I think if they could speak to us in words, I think they’d just say, “listen to me.”

Halo, kind viewers, and welcome to Animal World: Our Co-Inhabitants. On today's program, we meet Jan Fennell, a renowned dog trainer from the United Kingdom. During her more than 20 years of working with and observing canines, she has learned to deeply understand their values and innate wisdom.

Author of the international bestselling book, “The Dog Listener – Learning the Language of your Best Friend”, Jan travels around the globe, offering consultations and courses on developing harmonious relationships with our furry companions. In working with dogs and their caregivers, Jan Fennell has developed a novel technique which she calls “Amichien.”

Communication in a relationship is more than just words. It’s a bond. And Amichien is taken from the French, "ami" meaning "friend", and "chien" meaning "dog". So it’s "friend of the dog". And it also showed that it’s just another language. Just as French is another language, German, Dutch, it doesn’t matter.

(I understand.) The dogs have a language too.

Jan spent many years observing dogs in their natural setting, learning to understand their psychology, values and driving forces. She noticed their behavioral patterns and instinctive reactions to situations. Using this information, she always works with a dog's natural instincts. and her open-minded techniques are radically different from traditional methods.

Well, traditional methods are where we enforce our will on the dog; the dog must do it because we say so. And also it does, in many cases, deny them who they are. With working this way, I’ve not discovered anything new, it’s just rediscovering what nature they had all along, which is they naturally work as a cooperative, based on the information you give them.

So rather than making them do it because I want them to, I make them want to do it because they want to. I make it possible for them to want to respond and cooperate with everything I ask of them, of their own free will and happily.

With the Amichien training technique, dogs are not only happier, but so are their loving caregivers.

Very few people want to be aggressive with their dog. When they find this, and I’m saying to them, “You are never going to pull that dog around again. You are going to “play-teach” everything. You are going to work with his nature. You are going to succeed.” They find that is what they want.

And a lot of people get very, very emotional because they can let go of all that pain of forcing their dog. And they can do what they instinctively feel is right, which is to help the dog. So it’s brilliant.

The work of renowned horseman, Mr. Monty Roberts had inspired Jan on her path. Author of the book, “The Man Who Listens to Horses”, Monty had conducted an extensive study on wild mustangs and learned their unique system of communication.

Well, it was ’89 when I first saw Monty, and then by 1990 I started to realize that what he’d got was something that I wanted. I thought there was some trick, some knack. How come every horse he worked with responded in the same way? It didn’t dawn on me, "It’s because it’s a horse". It’s not because of anything he was doing differently with each one; he was doing the same thing, because it’s the same language.

But what I loved most of all was the quiet, calm way he worked. And he would say things like, “Get the animal to want to, not because she's made to. Work with her nature.” If you’ve got a shyer animal, that’s okay. If she is spooky, so what, that’s fine. If he is more fiery, that’s okay. Never deny the animal being who he is.

Impressed by Monty's ability to quickly establish a harmonious relationship with every horse, Jan strived to do the same in her work with dogs.

I looked to Monty for guidance, and looked at how he had learned the language of the horse, which was to watch and observe, just quietly letting them show him the language of free living animals. So I had to study canines living free of humans. And of course that was through film and television work, amazing documentary. I couldn’t have done it without modern cameras and equipment because you couldn’t get in close enough to actually see what was going on. And the patterns started to emerge.

By nature, dogs live in groups or packs, and each pack has a leader. Dog leaders carry out their important role with great compassion and dignity.

I saw that leadership really is about responsibility for the others. It’s not about domination or authority and all that type of thing. It’s about being responsible for the rest of the pack. I began to see how leaders in their world are very patient, they’re very loving. Because they only survive if their packs survives. So it's in their interest to cooperate. They move as one.

They pick up on each other’s very thinking, especially when you’re non-verbal, you do that more. We all like to know where we stand, and so does the dog. So that is one of the things that leaders will establish, this pecking order which is really safety for them. You know, “I know where I stand, and that’s good.”

