(Read Description) Follow Work with Zi 🙌🐺 скачать в хорошем качестве

(Read Description) Follow Work with Zi 🙌🐺

What Is Follow Work? Follow work is the foundation I use to build an unbreakable cognitive bond with my wolfdogs. It’s how I’m able to walk off-leash with an adult wolfdog — no leash, no training collar, no food bribing — while maintaining complete connection through trust and instinct, not obedience. To clarify: I’m not promoting off-leash walks in public. Follow work isn’t about freedom; it’s about creating such a deep connection that if your wolfdog ever found themselves loose, their first instinct would be to lock eyes and return to you. That reflex comes from trust, not fear — and from evolutionary psychology, the innate drive to rejoin their bonded companion when uncertainty arises. A wolfdog capable of this has healthy emotional regulation and a mild, balanced form of attachment. Think of it as the healthy side of separation anxiety — the part that fuels awareness and connection. Dogs who are deeply bonded rarely wander far. The Natural Foundation What you’ll see in the video isn’t “training” — it’s nature, guided correctly. Every social animal has this instinct to follow and stay close; it’s how they survive. Ducklings follow their mother through fields and fences — when separated, she doesn’t return, she waits. The ducklings must problem-solve and find their way back. That moment of mild stress builds independence and awareness. Wolfdog puppies are the same. Follow work nurtures this instinct instead of interfering with it. When done right, it becomes the core of their trust and stability as adults. The Cognitive Revolution Follow work is rooted in what psychology calls the Cognitive Revolution — the shift from mechanical training to teaching through thought, emotion, and awareness. Instead of using pressure or bribery, we create conditions where the puppy learns by thinking, not reacting. This means avoiding things that interrupt natural cognition, such as: • Prey-drive games like stick or ball chasing • Overuse of treats and food distractions • Command-based corrections that shift focus away from you These create reactivity, not connection. Rule #1: Stay in Motion Your movement anchors your wolfdog’s awareness. When you stop, you signal rest — and the puppy begins to explore. But exploration too early dilutes focus. Stay in motion to create what scientist Edward Tolman called purposeful behaviorism — inner motivation over external command. Your puppy learns that their purpose is to stay aware and connected to you. Rule #2: “Come Over Here” Say “Come over here” only when your puppy is already running toward you. Never use it as a command. You’re pairing language with instinct, creating predictive learning — the understanding that “moving toward my human feels safe.” Over time, this becomes voluntary cooperation, not forced obedience. Rule #3: Change Direction When Puppy Drifts Beyond 15 Feet If your puppy wanders too far, simply change direction without speaking. This builds spatial awareness — teaching that connection is shared responsibility. The puppy begins to track you mentally, not visually, developing self-regulation and emotional centering. Rule #4: Add Motion — Run Away While Saying “Come Over Here” Combine your cue with movement. This merges recall with joy and curiosity, activating dopaminergic learning pathways. The puppy learns that returning brings excitement and safety. Rule #5: Affection for Natural Heeling When your puppy naturally walks beside you for several paces, offer calm affection — no treats, no words. This reinforces autonomous alignment — the internal realization that emotional proximity feels rewarding. Heeling becomes a shared rhythm, not a rule. Rule #6: Hide and Seek Play gentle hide-and-seek. Let your puppy search for you using scent and problem-solving. When they find you, praise calmly. This builds object permanence — the understanding that you still exist even when unseen — and strengthens emotional resilience and trust. 🧠 The Cognitive Layer: Latent Learning Each of these steps works through latent learning — growth that happens quietly beneath the surface. Even when nothing appears to be “training,” your puppy’s brain is forming associations about safety, awareness, and cooperation. Weeks later, this turns into faster recovery, better focus, and calm recall — all without drilling commands. This is the essence of the Cognitive Revolution: → Teach dogs to think, not just react. → Build connection through understanding, not control. → Create behavior through trust, not tension. Zi’s Foundation This was the foundation of Zi’s early curriculum and the basis for the beautiful partnership now continuing with his owner, Harumi. Follow work and cognitive rituals like these should be practiced daily, or at least several times per week, to maintain the bond and emotional balance that makes off-leash connection possible. I also worked with Zi on territorial awareness, personal space, and emotional regulation, but that’s a story for another time.