I recently came across a fantastic book ‘Animals In Translation’ by Temple Grandin. This should be compulsory reading for all dog trainers.

Her theory is that autistic people, like animals, think in pictures rather than words. Animals see detail that most humans miss. This is because humans THINK too much; in other words they are abstractified. They cannot see the wood for the trees and very often miss the obvious.

Is it possible, therefore, that autistic people will make better dog trainers than non-autistic people? I am of the opinion that many non-identified people fall on the autistic spectrum somewhere but this goes unnoticed or unidentified. I know I sometimes stumble to find a word, phrase or definition whist seeing clearly in my mind what needs to be said – or is that plain forgetfulness? I also know that I become extremely frustrated when I see details at work, home etc. that other people simply miss, or are they plain LAZY?

NB: Dictionary definition of autism: psychiatry – a developmental disorder whose symptoms include difficulty in responding conventionally to people, actions and social situations, often with limited use of verbal communication. There are, however, many other signs and indications beyond the scope of this blog.