Welcome to The Ruff Relationship Road™

A course on the speedbumps, breakdowns, detours, and roadblocks we encounter while travelling through life with our dogs.

The Ruff Relationship Road™ is designed for anyone who wants to expand their understanding of the human-canine bond from the human side of the leash, elevate their relationships with their dog, and open new doors for recognizing and resolving the root factors that cause Ruff Relationships. This is not a how-to course in the traditional sense- the dog industry abounds will well established and effective how-tos. The Ruff Relationship Road™ explores why those how-tos may not work in particular cases. This course invites reflection on how we show up in the relationship and encourages us to consider the gap between our expectations and the reality of life with our dogs. The Ruff Relationship Road™ will equip you with tools to explore your own attachment style and relationship preferences and to open this conversation with others. Through the application of research-based theory and strategies drawn from Thrive Attachment Specialist, Marlene O’Neill-Laberge’s 20 years of practice as a MSW and therapist working with children and families you can move from surviving to thriving in your relationship with your canine companion.

Course curriculum

    1. Meet Your Tour Guide, Marlene O'Neill-Laberge

    2. Reflections from the Ruff Relationship Road™ : Trip Journal

    1. What Is Attachment ?

    2. Know Your Attachment Style

    3. It's Not You, It's Me

    4. Knowledge Assessment

    1. Barriers to Connection

    2. Knowledge Assessment

    1. Are You In Care Mode or Task Mode?

    2. Reigniting the Joy

    3. Don't Miss the Off Ramp!

    4. Off Ramps

    5. Knowledge Assessment

    1. Survey

    2. Certificate

About this course

  • 15 lessons
  • 0.5 hours of video content

Features and Benefits of The Ruff Relationship Road™

  • Expand Your Understanding of the Human-Canine Bond

    The Ruff Relationship Road™ provides in-depth insights into the complex interactions within the family system in which a dog resides, offering new possibilities for exploring and understanding the human-canine bond.

  • Recognize the Roots of Ruff Relationships

    The Ruff Relationship Road™ opens doors for recognizing and resolving the underlying factors that influence a dog and guardian's capacity to develop a secure, synergistic and THRIVING relationship.

  • Elevate Your Relationship With Your Dog

    The Ruff Relationship Road™ will empower you with human focused tools and strategies that support emotional regulation and connection, allowing you to kindle that sense of excitement and connection you've always desired.

Meet Your Instructor

Marlene O'Neill-Laberge

Attachment Specialist, MSW, FDM and Ruff Relationship Road™ Creator

Marlene holds her Masters in Social Work and for the last 20 years has worked as a Child and Family Therapist, specializing in the impact of trauma and attachment disruptions on parent-child relationships. She is a Certified Circle of Security Parenting Facilitator and a Certified Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapist. In 2019, she began fostering and subsequently adopted Cooper, a bulldog-mix. When Cooper began to struggle with sensitivity to noises, novel experiences and strangers, Marlene found herself searching for new perspectives in the field of dog training and subsequently became fascinated by the impact of caregiving for challenging dogs on the humans who love them. The Ruff Relationship Road™ is the culmination of this journey.

Reviews

5 star rating

Accessible, practical and spot on!

Viviane Arzoumanian

Several years ago while taking a child development course I realized that secure attachment is as critical for dogs as it is for humans. Thank you Cat and Marlene to putting this fact into an excellent teaching tool for canine professionals and o...

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Several years ago while taking a child development course I realized that secure attachment is as critical for dogs as it is for humans. Thank you Cat and Marlene to putting this fact into an excellent teaching tool for canine professionals and our clients!

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