Hello my fwends,
Today I is gonna tell yoo all about T Touch an wot it iz and when yoo use it, or rather wen yoor hoomans use it on us dogs (an on ovver anipals too but me concentraytin on dogs in dis article).
So me will pass yoo over to muvver coz she gotta rite dis in proper hooman speek so yoor hoomans can understand wot she sayin *rolls eyes* I know, but juz humour her pals, juz humour her. I'll put my two pennywurf in at da end. Yoo know us dogs we gotta say it as it iz and cut out all da waffling wot hoomans like to do. *nods*
Introduction
People and dogs get along so well because dogs like to be touched and humans find solace in touching another being. Petting a dog reduces tension and awakens joy and caring in people who are immersed in grief or depression, debilitated by age or disease, or handicapped by physical or emotional limitations. Stroking a dog helps us think, put things in perspective, and wile away a bit of free time here and there.
In the past, some dog trainers have encouraged owners not to pat their dogs in some training circumstances. “Constant petting transfers your nervousness to the dog,” some said. “Petting should only be a reward for obedience,” others claimed.
Then along came Linda Tellington-Jones and her Tellington Touch, a massage technique for reducing tension and changing behavior in dogs, and the pendulum swings back towards the fact we knew all along: touching the dog not only helps us, it helps the dog.
Tellington-Jones is a horse trainer and competitive rider who developed a method of circular touches to enhance traditional training methods and complement medical treatments. The techniques are based on a similar set of body awareness exercises for humans developed by Moshe Feldnekrais; the principle is that the exercises interrupt unacceptable behavior patterns and responses and allow acceptable patterns to develop. Today, as non-traditional medicine gets a workout, the TTouch is gaining acceptance.
Susan Spalter of Mason, Ohio, a photographer with a remarkable way with animals, is completing her training as a TTouch practitioner. Training includes several week-long workshops in which the physical underpinning of the techniques are presented; participants listen to sessions about the changes in brain wave patterns that stem from uses of the touch; discuss concurrent use of homeopathic essences and natural supplements, learn about animal behavior, and, of course, study and practice the techniques themselves.
But most pet owners really don't care about the details; they want to know if it works.
It does.
Spalter shared a testimonial from a cat owner whose adopted pet ran the household through intimidation of the other cats. The owner did everything she could think of and finally confined the cat to her bedroom. In her words: “We had two sessions wherein she taught me one of the touches. She then suggested we try using essences along with the touch. The blend was specifically for aggressive behavior. She encouraged me to develop a positive attitude and try again to bring him into the fold. I followed her advice and it worked! Simby has undergone a dramatic change and is no longer aggressive.”
Spalter has had similar success with aggressive, timid, and sore animals. In a few sessions in her home studio, she evaluates the animal, begins the touches, and teaches the owner how to use the circular motions to calm the dog and redirect its attention. Our aloof and suspicious Akita was a tough sell on the techniques, but once she deigned to participate, she was captivated. Within a few minutes, her head sank to the floor, and she dozed. Now she enjoys regular sessions of ear slides, circular touches, and vigorous body rubs.
One technique in particular has been helpful; for several years, she has had periodic, non-specific bouts of intestinal upset accompanied by lack of appetite and oceans of motion in her gut. Since learning the touches, we use pressure on her abdomen to relieve the discomfort and the spells seem to dissipate within hours.
The basics
The central TTouch motion is a circle inscribed on the dog's body. It is done by placing the fingertips on the body and tracing a clock-face circle from six o'clock around the dial past the starting point to eight o'clock. Practitioners adapt pressure, speed, and size of circle to the particular animal .
Circles are done all over the dog's body, including the face and even the gums. Circles on the gums are done with one or two fingers. If the dog resists, Spalter backs up to the most pleasant touch for the dog and tries again when the dog relaxes. In this way, she can accustom dogs to having their feet handled, to accept fingers in the mouth, and to other handling that they have balked at in the past.
TTouch has many variations of the circles, slides, and rubs, including the ear slide, in which the ear is methodically caressed in a sliding motion from base to tip, and the body rub, an invigorating, all-over stimulation of the senses.