The cornerstone of Jan's dog training program is that the caregiver must establish himself as a good leader, someone who cares for his dogs and will take care of them when they are concerned or fearful. She explains one non-verbal way for establishing such a role.

A leader will actually carry themself kind of, “Yes, I can do this”, and will ignore undesirable behavior. I mean if somebody were to go up to our Queen and go “Halo Liz,” you can’t imagine her retaliating in any way. She’d probably just look very dignified and walk away, and one of her team would come in and go, “You can’t do that, you know." It’s that air of authority. Well, the dog loves that.

Many people with canine companions have credited their beloved animals with teaching them the important lesson of living in the moment. No matter what happened in the past, as soon as you call their name, dogs will come to you with happy smiles and wagging tails. Jan delved deeper into this noble trait to better understand dog behavior.

For them, it’s day by day. Because we might think, he's now six, three, twelve, and he must know he is always safe. He doesn’t, because in his world, the leaders can be gone like that. After every separation, whenever we come together, they must re-establish the pecking order. They have to do this. It’s not a fun thing for them; it’s not silly, it’s essential.

So when you come, when you reunite after separation, and that’s when you close the door, so if you’ve gone shopping, or if you’ve gone to bed for the night or even if you’ve just gone to the bathroom, you’ve created that separation. When you come back with the dog, just re-establish and walk in like you own the place.

In her consultations, Jan offers tips to enable caregivers to better communicate with their animal friend during training sessions.

If I wanted to teach somebody something, no matter what it was, I’d like that person to feel that I was going to teach them in a kind, calm way. Reward them, you know. "You have done well there, or that wasn’t quite right, let’s try it again." Remember you are calling your friend. There's no dominance here. It's my buddies. Here again, if he starts to mouth, I move my hand away. If you were to start (shouting) "Stop it, Stop it", it becomes a game.

It'd be okay.

It’d be a game, and he would do that to people he doesn't know. That's it now, just take your hand away and don't look at him as well. Move your eyes, because if you look at them, if you look around at somebody, you expect the words. That's communication.

Once we have deciphered dog language, it is quite simple to understand their simple-hearted wishes. Jan explains a non-verbal conversation which is taking place amongst her own dog companions.

It’s just a joy to watch them together. They understand each other, and the fact his tail’s wagging, and right now she’s saying "I don’t really want to." She’s actually showing him quite a bit of disinterest. She’s saying, "Right now I don’t want to play." You watch. And he’ll leave her alone in a minute. What will happen is she will probably lay down. There you go. And he’ll just walk away and think, "Alright, you don’t want to play right now. That’s okay with me."

Dogs are not excitable creatures. They just ask, "Can we play now?" "No, I don’t want to." “Go on, you do really." He’s being a bit persistent, but dogs are very persistent. But he’ll go away because….look, you see, it’s just like (No, not now.) "No, not now. So he goes, “Oh, alright then.” Do you see how easy it is?

If a dog could actually speak to us in human language, according to Jan, this is what he would tell us:

Listen to me and see where I am coming from. See that when a stranger comes near the house and I bark, I have to do this because I have to warn the rest of the pack of imminent danger, or the possibility of danger. And treat that with respect. It’s like any language, it’s like any being. You and I like to be treated with respect. We like to be listened to. We like to be shown kindness, consideration.

What type of dog is most suitable for children? How can we best integrate a new canine companion into our family life? To find out the answers to these and other questions, join us again tomorrow as we present the concluding episode of our interview with the Dog Listener Jan Fennell.

For more information on Jan Fennell, please visit:

Thank you for your gentle presence today for Animal World: Our Co-Inhabitants. Up next is Enlightening Entertainment, right after Noteworthy News here on Supreme Master Television. May you enjoy eternal harmony and happiness with all beings on our shared planet.

The message from my heart has to be, “You can do this.” Whatever you see here with my dogs being relaxed and responsive and happy, you can have. All you’ve got to do is open your mind and your heart and let it happen. And it really will.

