Getting in TTouch with Your Dog: A Gentle Approach to Influencing Behavior, Health, and Performance

by Linda Tellington-Jones

The international bestseller from acclaimed animal expert and companion animal trainer Linda Tellington-Jones. Hands-on help from one of the most caring and innovative animal trainers in the world! Linda Tellington-Jones offers her acclaimed form of gentle bodywork and behavior training, giving you tools • Influence your dog’s behavior and performance while enhancing your relationship. • Reduce stress, overcome anxiety, and increase focus. • Assist in recovery from injury or illness. • Relieve discomfort in cases of aging, arthritis, and hip dysplasia. • Solve behavior problems, such as leash pulling, excessive barking, and fear of thunder. • Teach your dog to have his mouth handled and his toenails clipped. Tellington-Jones provides the ultimate reference for safe, gentle, idealistic care for and training of dogs, all ages, breeds, and sizes. Her methods are the key to a better quality of life for your dog.

Genres: Nonfiction, Dogs, Animals

128 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2001

Reviews

[Alice Pickersgill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another very interesting read for dog professionals (and dog owners). The TTouch method introduces a completely new way of handling dogs, especially dogs with stress and anxiety.
The success of the system is based mainly on anecdotal evidence rather than scientific research, but that is the case with all manner of dog training techniques, and the fact that this is still a popular book 20+ years after first publication speaks for itself. It seems logical that gentle and predictably applied touch, akin to massage, would help any dog get used to being handled for grooming, showing, vets appointments, working etc.
I have already attempting greeting and stroking new dogs I meet in a way that is aligned with the TTouch method (calm, gentle motions, starting at the shoulder area first) which does appear to create calmer and more confident greetings with new dogs.
Definitely a lot of things to think about from this book that I'll do more research on!

[Andrew Pender-Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book tremendously and have read it several times. It could have been a little more comprehensive in the form of additional case studies but I found the discussion clear. The colour photos helped amplify this interesting book. I used quite a lot of the information in this work while rehabilitating a shepherd type male dog of about eighteen months. It took time and consistency but the reward was a much calmer dog. I regularly use some of the touches when he is shedding his coat. It helps remove the hair and he is a lot less itchy. I have recommended the book and the whole Tellington Touch approach to others. When the dog owners have been prepared to work at it, the results have been good. The book is a definite read for people who keep dogs.

[Steve H · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some practical information on positive reinforcement and agility like exercises, but a lot of bunk about mystical ways of touching your dog. (Touch/knead/rub in clockwise circles of 1.25 rotations, starting at 6:00 and moving to 9:00. Imagine your dog as the perfect dog for 2 weeks and it will become perfect (or words to that effect).)

Yes, most dogs like to be stroked, massaged, petted, etc. and it's up to you to determine what your dog likes, but to say that imagining your dog is perfect will make it perfect or that certain touches have special behavioral consequences is a little too metaphysical for my tastes.

[Sunshine Biskaps · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first chapter was mostly testimonial about the magic of TTouch. The later chapters explain how to perform different techniques of TTouch massage therapy on dogs. I am more interested in getting in touch with my dogs without having to massage them. Good book for those wanting to learn how to massage dogs. It’s a good reminder how important touch is for both humans and dogs. I enjoyed the last chapter with some different ideas on how to stimulate your dog through physical activities and exposure to new training devices.

[Sarah Toton · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is very hard to learn movements from a book. I did get some ideas on different ways to massage my dog, but I can't be sure I'm doing any of them the way the author intended. I think this is one place where video would be much better.

[Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has been on my to-read list for some time and it took me awhile to acquire a copy, I wish I had gotten this book years ago to try out the many TTouches that would have helped Duncan and Maci during training, and Duncan in his last couple of years. I will be trying this out with Maci and Urban. Abby too. All of my dogs, especially the older girls, like to be lying down for any body work.
The push to finally read this is I am getting my puppy in 3 weeks to be a puppy raiser for FSD and the trainers had mentioned TTouches are a good training tool.
There are so many TTouches, that one read through and you'll be overwhelmed by the amount of them, how to do them, and what they are for. I will have to keep handy for reference.
Also, I am hoping people have posted YouTube videos, some of the pictures aren't just helpful enough.

