The Method to My Madness  (recent podcasts)

In my decades of working with people and animals, I have done many things – training firsts and innovations, sheer volume of types of animals, types of training, solutions to problems, countless presentations and audience encounters, lots of time on TV, time with celebrities and in the news…  But it is not enough.  I know it is not enough because many people don’t even try this incredible way to interact with animals in an incredibly collaborative way.  Many trainers tell me that the relationships they now form are deeper than any that came before SATS.  Many of our animals are living longer than expected, with greater health.

So what is holding people back?  I have taught some of the best trainers in the business.  I put out video of my horses directly communicating with fluency and confidence.   What’s not to like?

I have tried so many things.  I am running out of time.  I truly thought that the world would be full of SATS trainers by now, instead of the 1000 or so trainers we have.  (1000 is not many, when they are spaced all over the world).  Many people never actually meet a SATS trainer.

So I am trying something new.

I am producing a different kind of podcast.  A type of podcast that is not really intended for the general public.  It is deeper, more detailed, more resources, and more opportunity for the observant, discerning trainer or owner to actually apply SATS to teaching their animals, than ever before.  I am producing podcasts to give our actual certified trainers and soon-to-be-certified trainers more critical information to support their work.  And you are invited to partake, if you like.  

I think these podcasts have been generally shorter and more intense.  There is more for the listener to actually do.  I mean it to be an opportunity, not a drag. 

If you wonder why the material is mostly spoken, rather than demonstrated with an animal, it is for several reasons. 

1. I need material that does not require viewing – for the podcast. 
2. I need to explain many things to prepare viewers for real-time video.  In real-time video, I am training an animal, not talking to an audience.  If you want to keep up with the animal, you have to understand what you are seeing before you see it.  If you have to process everything as you watch, you will most likely lose track of what is happening.  Please remember that the animal is getting the same information that you do. Watch it multiple times.  Once for each thing you are observing – like how many steps it took, what percentage of responses were correct, how many times was there a ‘time out’?   It works.
3. It takes a lot of time to edit video.  So it is a slower process – especially when you have to buy a new computer and relearn to edit on new systems.
4. And, I am purposely training my dog wrong.  I am currently working on nail trims, and I will be showing the process, done correctly, but also what happens when I make mistakes.  And how I recognise and correct those mistakes.  You may never make mistakes, but if you ever do, I hope this material will help you find your way back to success.

This week is a bit of a break.  No training, no resources, no outlines.  Just this announcement of what I am trying to accomplish.  Some of you are really working to put the material to work.  Hurrah. I don’t know how long I will continue in this vein.   I’ve been doing this for about eleven weeks now.  I have a series of training videos to illustrate the things we have been discussing.  I hope to have those out soon.  In the meantime, please read and think about this material.  Ask questions.  Test it.  And please, join the conversation.

By the way, I mentioned that I have been at this for awhile – the monkey in the photo is Tish, when she was two.  She lived to be 32.  I was about 25.

Best wishes,

Kayce Cover and Joseph Loflin, Podcast Producer