Halo, kind viewers, and welcome to Animal World: Our Co-Inhabitants. On today's program, we meet Jan Fennell, a renowned dog trainer from the United Kingdom. During her more than 20 years of working with and observing canines, she has learned to deeply understand their values and innate wisdom.

Author of the international bestselling book, “The Dog Listener – Learning the Language of your Best Friend”, Jan travels around the globe, offering consultations and courses on developing harmonious relationships with our furry companions. The cornerstone of her training technique is called “Amichien” or “friend of the dog”. The basic principle of this method is that dog learns best when their natural behavior is incorporated.

When I have an audience I say to people, “If I’m going to tell you that there is one method that will work with every dog of every age, of every breed, with every non-medical behavioral problem, who’s skeptical? And you see some people sort of going, you know. I say, “Good, get skeptical.” Because then it gives me a chance to answer. I never ask anybody to do anything without explaining why. And it makes sense. So that’s what they love.

I love it because it makes sense to them, they see the response in their dog. They watch them within days calm down. They cannot believe it’s the same dog. Those that push-on are very, very happy. It’s like they’ve discovered it, and good for them. Like me, they’ve rediscovered something.

There is also another element that is critical in our interaction with our dog companions and in a successful training session with them.

Play is an absolutely essential part of the canine world. Play is constructive. They use it to learn their strengths, their weaknesses, social hierarchy. It tells them so much, as well as being a good way to exercise them. Like now. Kamat says, “Sniff”, and Carey's telling him, “Back off”. He did. He understands his own language.

These two are learning here, “How can I get you going?” Wonderful interaction. And, of course, the other most important thing about a dog is enjoy her. The affection. The love you can feel for a dog and she can feel for you. They really are best friends.

Jan reminds people that it is important to present ourselves calmly in the presence of our animal friends. They will better understand our intentions and “read” our body language. If we find ourselves in a situation in which our canine companion is not listening to us, what should we do?

If a dog does something you don't want him to do, there's only one place to look for the reason, in the mirror. Because it's something you've done that’s given him the wrong information. But that’s okay. You just put it right, and get back to it.

Many of us have heard that certain dog breeds have unique characteristics and temperaments that would perhaps be more suitable for one person over another. As an expert on the innate nature of dogs, Jan is frequently asked what breed is best for a family.

People often say it to me “What’s the best type of dog to have with children?” (Yes) One that’s used to them. Now, it does not matter what breed, if a dog is used to children, and the children are used to the dog. Remember, the children must have respect for the dog. The dog must have a place she can go away from the kids. It’s like I love being with young children, but enough’s enough.

With children, I usually find they get the hang of this better than the parents, because the parents have been doing it a different way for longer. And children are incredibly cooperative, because they love the challenge of learning what the dog is doing.

There are numerous stories of dogs rescued from death row who return the favor by saving the life of a family member. The gratitude and devotion a rescued dog offers to his forever loving family is truly heart touching. When someone is looking for a canine companion, Jan encourages them to adopt a dog from a shelter.

With a rescue dog, I actually call them 150% dogs, because what happens is a kind person comes along, and they take them into their home. And that dog, because he's never had that level of love and care, and attention and food quality, all these things he values. That dog will do the job you give him with more enthusiasm, with more determination. And this is the other lovely thing. I don’t care what the past of that dog has been, it really does not matter, one tiny bit. Because you are going to start afresh.

And you are going to give that dog structure. And you see, when you know the rules, remember the rules are calm, they’re quiet, they’re confident. They make the dog feel safe, make them feel part of a team, value. Then the dog is going to try harder to do the job you give him. Now if you give him the right job, you’ve given him a wonderful life. And rescue dogs, turn out to be some of the best dogs you could ever wish for because, when you give them the right information, they’ve got it.