Veterinarian Tom Beckett and his assistant, TTeam praticitioner Marnie Reeder, wrote about TTouch in Tellington-Jones' newsletter as follows:
The circular TTouch elicits changes in brain wave patterns . . . different from those elicited by petting, stroking, and massage.
With TTeam, human and animal relate as two autonomous thinking creatures with increased self-confidence, enhanced communications, and mutual respect. (In other words, both dog and owner benefit from the experience.)
TTeam does not change the animal's basic nature. (Our Akita is the same self-confident girl she has always been, but she is more relaxed.)
TTeam does not use force, fear, or pain for handling, treating, or managing animals.
Beckett uses TTouch as an enhancement to his practice, not a replacement for traditional medical protocols.
Tellington Touch sounds a bit like voodoo. Its practitioners and proponents often fall into one of two camps — those who embrace anything new, especially if it seems “natural,” and those who say “I was at my wit's end with this problem and nothing else helped.” Although the brain wave patterns of the animal can be tracked, there is little but anecdotal evidence that the techniques work. However, there is no doubt that mind and body are linked in mysterious ways; a technique that brings harmony between the two, seems to solve problems, and makes life with family companions more peaceful is well worth exploring.
Source: http://www.canismajor.com/dog/ttouch.html
Below is a link to the TTouch Foundation for further reading.
The TTouch Fundation Technique & Information
So now it my turn *wiggles bum on cloud to get comfy* Dis won't take long pals.
Basically da T Touch fing is simple, yoor hoomans just rub yoo gently wif either one finger or more, Muvver uses one finger usually, but if it a big fing like an oss den she wud use da whole hand, so get dem to rub yoo wif one finger for dogs, and rub gently round in anti-clockwise direction, dats opposite way dat hands moov round da clock face, juz for yoo pals wot iz teknickly challinged.
Den move da finger down to anoover area wivout takin it off da body and do more anti-clockwise circles on da skin. Dey can do all yoo body or juz a bit ov it, like between yoo shoulders, or on yoo chest or hips dat kinda fing.
Wot it duz: Well it so soothin it relaxes us furs strayt away. We soon drifts off into a werld of fantasy and relaxashon dreamin ov fields of sossiges and bacon mountains an all kinds of nice fings.
It's a good way of relaxin us if we stressed over anyfing, like travellin in da car, firewerks, or if we dunt feel well.
Now why couldnt muvver rite dat insted of wafflin on for hours like wot she did? Pfffft *rolls eyes agen*
Muvvwer wotched a tv programme back in da 70's (did dey have tv back den? wow) an it featured dis lady Susan Salter, but muvver alreddy knew about TTouch cuz she woz tort it years an years before dat by an old healer fwend but it woznt called TTouch back den, it neva had a name, woz juz sumfin healers knew and passed on. One fing dat dis article fing doesnt menchon iz dat wen yoo hooman is doing da TTouch dat dey shud always wipe dere hand away from da skin/fur wen dey finish insted of liftin dere hand, da proper healers movement is to wipe da hand away from da skin and den shake da hand as if it wet and dey trying to shake da water off it, shakin away from us ov corse. Wot dis duz is shakes any negative energuy away from us and if da hoomans absorbed any negative energy fru dere hand wen doin TTouch to us, dey is shakin dat energy out of demselves too.
Yoo dunt need to sign yoo hoomans up to any speshul corses to lurn about TTouch it's so simple to do. I know some websites iz advertising corses, but dey juz jumpin on da bandwagon to make a few bucks out ov peepul. No training reqwired pals. Juz get hoomans to do it. *winks*
So dats me message to yoo for tday pals, how to get dem hoomans to relax us. Dey duz get addicted to it, cuz wen dey see how much we likes it dey carn't stop demselves doin it all da time. An who iz we to complain? If it makes us feel good den its alrite wiv us innit? bol
Now me gonna go and do me Vulcan mind meld on me muvver so she duz some TTouch massarge on me furbro Mojo. Oh ang on, he's alreddy fast asleep, better get her to have a go on Gizmo insted. bol
Hope yoo hazin a grate day pals, rememba to get yoor hooman to read dis and enjoy sum lushuss massargis.
Love yoo lots
Angel Bonnie
xoxoxoxo
