Meeting the Needs & Understanding Motivation on Both Ends of the Leash

"There are no perfect human beings." (Maslow, 1970)

Psychologist Abraham Maslow’s comment comes as no surprise to any of us. And yet, as trainers and instructors working with clients, we can forget this important truth. 

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs reflects a theory that states that “our actions are motivated by certain physiological and psychological needs that progress from basic to complex.” 

It is often easier for us to deal with the dog end of the leash than the human end. We may be quite thorough in our exploration of why a dog behaves in certain ways, examining environment, handler interactions, genetic tendencies, nutrition, equipment, veterinary issues and more. 

But when it comes to the other end of the leash, we may not have as much experience or even skill in thinking about human behavior. We might blame our clients, end up frustrated by what we see as their lack of compliance, or be puzzled by their inability to accept what we are telling them. 

Or worse still, we can find ourselves in danger of burn-out. We give so much to each dog and client, pouring our hearts into trying to be helpful, only to watch a client opt to use old fashioned methods to get the quick fix.  

“Why?” We wonder. “Why do they do that?” 

Each being in the relationship has needs that motivate their behavior. It is no surprise that a dog’s needs might be different from the handler’s. But it is easy to forget that human behavior is also motivated by needs. 

Using a compassionate approach that applies Maslow’s Hierachies to both dog and human, we can find a path to helping clients and their dogs.

Suzanne Clothier has been encouraging trainers to learn about Maslow’s work for decades, recognizing the validity of his work on the motivations that drive behavior, not just in people but also in animals.

Veteran social worker for 37 years (24 in a prison system), Joe Steinfeld found Maslow’s work invaluable in his work trying to understand and support those in his care. 

In this thought-provoking webinar, Joe and Suzanne combine their collective experience using Maslow’s work for understanding both ends of the leash. This unique take on understanding needs and behavior was a hit when Joe & Suzanne first presented at her 2024 Trainers' Workshop.

Join us for an exciting new perspective that is practical, sensible, and grounded in compassion for the struggles and needs we all have.

Course curriculum

    1. RECORDED VERSION: Compassion for Both Ends of the Leash

    2. Obtaining CEUs and attendance certificates

    3. Thank you for watching! Looking for more?

    4. Can you help?

About this course

  • $29.95

Compassion for Both Ends of the Leash

September 26th - 2pm EST. This webinar will be recorded. You can join live or watch the recording after the fact.