And my people are working in rescue centers the world over, and bringing about the most incredible transformations. And it’s so rewarding to see those little guys, a few weeks after they’ve gone out just transformed and happy. And the owners are happy, So it’s brilliant. Rescue dogs are special.

Out of her love for all dogs, Jan started her own dog rescue and adoption organization called Every Chance Rescue. Every Chance Rescue not only saves the lives of many dogs, it helps to improve their behavior and place them in permanent homes where they can live out their lives in peace and safety.

So many dogs are killed, and I’m not going to say “euthanized” because euthanasia is when you let a dog that is sick or old go. That is a gesture of love that you have to do. But if a dog is killed because its behavior cannot be controlled, you see, people do that, what they cannot understand, they kill. We decided to create Every Chance because there were so many dogs that people didn’t know how to handle.

We had one dog, she comes to mind, was at the vet to be destroyed. When she came here, she was frightened because she’d been hit a lot. And she soon responded to the fact (that) the raised hand here only means food or affection. Within a week, we were seeing this lovely personality blossom through.

Within one week?

Within one week she was a different girl. She was happy, she was eating well. She knew it was her turn, she ate it peacefully. I had the joy of having her here for about three months because we were waiting for the right home. And now she’s in a new home, doing absolutely brilliantly. And that’s why we give her every chance.

Every dog deserves a chance to life and happiness. Through Every Chance Rescue, Jan strives to provide this opportunity to many abandoned dogs. She recalls another dog who recovered beautifully with enough tender, loving care.

We had a German shepherd who came here to me. She weighed 17 kilos, which was half her body weight. She just worried it off and she was anxious all the time. See, a lot of medical problems evolve, come about, because of mental stress. And we just gave her the peace, gave her the calm, very gently fed her up and she came around beautifully. She is now living in the country, having a brilliant time.

Human caregivers of dogs can affirm how their dogs changed their lives for the better. Despite their humble appearances, Jan explains how dogs play a truly important role here on Earth.

They’ve been given to us to teach us something about us too. Because there are times when we’re very intolerant of our own species, and a dog isn’t. A dog never judges you. She’ll respond to what you do, but never see you as a bad person. So when the dog gets it wrong, we all get it wrong from time to time, it’ll say sorry quicker than you. Humans can’t always say sorry. You know, this is the most forgiving animal on the planet. They will love and forgive you time and time again.

It should be a joy all the time, no matter where you go with your dog it should be, every minute you’re with them, and you are with them a lot. Look at the dogs who work as guide dogs, assistance dogs, all these different roles they do. They complement us, have done for 14,000 years.

As with her inspiration, Mr. Monty Roberts, the Horse Whisperer, Jan shares the common goal of fostering greater understanding between humans and animals.

Monty and I have the same feeling. He wants to leave the world a better place for horses and people, and I want to leave it a better place for dogs and people. And the way to do that is to let them know that they can do this. I promise you.

Our heartfelt appreciation, Jan Fennell, for your insightful and diligent work that helps us better communicate with our beloved animal companions. We wish you every success in your noble endeavors to create a harmonious world for all Earth’s inhabitants.

For more information on Jan Fennell, please visit:

Thank you for joining us today for Animal World: Our Co-Inhabitants. Coming up next is Enlightening Entertainment, after Noteworthy News here on Supreme Master Television. May Providence bless you and your loved ones with inner peace and boundless happiness.

Hi, I’m Jan Fennell, the Dog Listener. And I invite you to join us, be vegetarian and to save our planet. Be Veg, Go Green 2 Save our Planet.

Mongolia is in danger due to the effects of climate change. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation says 90% of the country is at risk for desertification and surface water is fast disappearing.

Precious water resources, numerous lakes and rivers have decreased and smaller rivers have dried up. 60% of the 70 lakes in the Amar river basin, which is a habitat to swan geese populations, reduced in water level by 30-100% and some have already dried up.

To learn more about Mongolia’s grave situation and what can be done protect this great nation, please join us Wednesday, November 3 on Planet Earth: Our Loving Home.