Obedience Seminar 9th Feb 2014 - Kris Kotsopoulos "Von Forell Instinctive CanineTraining Systems"

Seminar 9^th Feb 2014
Working with your dog has never been easier

The Dynamics of Integrating

Clicker and E-Collar

Von Forell Instinctive Training Systems aim is to provide initiatives that offer practical and effective solutions to the management and education of Companion and Competition Dogs.


The purpose of our training workshops is to provide a structural overview of factors considered pertinent to understanding the issues and management of canine temperament and to encourage the development of protocols and procedures, that when implemented, will assist to minimise harm, physical or emotional, to humans and other animals and create harmony for our community with a focus on controlled performance and the breeding of emotionally balanced dogs.


Most importantly, we must see to it that our dogs truly enjoy their work because of thorough understanding which is only possible due to thorough handler understanding of how dogs operate.


Our Day Together

 

Australia has always been left behind in the acquisition of information because of its geographical isolation, however due to the internet and other modes of information sharing there has been an immense amount of knowledge passed on by some brilliant minds, especially in the last 8 years.

 

To achieve high levels of training in today's highly competitive dogs sports we have realized one very important thing and that is we must find a balance between “motivation and concentration” – however these modes of behaviour are driven by a particular type of dog. A dog inherently driven, joyful and robust.

 

The requirements in our dog sports are that the dog should get maximum points; the dog should do the exercises carefully, cheerfully and accurately. If we excite the dog with motivation and provide energy, his work is exciting for him, however with that comes the likelihood of mistakes.

 

On the other hand, a dog that has developed a high level of concentration for his commands we get see technically flawless responses. For many handlers, these responses are believed to be out of reach and their work usually lacks joyful execution and speed.

 

We believe that any sport with our dogs should be one of joyful execution, speed, power and compliance on cue also called stimulus control. Our presentations and demonstrations should at least inspirer and encourage the general public to manage their dogs better and the followers of our hobby to be the best they can be.

 

This is only possible when you find the correct genetics due to deliberate selection from the breeder and the right balance between "motivation" and "concentration" in your training.

 

We would honestly say that learning to find the right balance is sometimes not easy. The language of our dogs is one of non-verbal communication! Very different to what we have as people, because we are accustomed to verbal communication, and the right balance in behaviour is very much a question of interpretation.

 

This is where we find the largest misunderstanding occurring between a handler and his dog. Teacher and student, man and dog initially talk in different languages as we no doubt found during our say together.  So the knowledge delivered during our seminars is to help you become a better breeder trainer and handler.  

 

The question is "How do I communicate and explain what I want to my dog?

This we believe is the main issue in our canine community.

Our Mission

 

To inspire you to the point that you want to keep learning and for you to be the best you can be. This is possible when you understand how to breed quality dogs and understand them better.

 

Cross Contextual Learning

 

For those of you that have been to any of our previous workshops you will quickly realise that these training systems are cross contextual because what you learn in one area overlaps in other areas. They are more about transformational learning than action learning primarily focused at the handler.

 

“The Best Feedback System You Will Ever Experience”

Kris Kotsopoulos has been involved in Breeding and Training Dogs since 1981. He has worked with first-time dog owners to the most demanding Law Enforcement Canines and World Championship Competitors. Kris and his wife Tonia are breeders of Dobermanns and German Shepherds under the kennel name “Von Forell”. His dogs and training philosophies have been inherited into many training systems by competitors and Law Enforcement Agencies Worldwide.


Kris’s “E-Collar ” Workshop is designed to give you a clear directive of how dogs learn, what drives them, how to improve learning due to purposeful directives to shape behaviour for an Dynamic, Focused and Harmonious performance. This is an opportunity to learn the latest cutting edge training systems to deliver a spirited animals on cue.


Having devoted the last 33 years of his life to the research, development and education of the working dog, paired with extensive work in the area of animal welfare, Kris has now expanded his professional horizons by sharing his knowledge with the community as a consultant for a range of government agencies, breed clubs and animal welfare groups.

