Holistic, Positive and Fun Herding!

Kathy Kawalec's Connected Herding™ program combines a perfect blend of holistic, positive and relationship building concepts into an effective and proven educational approach. The handler is able to learn the methods first, through interactive presentation and demonstration. The dogs then have the advantage of learning their jobs from a handler who has a clear concept of the lesson at hand. The dogs really appreciate that! And so do the handlers, who can be confident leaders during the lesson, knowing they are helping their dogs learn!

  Kathy Kawalec's

Connected Herding™

A positively rewarding learning experience!

You are invited to experience a holistic and positive herding program designed to accelerate the learning process for both the dog and handler...using contemporary education methods...in a fun, easy to learn and positive way!

This program is called “Connected Herding™” because:

• It is based on a holistic model of establishing a respectful relationship between the human, dog and tended animals...and addresses the physical, mental and emotional needs of everyone.
• It embraces the Dancing Hearts mission of inspiring a heart-to-heart connection between people and their dogs.
• The program models Kathy′s Vision of a world where peace, harmony and abundance prevails.
• It names a coaching relationship between student and teacher that is based upon all of the above.

The Connected Herding™ program revolves around these principles:

• Respectful, positive and supportive coaching of both dogs and handlers --in a "set up for success" environment.
• Positive reinforcement and nurturing of the “good moves” dogs and handlers make as they learn.
• Develop a calm and keen partnership and collaborative relationship between dog and handler.
• Teach people to ‘listen’ to their dogs, to the stock and to develop subconscious skill at responding appropriately.
• Allow the dogs to tap into their instinctive herding behaviors, while keeping them calmly and confidently focused and responsive to both the stock and their handler.
• Use clear communication thru positive reinforcement, clear body language and pressure/release to teach skills to the dog.
• The long line is used as a teaching and communication tool, never a correction device.
• Establish the handler as a solid leader who delivers timely information with clarity.
• Follow a progressive continuum of learning.

You and your dog will learn:

• Positive herding methods for teaching your dog with clarity, understanding and respect.
• How to to establish partnership-based working skills, away from stock.
• How to use the leash or long line to communicate and teach your dog.
• The basic principles of livestock handling and movement.
• Herding terms defined and explained.

A Contemporary Approach
There are 2 sections to the program, which is an accelerated and progressive educational concept. Your herding education program may be designed by your customized selection of online classes, clinics, group classes and private coaching. Both sections are important for this fun herding education program.

• Section 1 — Learning for Handlers.
  Presentation and Discussion of principles, methods and step-by-step instructions for each lesson.

• Section 2 — Hands-on Practice for Handlers and Dogs. This is where you and your dog actually practice the skills you have learned.

Starting your dog on stock:
Keeping dogs and handlers calm and focused on learning should be the primary objective when starting work with livestock. When this aspect is neglected, the learning curve for dogs and handlers is dramatically increased. Many dogs quickly enter a highly excited state, which is bound to happen when they are turned loose in a pen with prey animals running away from them. The learning curve for humans is nearly insurmountable when you consider they are not mentally prepared for the lesson, nor for their dog′s unusually frenzied behavior.

In these cases, learning can be tediously slow and frustrating, while in the middle of fast moving sheep and dog. The dog is corrected for ‘bad moves’, rather than taught ‘good moves’. The relationship between the handler and dog can be damaged. The relationship between the instructor and student may begin to disintegrate as well, since there is no way the handler can execute the instructors directives under these frantic conditions. Many handlers and dogs simply give up. Others are told by the trainer to pursue a different activity because they just can't get it.

Instead, picture this: The handler and dog have learned how to respectfully communicate with one another before stepping onto the field. The handler is familiar with the lesson at hand. The handler is confident and the dog looks to the handler as a benevolent leader. There is mutual respect and trust that allows for a safe learning container for both human and canine.

When ready, the handler leads the dog into the pen, calm and focused on teaching and learning together. The dog is on a long line to support success. The handler is able to watch both the dog and the stock, reading body language and experiencing the interaction between dog and stock – taking in lots of useful data. The instructor is calmly coaching the handler, supporting the learning process. The handler is fluidly communicating with her dog, offering reinforcement, and allowing forward movement whenever the dog is thinking and calmly focused on the stock. This work on a long line teaches the dogs how to control the movement of the stock in a way that effectively merges driving and gathering — feeling ‘good’ to the dog, therefore it is reinforcing the dogs actions. The action and verbal cues of stop, steady, that′ll do, come bye and away to me are being learned and taught in the context of moving livestock during this time.

Food rewards are not usually necessary, because this is a natural process for herding dogs – so, your approval and access to the livestock are the primary reinforcers. We have selectively bred these dogs to have a strong desire to partner with humans, both as our companions and our working allies. Studying and sharing the herding experience with your herding dog, in this connected way, is simply awesome, and like no other activity!

If the adult dog has not learned impulse control during it's daily life, we sometimes see 'reactive' lunging-barking-frantic behavior when the dog enters the pen with sheep. In this case, the handler will be taught to use a combination of positive reinforcement, pressure/release body language, and clear leadership to interrupt this unruly behavior and teach a new way of being to the dog. This method always results in a calmer, happier dog who can think and learn.

As the team progresses in their skills and ability to stay in a focused, thinking state of mind, the line can be dropped for short periods of time, allowing for a full gathering maneuver, wearing, then again picking up the line as necessary. As progress is made, the line is dropped and dragged, then eliminated, and the skills of gathering, stopping, pacing, flanking, driving are progressively accomplished.

Dog, handler, stock and coach are all connected and communicating with one another in cooperative relationship. Is that beautiful, or what?

During this foundation process the handler and dog have developed a wonderful working relationship and have established all the necessary skills for moving into intermediate and advanced work.

If you are motivated to experience positive herding with your dog and are dedicated to embracing the principles of Connected Herding™, then this program is for you!

Check the Upcoming Events Calendar to register for a herding camp or clinic...or schedule a Private Herding Lesson to get started!