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It is not difficult to be in charge - bullying, money, aggression, unfairness and cheating are all tactics than can place someone in authority. Being in authority doesn’t always mean being respected or in control and it often may appear more difficult to be in control - for it needs calm, peace, comfortable silence and natural leadership. Of the two, authority and control, the first is developed after birth, the second we are all born with. Serenity, peace and confidence are natural leaders we simply need to learn to allow them to work for us.

Consider a dog as a four-legged human being, or a human being as a two-legged dog. The main difference between the two is way of life and expectations. The similarities are endless, family unit, work force, and different characters within a group. A dog will reflect a mirror image of yourself, so will a person. If you are tense, nervous or unsure this will reflect on the dog (person) you are dealing with. The reaction of that dog or person will be dependent on their temperament, for example a nervous dog will become unsure and introvert, it may even seem to not like you but this is a direct result of insecurity. However a dominant dog will begin to feel powerful and will become arrogant and eventually aggressive. This mirror image also reverses onto oneself. If a dog is aggressive this attitude reflects on the human and manifests according to character. A dominant human will retaliate with more aggression and a nervous human will become frightened.

If we are lacking in confidence each time we are faced with a new situation we are also faced with dealing with nerves and self criticism, and any effort to stem these feelings is often overcome by panic and the feeling of failure. TLC allows people to find themselves, to be proud of themselves, to recognise and accept their vulnerabilities and to balance them with their strengths. There is no miracle solution for insecurity or lack of confidence but wanting to overcome it is the first step along the way to being a more confident person. TLC allows you to experiment with body language and eye contact without fear of reprisal, it teaches you how to communicate naturally and how to have a better understanding of the people around you. To Think Like a Canine you have to step forward with confidence, be relaxed, learn how to focus and be content with yourself.

From a delighted and more confident client:

“Thrilling! The first big step to feeling free – being free!

Thanks Barbara - and the canine boys and girls.”

Extracts from a letter
‘I had no idea what TLC involved. I imagined that Thinking Like Canines was a course that was something to do with dogs. I was right on this part but not exactly on how they were involved. There was a reason why I came to TLC. I have not had the best outlook on life and myself. Often it hindered the way I would go about my own life and affect others.

After a cup of tea and conversation Barbara and I sat down and she gave me two bits of paper to read. One was an explanation of the TLC theory and the other were simple mission statements corresponding to each letter of the sentence THINKING LIKE CANINES. What I read was so simple and true about life that I wondered why I had never put it into practice before. I was beginning to realise that TLC was not just about dogs but was a whole new life philosophy. What I was being shown was that life needn’t be complicated but reassuringly simple as it said on the very last S of CANINES.

After contemplating the statements, Barbara asked me which one of them most represented me. I pointed to the one that read Intelligence does not make perfection. I’ve been fooled in the past into believing it did. Barbara told me that what I saw as negative about me was actually liveable with and not all that bad. She said that I should focus on the good. I told you it was simple. Then the practical stuff began.’

‘As soon as I walked in the pen the dog could smell how unsure I was and tried to be in control of me. I moved round calmly but with direction and after a few mistakes began to get the hang of it. It was enjoyable to have a sense of achievement.’

‘Another exercise that related to “the real world” called Fight or Flight Distances. I will definitely put that into practice it would be a good philosophy to have at work if you are not really getting on with a colleague.’

‘Before I went, I promised to put into practice all that I had learnt with Barbara and her abundant lovely Border Collies. Remember always think like a canine and you’ll go far.’