Over the past three decades, Kris has travelled the globe in order to learn from the world’s best International trainers, breeders and animal behaviourists. As a result of his enthusiasm and dedication for greater knowledge, Kris has acquired an in-depth understanding of raising, developing and training dogs for a variety of purposes.

Through the skills and successes he has achieved, Kris has gained a sound understanding of what motivates animals to behave the way they do, and just as importantly, how to apply this knowledge to achieve specialised goals. Kris currently shares this knowledge by operating both National and International training programs, seminars and workshops, each individually tailored to meet the needs of the general community, other trainers and government agencies globally.

Kris has implemented a variety of learning systems ranging from basic family obedience, to the most demanding competition, police, prison and professional security animals. He is truly committed to breaking down barriers that exist for dogs and dog welfare in our community and believes that consultation with Breed Clubs, Animal Management Officers and Animal welfare groups will help extend this commitment of learning outcomes and his ultimate goal.

“Purposeful, meaningful relationships to create Extraordinary Dogs and Extraordinary Handlers.”

Kris is also a Co-founder of the National Dogs Trainers Federation - a representative and educational organisation for the dog training industry, which has now become the national representative body in Australia for dog trainers from all fields. The NDTF offers Australia’s only Government accredited, nationally recognised, dog trainer certification course, and by using Kris’s strong links and networks with other animal organisations, both nationally and internationally, Kris is able to assist with the development of formal policies, contribute to ongoing research in the area of canine training and behaviour, and further build on the necessary educational programs required to assert positive influence and bring about permanent change.

Some of the topics covered in this seminar:

• Appropriate relationship between a dog and handler
• Criteria of the Leader   
• Clicker Training - do’s and don’t
• How to introduce the E- Collar
• Do and Don't with the Clicker and E-Collar
• Integrating the Clicker and E- Collar
• The Necessary Drives and Their Utilization and Development for Obedience
• Strengthening the Components, the Locking in of Positions
• Introduction of Negative Reinforcement by Leash Direction
• Balance of Expression, Speed, Attention, & Precision
• Balancing Motivation & Concentration
• Basics to a High Level of Control
• Problem Solving in Training

COURSE DETAILS

WHEN:                                   9^th Feb 2014

START:                                   9am to 5pm Sun

WHERE:                                 267 Watsons Road Pheasant Creek Melbourne

WHAT TO BRING:                Notebook, pen, seasonal training clothes, dogs & an open mind.

COST                                      $220 per person

Additional:                           This event is catered for - Please advise of any special dietary requirements.

                                                Lodging available locally. Please email for details.

                                               Expressions of interest, bookings or questions to be made by contacting Tonia via email at Tonia tonia@vonforell.com or Kris info@vonforell.com

Kris Kotsopoulos phone 0418 348 804 or Tonia 0422 636 489

Application and Payment - Please email info@vonforell.com

                                                Looking forward to meeting you all for this exciting event

 

The Best Feedback System I Have Ever Experienced


Most dog trainers start learning to train dogs in a similar way. Traditionally we are taught to bring our dogs to class, put a choke chain around their neck, do as the instructor tells us and most importantly we are to make sure the dog does what you tell him too, no matter what...right?

Well...not quite.

In recent years dog training methodology has improved dramatically and I believe we are witnessing a dog training revolution where by traditional systems of dog training are being integrated with “operant” methods which is creating the most powerful and humane system ever in existence.

In these elegant and tightly-integrated systems, negative motivation and corrections are exploited to rapidly establish stimulus control over powerfully-motivated behaviours; rewards are used to teach and motivate performance; and a sophisticated system of conditioned behaviour markers are used to render it all clear to the dog. Positive motivational systems like the “clicker” (conditioned reinforcers) are truly ingenious devices and provide a pathway for better communication attributed to better learning, creating a win – win communication possibility for dogs and their handlers.

