L.A.M.B. - Look At Me Buddy
"L.A.M.B. is the philosophy of CARE. It is a philosophy that lets you be more of a friend and mentor. It lets you SEEK help as a person and lets us be the human to look out for and be looked out for, because we do it naturally; and so do dogs." - Scott Stauffer
"L.A.M.B. - Look at Me Buddy; bonding between two humans: looking, feeling, touching or reaching for the person you feel safe with. It's no different between dogs or humans and their dogs. We bond more with our dogs and partners when we touch them or they touch us (with consent). And we bond more when we engage in and interact with our partners' interests. When we follow some of these simple natural behaviors, our partners will feel safer and be more likely to turn to us ... not only because we bring them pleasure neurochemically, but because we help them feel safe. And when we follow these simple bonding behaviors with our dogs, we will get the same results in that our dogs, too, will look for us when they need something. In an in-home situation, they may look at us for food, for water or for exercise. Or what if they need or want comfort or play? Thanks to the bonding process, they will seek us out for physical contact, lean into us and touch us somehow."
- excerpt from the official ADB Study Guide
"Dogs do have natural ways of handling stress. Looking for us, looking for our support, is actually one of them. It is just a bit more subtle. Through body awareness, and by acknowledging and satisfying their need for comfort, we can then increase the likelihood that they will continue to seek us out more frequently in the future. And by helping them through these 'uncertain' situations, we are helping them feel safe in THEIR ways."
- excerpt from the official ADB Study Guide.
"Science is beginning to show us just how connected we are to each other. How our brain chemicals and other chemicals throughout our bodies trigger a need for social interaction. Every training philosophy urges us to 'help the dog feel safe', but none truly go about it in a way that explains 'safe'. Yes, being consistent and rewarding good things helps, but it's not deep enough on a dog's level. What really helps them feel safe? To begin with, by acknowledging all seven primary emotional systems, and not only in our dogs but our own as well."
- excerpt from the official ADB Study Guide
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