Exploring Social Interactions, Part One of the Six Part Series
You can enjoy this webinar individually or purchase the series and save!
The Elemental Questions distill Suzanne’s decades of experience into simple yet profound inquiries that provide the answers we need to do our best by the animals in our care. While easily listed, each question can be asked in more nuanced ways with the answers understood at ever deeper levels as your experience grows.
Dogs are social species. Humans are a social species. Let’s have some social interactions!
Wait. . . Does being a social species mean you’re automatically up for any and all social interactions? Should we expect that our dogs should be friendly with everyone? (Are you?) When we say friendly, what do we actually mean?
The Elemental Question – “HELLO?” – takes a look at what being a social species means and doesn’t mean, and how social interactions can vary. How can we ask this question in ways that are fair and respectful? How might the dog answer when we say, “Are you interested in interacting with me?”
Key Concepts:
- Greeting vs. Investigation: Exploring the wide spectrum between polite interactions and intrusive behaviors from both humans and canines.
- Natural or Learned Behavior? Suzanne’s temperament assessment tool, CARAT, takes a unique approach to social behavior, breaking it down into Sociability, Social Use of Space, and Social Tolerance.
- Agency & Choice: When we allow dogs to choose whether or not they wish to engage, we can avoid forced interactions that can undermine trust or deepen a shy or fearful dog’s concerns.
- I Have To: Negotiating interactions that the dog may not choose, or lacks the skills to provide consent or agreement.
- In A World Full of People: Tips for helping dogs navigate social interactions with people, and helping people understand what dogs need from us in order to feel safe.
Social interactions are nuanced, challenging, and sometimes difficult. Like us, our dogs have many ways to respond to the seemingly simple question “Hello?”
6 Questions, Unlimited Answers
This part one of a 6-part webinar series from Suzanne Clothier, exploring each of the Elemental Questions.
- Hello? January 16 at 2pm EST
- Who are you? March 13 at 2pm EST
- How is this for you? May 8 at 2pm EST
- Can you . . . ? September 11 at 2pm EST
- May I . . . ? November 6 at 2pm EST
- Can we . . . ? December 11 at 2pm EST
The Elemental Questions are an extraordinary foundation for any relationship with dogs – or with any species. They are as valuable to the person with their first dog as they are to experienced professionals.
This webinar will be recorded. You will have access to the recordings for a year after their air date.
NOTE: This product is purchased through Thinkific. When you click the links, a new window will open for that site, where you will need to create an account or log-in to your existing Thinkific account to complete the purchase.