On the flip side remote trainers are equally ingenious in design and when integrated properly with the conditioned reinforcers “clicker”, they provide the most sophisticated double feedback system I have ever experienced.

Our entire system is based on the sophisticated use of conditioned reinforcers (clickers) drives (genetics) and consequences by applying a non-invasive and chosen intensity of gentle or tiny electronic impulses as instructed by you though the unit. The dog is required to learn that there are and will be positive consequences for offering or performing a requested behaviour and there will be negative consequences for offering and not performing the requested behaviour linked to an active reward as being the motivator. The clicker aids learning by clearly identifying the desired behaviour creating concentration and the active rewards create the motivation with the remote collar modulating the behaviours.

Many of us have been to marine parks and have witnessed the wonderful display demonstrated by dolphins and killer whales. These behaviours are taught using conditioned reinforcers –  i.e. clickers or whistles.

Additionally, I have also been fascinated as to how horse trainers achieve the complex behaviours in show jumping, dressage, cross country events amongst many. To my amazement horses are taught behaviours purely under tactile stimulation. I have asked all the horse trainers I have worked with as to how they positively reinforce their horses. Many stare at me assuming I am asking a trick question.

When they realise I am asking an honest question the standard reply is... “We stop the stimulation when the horse is doing the behaviour we want”.

The horse’s reinforcer is the cessation of tactile stimulation. Isn’t that interesting?

In horse riding the rider or handler provides tactile stimulation and in dog training the remote trainer provides a similar yet more sophisticated gentle tactile stimulation system from a distance. Both stimulants in principle are the same with the remote trainer stimulation allowing for much more versatility with the main advantage being distance, and the possibility of the dog never linking any stimulation from the handler; most importantly allowing the animal to learn that it is in control of the stimulation which makes him confident and hence much faster.

Once you are sure that each command is understood by the dog, and the behaviours you request are very reliable in multiple environments and the dog clearly has associated that reinforcement only comes with the correct execution to your commands in and around very low levels of attractions then the remote trainer can be introduced as the mechanism of ensuring the commands are executed only to create muscle re-education. The benefit is that the handler can achieve quick and fast responses to commands without any visual stimulus from the handler.

The result that is achieved with this double feedback system is that the dog eventually maintains complex behaviours under extreme distractions by learning how to turn off low level remote collar stimulation which in itself becomes a reinforcer; additionally, compliance and execution to the command receives additional reinforcement via a clicker and reward with food to maintain focus and concentration or active rewards a ball, tug or sheep herding for motivation.

This allows for true comprehension of the requested behaviours as the ‘go’ and ‘no go’ capability this system provides and produces is what gives the dog clarity and emotional balance.

When the dog truly has comprehension then any exercise attempted without a verbal cue is not to be reinforced but marked with a ‘wrong’ and reinforced with the remote collar stimulation which is then again reinforced positively because of the compliance to willingly engage the previously well established behaviour for a reward.

With this type of education a dogs capabilities develop rapidly almost like magic. Low level remote collar stimulation can also be turned on when the dog chooses an incorrect position which only enhances the correct position which the dogs inevitably learns are the target behaviours.

Target behaviours are simply any position or behaviour that provides a positive association for the dog, that he links to a verbal cue. The dog learns that certain locations deliver positive feelings with the remote trainer stimulation only enhancing that positively enhancing and nice feeling.

This system of learning is easy to understand which provides a clear way to teach dogs target behaviours (any behaviour that you want). The important thing to note is that it is not only aimed at obedience as the concept is applicable to all mode of learning, be it tracking, protection, ANKC, Ring Sport, IPO, KNPV, Police dogs, there is no bias because dogs are dogs all over the World, however they are required to have the genetic capability to back up and sustain their behaviour.

A Discussion about The Remote Trainer

Since 1981 the passion in my life has been dominated by the constant improvement and development of my breeds of interest; those breeds being the Dobermann and German Shepherd Dog.