[Laurla2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

yes- with two t's, thats not a misprint.

-3-4 stars. an interesting book with lots of helpful pictures on all the different ways to touch and massage and do bodywork on your dog. there's 25 of them. supposedly these Tellington Ttouches can reduce stress and fear, and enhance relaxation, awareness, intelligence, and the ability to learn. not sure if i buy it, but it's an interesting idea.

originally used on horses, this dog book is a more recent addition from the author. there is also a section called the playground for higher learning where you work your dog with obstacles to develop awareness and confidence and reduce aggression or timidity. i would have liked a little more time with this book but it was an inter-library loan and could not be renewed.

[Meagan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed learning about the theory behind this and did get a few things out of it however the way the different touches are described and illustrated made them all seem identical to me. I'm sure in person you get more of the nuance but that was missing here for me.

[Petrina Binney · Rating 4 out of 5]

TTouch is not a spelling error. It is a technique developed by the author over many years studying horses, people, dogs and other animals. It is a form of positive touch, not as deep as massage, but very therapeutic to our animal friends.

As the book says, “TTouch is a non-verbal language that deepens your connection with your dog. Just a few minutes of TTouch a day can create amazing positive results in your dog’s confidence, attitude, personality and behaviour - and support his health.”
P31, The Tellington TTouch, Getting In TTouch With Your Dog by Linda Tellington-Jones

The techniques outlined in this book can aid in your dog’s concentration, learning, ability to deal with stress, and also shock. It’s about centring the dog and soothing the nerves and neural pathways to strengthen the connection between the dog and its body, as well as the dog as its person (a much better word than ‘owner’, kudos to the author for that one).

Fun fact of the day, I actually trained as a massage therapist a few years back and, although the methods used in this book are not technically massage per se, they share a lot of the aims of therapeutic massage, such as centring, relaxation, and connection.

There are a couple of minor errors which I found a little distracting (‘Whey’ for ‘When’, that sort of thing), but I am now confident in my ability to apply Abalone, Lying Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Racoon, Bear, Tiger, Triad, Inchworm and all the rest as and when my dogs require. The names relate to the shape of the hand, with the movement set in a clockwise movement in small one and a quarter circles.

Although most of us stroke and give attention to our dogs in a very instinctive way, it’s rather nice to have names for what we’re doing and to know what benefits these strokes and slides will have on our four-legged friends before we start.

Recommended.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd rate this higher, but I'm not convinced the TTouch technique is responsible for Tellington-Jones' success with special needs animals. I was pet sitting for some anxious dogs and decided I'd try it on them to see what effect it had. The one dog loves to be petted, but she was very suspicious of the TTouch circles. I tried varying the technique as suggested, but she continued to eye me like she'd rather be petted in the normal way, please. The other dog was disturbed by TTouch and was unable to relax while I was doing it. It could be that I'm doing it wrong or that some dogs need extra time to adjust to it. I wonder, though, if animals are responding to Tellington-Jones' relaxed demeanor while doing the technique and not to the technique itself.

[Deborah D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many very useful tools for helping your pet (dog or cat) recover from stress, injury or illness.
Very effective to help relax your pet when it is stressed...and as you help your pet YOUR stress is eased and your bond is improved by the effort.

[Camille McCarthy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A helpful book for learning how to gently touch your dog so that he/she is calmer and more receptive to human affection. Good ideas but sometimes difficult to understand and she spends more time lauding the TTouch method than actually explaining what it is.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have met the author on several occasions and was familiar with her work. A challenging situation treating a golden retriever with Reiki led me to this book. It proved to be very helpful.

[elissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure how much this actually helped with our dog when we first got her, but we enjoyed giving it a try. I didn't read the whole thing, but I really liked what I did read.

[Lynne Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book, but it amounts to little more than common sense. Very disappointed.

[Brook Packard · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has been very helpful. Wish I'd known about the technique when our rescue dog was a puppy.

[The Bookish Owl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love her, love her work, & love this book.