Training With Kayce

Tonight, (2/21/26) a near miss accident leaves me relieved but embarrassed, and grateful that my injury was not severe. It wakes me up to the fact that life is risky - especially for animal trainers, and we need to carefully plan and prepare. I share a few stories to push the point home. Also, when we are injured, we need help. We often cannot assess the damage and risk, by ourselves.

Kayce Cover, a professional animal trainer, shares insights on managing animal stress and emotions, highlighting the shift from entertainment-focused training to prioritizing animal welfare. She warns about the dangers of stress-related issues, such as capture myopathy, and emphasizes the importance of calm interactions. Cover teaches self-relaxation techniques for animals and acknowledges the complexity of these skills, noting the unexpected benefits of stronger bonds between trainers and animals. She encourages podcast subscriptions for more insights and invites engagement from those in animal care.
 

If you want a great career as a trainer, you might benefit to remember to grant power and choice to your animal collaborators.  In particular, here are 5 things to keep in mind, to keep you successful... and safe!
 
Recognize the sovereignty of the animal, and ask permission before touching or acting on his body.
 
Allow the animal all the control it is safe to give.  Self direction is a huge motivator.
 
Allow, and honor, choice.
 
Speak respectfully.
 
Honor the animal and his or her contribution to your work.
 
Let me know if you already do this, and how it works for you, in the comments.  I read and answer all comments, as soon as I am able.

Renew anew anew - Lew is working on developing SATS materials, and Joseph and I are collaborating on the podcast again, and we are excited to bring you new kinds of content.  I’ll still cover basic training and dog and horse training, but we will add more content specific to the care and management of exotic animals.  There will also be more technical information.  Spoiler alert, dog training IS rocket science.  Read it and weep

Have a new puppy? Kayce's back with her new series Puppy Prep! Today, she discusses the essentials of raising a puppy with timelines in SATS. How to start with a young pup and turn them into a confident and cooperative adult dog. 

Every new pup has to go through their first vet visit. It can be a stressful experience but with SATS we can lower that stress to zero! It can take as little as two minutes to prepare your pup for an injection. Find out how on today's podcast with Kayce Cover.

Join Kayce as she introduces Lew, a new professional who is dedicated to mastering SATS and helping Kayce to get the word out. Today, they welcome listeners back after a long time away and then discuss the value of SATS in a world that often underestimates the intelligence of animals. 

APE BT: 5 things to keep in mind when approaching animals for the first time - all animals
1) Approach
2) Perceptional appropriateness
3) Energy
4) Body language
5) Touch
Hmmm... a bit rambling, tonight. That happens to me sometimes around 3 am, but I am wanting to start this conversation and I'll be honing this as we tease it out a bit. Please join the conversation and add to the comments. I am interested in what you think and in your experiences. Thanks.
Copyright 2024 Kayce Cover, All rights reserved; Syn Alia Training System (SATS), synalia.com/press

No matter how you train, at some point you need to move an animal from the protected training area to the real world, whether that is on exhibit, in the show ring, or on the street. At that point, you need to consider your safety back up equipment (and skills!), and make sure that all are protected. This is crucial when you work with dangerous dogs (or other animals).
 
Copyright 2024 Kayce Cover, All rights reserved; Syn Alia Training System (SATS), synalia.com/press

2024 7 18  Scott Thomas, Marcia Davey, Kayce Cover  discussing training issues, history and technique
 
This will happen again next month, 2nd Thursday of the month:  
Thursday, August 15, 2024 EDT US   Be there or be square.
https://training-with-kayce.newzenler.com/live-webinar/what-is-the-state-of-our-art-let-s-start-the-discussion/register