As a fervent believer in the Dobermann and German Shepherd Dog being working dogs, I accept without question that these dogs require constant testing, training and development in order to see the breed’s progress, and also individuals within the breed, move forward in the way most advantageous to all dog owners, trainers and breeders.

It has been suggested to me by many that this controversial topic of the “Remote Trainer” will severely hamper the “palatability” of my tracking book – “How To Achieve Precision Tracking With Your Dog”, however this book has not been written to be a best seller but a means of educating our community into the possibility of what knowledge and education can do.

In essence it is the lack of knowledge and understanding that has created the controversy that currently exists. I know in my heart that you - the readers and dog owners are entirely reasonable and scientifically minded thinkers. Based on these assumptions my intention is in encouraging you to think critically about the support and stance that you personally and officially take on “Remote Trainers.”

This stance currently affects all mindful Dog Owners, Breeders, Trainers, World championship competitors, Police departments and Law Enforcement agencies globally. After almost three decades as a professional and competitive dog trainer, I have come to the conclusion that creating well trained dogs for any purpose can be reduced to two essential elements.

·         an applied understanding of canine behaviour and learning theory

·         access to the most appropriate tools to train in the most efficient and humane fashion possible.

As people who train and own dogs, there is a vast amount we need to know and understand. Furthermore, this core of knowledge is imperative for the well-being and benefit of our dogs and for ourselves, and it is important to possess a keen understanding of these concepts before we start training any dog.

We need to ‘Know How’ to:

• Handle Dogs

• Observe Dog

• Interpret their Behaviour

• Communicate with them Effectively

• Live with them

• Care for them

• Engage our dogs in mutually advantageous play

• Manage behaviours, both desirable and undesirable

• Understand the psychology of how dogs learn with a thirst for knowledge.


These ‘Know How’s’ not only strengthen the bond we share with our canine friends, but also provides us the platform from which to teach them and help them learn what we consider successful and unsuccessful behaviour. Just like children, dogs need to be able to learn these behaviours, through experience, reinforcement and repetition.

It is widely believed by experienced trainers and canine behaviourists that positive reward based training creates around 50% of the learnt behavioural picture.

If we accept this statement as fact, then we also must accept that only using positive reward based training methodologies leaves us without the ability to motivate the other 50% of the behavioural picture.

Let’s look at it from the human perspective, and consider the following questions that are created as a result of critical examination of this fact.

• Why do our societal laws carry with them a penalty of some sort?

• Why do we get fined or jailed when we break the law?

• When was the last time you received a letter from the Police or Government thanking  you for being a well behaved citizen?

The answer to the last question is never (or exceedingly unlikely); it is simply expected and one is required to use judicious discretion and apply shrewd judgement. Generally our properly taught values and our life experiences are expected to empower us to make the correct decisions.

Having said this, it has been proven that dogs don’t have the same capabilities of reason and rational thought, and hence the community is simply expected to control their dogs or perhaps their dogs are expected to know what is acceptable or unacceptable behaviour.

How is this possible when people don’t know how to truly train or manage an animal you may well ask? Think back to your first few dogs you owned and now look forward. It is only the fact that you have been working with dogs diligently and consistently for so many years that you are now capable of handing your dogs appropriately. That has taken many years of work. In the 21^st century you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. It has all been done and all dog people should be able to benefit from this science based information.

I firmly believe that education of the dog owning public is the clear solution, and the freedom to be able to express our opinions and position of training techniques that are an enormous benefit to the dog community.

Educating the dog owning public is unassailable critical. Responsibility for this education must start with the person who allows an animal to leave his or her care.

Our breeders, community, vets, vet nurses, and politicians too need to begin to understand the most basic principles of canine behaviour when making practical, meaningful, responsible policies at any level.

