If you have a stubborn pet, you’ve probably tried every trick in the book. Despite all the specialists, obedience courses and training sessions, nothing can break through their unruly behavior. If you’re struggling to calm your headstrong companion, it’s time for a different approach.

Tellington TTouch® might be the answer you’re looking for. Learn what this training method is and how the teaching style can completely transform your pet’s behavior.

What’s the Tellington TTouch method?

Just as the name implies, the Tellington TTouch method helps pet parents communicate with their fur babies through physical touch techniques. Tellington TTouch encourages a gentle, positive approach to forming connections with companion animals. The method is an important part of training sessions because it reinforces mutual trust, cooperation and understanding between the owner and pet.

Over 40 years ago, Linda Tellington-Jones created this method because she recognized the strong connection between mind and body. Tellington TTouch is all about achieving physical, mental and emotional balance in your pet. By stroking animals in specific ways, good physical health can translate into desirable behaviors and better wellbeing.

It’s easy for owners and their pets to get involved. The Tellington TTouch program has over 1,000 certified practitioners teaching courses in 39 countries. Owners can attend in-person or online, with or without their companion animals. These courses teach pet parents how to read body language, calm animals down during stressful situations and correct behavioral problems.

How Tellington TTouch is different

The Tellington TTouch method isn’t just about obedience. Unlike other forms of training, Tellington TTouch doesn’t give owners a dominant role over their pets. The method fosters an equal partnership, where animals and humans work together to achieve a certain outcome. Rather than forcing a pet into submission, owners show respect with their touch and tone of voice to encourage positive behaviors.

Standard obedience training usually gives owners the freedom to command their pets. In this teaching style, owners place full responsibility on the animal to execute the desired action. If they fail to complete the task, pets are treated as if it’s their fault. By contrast, the Tellington TTouch method believes obedience is a collaborative effort between owner and pet. Owners coax their companions in the right direction without blame or punishment.

Additionally, most types of obedience training teach pets how to react in certain situations. They observe a noise or hand gesture, then respond accordingly. However, this means the animal only gives the appropriate response when they’re presented with a specific set of stimuli. The Tellington TTouch method helps animals gain self-control, allowing them to adapt to different environments. Tellington TTouch is proactive, not reactive.

Tellington TTouch completely redefines what behavior means in a pet. Most owners view behavior as either “good” or “bad.” They assume pets react poorly out of spite or revenge. Practitioners of Tellington TTouch believe owners shouldn’t use a pet’s behavior to assess their personality. Instead, owners should view behavior as a form of communication. If the pet displays unwanted behavior, it’s their way of saying something’s not right.

Benefits of Tellington TTouch for pets

Pet parents can incorporate the Tellington TTouch method into any training regimen. The touch techniques add a whole new layer of meaning to obedience sessions, offering physical, mental and emotional benefits for pets.

Here’s what your pet might gain by using the Tellington TTouch method.

• Improved quality of life: Many dogs who’ve completed Tellington TTouch training used to pull the leash, hide behind their owners or pick fights with other animals. Tellington TTouch shows dogs how to respond to stressful situations without fear, excitability or aggression. Learning a more positive response helps pets tackle challenges head on and achieve a better sense of happiness.
• Pain relief and relaxation: Stress manifests in the body via muscle tension. Dogs in a prolonged state of anxiety might suffer from chronic stiffness and pain. Tellington TTouch uses gentle circular motions to loosen muscles and increase blood circulation to painful areas. When the body relaxes, the dog’s behavior tends to relax, as well.
• A greater sense of trust: Pets who benefit the most are ones that struggle to trust humans. The Tellington TTouch method allows pets to bond with their owners in a calming, safe environment. It helps pets realize their owners are capable of showing love, kindness and respect.

Pets deserve a positive experience in their training sessions. The Tellington TTouch method might be just what you need to achieve a major breakthrough with your four-legged companion. Practitioners of this method believe pets serve a greater purpose beyond obeying the owner’s commands. Tellington TTouch can open the door to full-body wellness for pets and humans alike.