prove their point, our visiting Zen Masters declared that they only wanted totally "green" (untrained) dogs from the shelter population to be the subjects of the training. To make things even more challenging, each of the four dogs would be paired with a handler who was basically unknown to him. The goal? Using the exercises and techniques of the "Zen" approach, all four chosen dogs would be tested for the AKC's Canine Good Citizen test at the end of the weekend.

Picture: Cap explains "the Touch"

We didn't make it easy for our presenters. The four dogs we chose represented different temperament types and backgrounds that would truly test the theories put forth that weekend. DRU Goodbuddy, a relatively easy-going red Dobe who found himself at DRU after his owner passed away, demonstrated some obnoxiousness when other dogs passed within his invisible boundary line, keeping his handler (longtime DRU volunteer from NJ, Steve Kuhn) on his toes. DRU Tiny, handled by DRU volunteer Alissa Weaver, is a 6 year old female whose owner became homeless and who had to make the heartbreaking decision to give up his old friend for her own sake. Tiny was the shyest of the four dogs, but as the weekend progressed, we saw her confidence build through the work. DRU Archie, a strapping black dog claimed from a local animal collector, was the hit of the weekend. Energetic and almost too affectionate, this big lug had several seminar attendees looking at him as a potential adoptee! DRU U Trainer Rick Froton was Archie's handler, or maybe we should call him Archie's "agent", for the event. Finally there was DRU Gem, a fawn female returned on Friday the 13th and described as her surrendering owners as "untrainable". Gem started out being handled by DRU U Visiting Scholar Jena Weiss of Capitol Dog Training in CT. However, Jena was unable to stay for the entire event, and Gem found herself in the hands of yet another partner, DRU U Trainer Tom Fale. Scattered, hectic, and looking for trouble, Gem was the "dark horse" of the four in spite of her light coat color. We assumed that regardless of her progress she would not be able to handle the rigors of the CGC test.

People who came expecting to simply see dogs being trained were surprised to find themselves standing up and practicing breathing techniques and centering exercises. What appeared to be random Tai Chi movements were actually dog training "katas":physical progressions that became gentle and effective training exercises once a dog and leash were added. Cap discussed "the Touch", a nebulous concept which describes the nearly perfect balance and grace possessed by the best dog trainers. Throughout the weekend, Cap and Babette challenged the audience's sensibilities while guiding them toward a new way of looking at dog training by embracing an ancient mode of thought and motion.

Each time the four dogs were reintroduced to the group they were visibly more relaxed. In the first few hours of the seminar, some observers worried that subjecting the newly-returned Gem to training in her first days back at the shelter would be stressful and unfair. But with each passing hour, Gem grew more focused and settled, even when the new handler took over on Sunday. As truly balanced trainers and dog people know, anyone can give you their opinions about dog behavior, but the dogs will give you the truth. The truth that Gem told us was profound: her surrendering home had "loved" her but had not given her any real training or limits. Hence, she failed. But in the hands of total strangers and with well-defined rewards and consequences, she appeared to be succeeding. Would her success carry through to the CGC test? All bets were still off. Even with her obvious improvement, she was still a lot of dog.

On Sunday afternoon, the CGC test was administered to each dog and handler team by trainer Terry Haskins, of The Dog Butler, Hull, MA. Terry was a wonderful evaluator for this event, as he himself had studied martial arts and had a deep appreciation for the concepts being presented. He relaxed the slightly nervous handlers with the breathing exercises that they had perfected over the weekend, and explained why each of the 10 phases of the CGC test was a worthwhile measure of a pet dog's reliability.

Alissa and Tiny volunteered to go first. Although still a bit on the shy side, Tiny allowed Terry to approach her, pet her, groom her and even examine her toes! She allowed Alissa to gently replace her into a sit position and was quiet and settled when Alissa left her on the three-minute unattended stay. This victim of circumstance is now a proud Canine Good Citizen!

Steve and Goodbuddy were next. Goodbuddy held it together even when meeting our official distraction dog, Teaser (a Belgian Tervuren owned by George Cockrell of Companions Dog Training in Kensington, MD). We are sure that Goodbuddy's late owner was smiling down on him as he was pronounced a CGC.

Tom and Gem took center stage. Cap himself pronounced Tom a "great natural dog trainer", but even this blessing was no guarantee of total success at the test. After all, Gem was still a bit scattered. However, once the test began, the audience was privileged to see what "Zen" is all about: a dog and her handler working together as a true team. Perhaps the high point of the day was Gem's stunning, enthusiastic recall to Tom, even in the face of many distractions in the training room. And any remaining concerns about Gem's lack of bond with her handler were wiped away when she spent her three-minute unattended stay gazing hopefully at the door until Tom returned. Her smiling face and wildly wagging stub spoke volumes: through two brief days of consistency and clarity, Gem learned a level of trust and responsiveness her surrendering owners never got to experience.

Picture: Steve Kuhn practices a relaxing DOWN exercise with DRU Goodbuddy

Rick roused Archie from a nap in order to run the test. Anyone holding their breath for a sudden upset was disappointed. Big Archie breezed through all ten exercises as if it was just another day at the office. Not bad for an erstwhile stud dog who lived in deplorable conditions only weeks before!

At the end of the weekend, we had a roomful of smiling people and four CGC titled Dobermans. Those who stayed for the entire presentation were able to see the benefits of truly balanced training, based on a measurable standard. Although Cap began the event by talking about the importance in Zen philosophy of the journey rather than simply focusing on the destination, it was clear that in the life of a shelter dog, the destination is key. For four lucky DRU residents, the CGC itself is not the final destination but may be considered a signpost that reads "You're Almost Home".