Sadly, the reality is that the vast majority of dog owners don’t have much access to lead them to the understanding of canine training or behaviour, yet these people own the votes that pass legislation (reasonable and unreasonable) based on the incumbent principle of penalising the owners for transgression.

Even though most voters also have next to no understanding of the mitigating circumstances that exist regarding the practicality of the laws they vote for or against.
This is the current state of affairs, a state of affairs that I believe to be a no win situation for all dog owners in both the long and short term.

So now the question begs asking...

What is learning?

It has been said that ‘Teaching is the art of suggestion’. Put more rigorously, it could be more accurately stated that “Learning occurs when outcome and the expectation differ.

The implication of having learnt something is that a change of behaviour is the direct result of something connected to a past experience.

My dictionary defines learning as:

1.  To acquire knowledge or skill through study, instruction, or experience: to learn French; to learn to ski.

2.   To become informed of or to become acquainted with; to gain (a habit, mannerism, etc) by experience, exposure to example, or the like; acquire eg: She learned patience from her father.


      If we take the above description literally then we all know that ‘Learning’ is also stressful.


      What is Motivation?

Motivation is recognised as a key factor which influences a given behaviour will be performed, and the frequency of intensity of its performance. Therefore, motivation plays an integral part in the ‘Know How’ of training our dogs.

It is important that we understand the following:

• We must be well versed in the science of motivation as well as the science of learning.

• A motivating force can be either positive (eg: a food treat or reward); or negative (eg: a reprimand.)

• Motivation is like fuel in your vehicle – without it the engine that drives all learning will not run.

• Motivation is used to describe the forces which operate within an animal to attain the desired result (target behaviour).

The main point of understanding in all of this is that of the relationship between learning and motivation. These two principles are so deeply entwined and interdependent that it is fruitless to attempt to conceive one concept existing without the other. For the most part, learning does not occur without motivation.

Even though behaviour is learned, however, it may not be performed if the animal is not motivated to respond.

In any training situation, it is important that we all consider the motivational state of the animal we are training, as well as all competing motivators, for example, having a rabbit running across your dog’s path during a recall exercise.

This is simply to illustrate that motivation is critical in animal learning and where appropriate training aids are important in obtaining the desired response.

“Markers, such as clickers, are as essential a tool as Remote Trainers”.

My stand, along with a magnitude of canine behaviourists in the world, is that these instruments are excellent tools used correctly. Currently in my state we are expected to have permission to use the Remote Collars from a vet in writing, however I humbly ask the question; please point out the expert vet that understands how to use the remote trainer and demonstrate its application as a tool for quality learning and not as a punishment device as the instrument is perceived.

I personally am of the opinion and recommend that all people buying these instruments undergo formal training not only to learn how to use them correctly but to also understand animal learning, appropriate animal management and responsible dog ownership.

I am making a considered and deeply honest effort in my book to ask you to critically consider these most pressing and concerning issues, as they confront us in our capacity as truly committed long term dog lovers and trainers. I have a sincere and enduring passion for all breeds, especially the GSD and Dobermann, the breeds to which I have dedicated almost 33 years of my life to improving and developing. Moreover I believe that we, the dog owning public, must not ‘sit on our hands’ and allow ill-conceived and erroneous laws such as those directed at remote training devices and breed specific legislation go unchallenged.

We the canine community must help our governments to see the reality about appropriate training devices which are an asset to the dog community in helping people manage their dogs and help decrease community risk assessment issues that may exist.

Kris Kotsopoulos
Von Forell Instinctive Canine Training Systems

To book your participation please call now!

Telephone from Australia   03 5786 5388   
Fax from Australia                03 5786 5277

International Calls                +61 3 5786 53 88               
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Postal                                   PO Box 419 Greensborough 3088 Melbourne Australia

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Personal Advice: By telephone, e-mail or at our facilities, our specialists will answer any questions whatever they may be, and guide you in your choice of products and services.

All rights reserved.  Copyright © - Kris Kotsopoulos Von Forell International 

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