Animal Whisperer/trainer...........awesome.

Adrian Sinna.........whom a LOT of you know as one of the 2 World famous trainers Animal whisperers) in this field.
Apart from working with dogs/horses/wolves/mountain Lions and other animals educating people how to live with the wildlife around us.
His apppearances worldwide on BBC/USA TV/Countless Films and othe parts of the Globe. He regulary comes to Sri Lanka to help with all sorts of problems with wild and domestic animals.
He was here last year to help a 'sugar cane' planter who had unwittingly planted his crops in the middle of an Elephant trail. After building fences...barbed wire which of course did nothing to stop these beautiful animals following this ancient trail. He was called in to help.
Adrians main role here was to educate and show the owners and people who lived on the Plantation how to leave the trail where it is and 'live' with the Elephants. (There is a Film about this: Just go on Google and write in his name.) Adrian did walk with the Elephants mainly to show all that if left alone the Elephants would not bother them. I was very succesful.
Adrian is working here at present and I contacted him because he had trained a very difficult dog of a friend with great success.

Kalu (our dog here in Sri Lanka) has been causing us a lot of problems....chasing wildlife and our neighbours cats.
Last weekend Adrian stayed with us for 48hrs to give us an insight with what we can do.
Not only is he a fascinating person BUT incredible to watch/talk with. I do not intend to go into great detail about all his story's etc.
BUT I do urge you to watch his films and discussions.

I had NO idea about the 'pack' mentality of dogs......... I DID SEE this 'pack' mentality and have always known dogs were like this BUT had not thought how this related to a 'domestic' dog. Adrian worked with Kalu for approx: 2hrs in the morning and I am pretty sure Kalu seriously did not enjoy this at the beginning. (Kalu was rescued as a puppy from the road, he had been hit by cars, had 'mange' and unimaginary mental difficulty's).  Adrian told us that the main problem with him was fear.
We had been treating him kindly of course BUT he had taken over the role of protecting US!
NO Adrian said, Kalu's role is one of the 'pack' we are the pack leaders..........if he felt safe with us he would feel more secure. Instantly this made sense to all of us.
We proceeded to let Adrian walk with him on the leash (which was an impossibility for us before, so we never took him out) in our Garden: to come when he was called. There was very little communication between the two of them. Kalu learned by repeating what Adrian expected of him. Within 90mins he was taken off the leash and ran into another Garden. Adrian told us to leave him to 'think' about things and he soon came back, very wary of all of us. We left him alone.
Training with food: What an experience. Our wonderful 'family' here who live on our property with their 9yr old son, adore Kalu but had not been feeding him at regular times. Adrian told us how to make him sit then look us in the eye before feeding. This reinforces that we are the 'pack' leaders' NOT him! We give him his food at regular times and he has to ask for it.
I could go on and on with more details but I leave you to watch Adrian's programmes yourselves.
Adrian left yesterday afternoon........Kalu today is a different dog!
Of course we have to keep going for another week, reinforcing that we are the Bosses. He is now walking on the leash, he does not pull and walks beside us.  Yay!  I think tomorrow he will go to the beach.

Nutrition: We had been feeding Kalu dried pet food. Adrian discovered during the training K had constipation. Apparently this food is for dogs who live in appartments and is specially designed to to keep them a little bit dehydrated so they don't need to 'pee' too much!!!!!!!!!
We are now using a fish/meat and rice diet.

EXCITING News:

Adrian is here (in SL) with a Film crew. He will be captured 'walking with and near' wild Elephants.
The main idea here is to INFORM people, that wild animals should be respected but NOT feared unnecassarily.
The Film will be shot in the middle of March and A asked usif we would like to volunteer me and Pathmi loved the idea.
Setting up Camp. Speaking to the Singhalese and generally helping with organizing.
Of course we are going..........so delighted to have been asked.
We can walk with Adrian if we wish and I am still thinking about this seriously.

Meanwhile after all the above and taking 2 days off while Adrian was here, I would like to thank all of you for Fav's/Comments and all the kind notes from my last Journal.
Martin and I have now got to grips with all the 'health' problems and we have learned a lot.
Apart from pulling a heavy glass door onto my toes (nearly decapitating one) we are getting very fit.

LOVE and so many 'sssssss
Jenny