Eugenie Chopin

Congratulation to Eugénie for becoming the first TTouch^® Instructor in South Africa! Eugénie was honoured by Linda Tellington-Jones at a Tellington TTouch^® CELLebration in Santa Fe, New Mexico for her years of work in this field along with her tireless energy in promoting the work in South Africa.

Eugénie is American born from Louisiana, although she has now been in South Africa for over 35 years. She was an animal lover from a young age but was never allowed a dog as a child as her father was handicapped and on crutches. She maintains she's still trying to make up for it! Eugénie came to Tellington TTouch^® Training when her dog SPCA special, Danilo became the neighbourhood villain and bully. After trying many traditional methods she came upon TTouch, which not only changed both their lives, but probably saved Danilo's as well. Eugénie maintains that most unwanted behaviours that clients want to work with, she has experienced with Danilo, and so empathy and experience come fairly easily!

The results with Danilo were so amazing that Eugénie soon wanted to share the work and thus began the Tellington TTouch^® Program in South Africa. She runs this Program and the TTouch^® Office in South Africa and works to ensure that practitioners stay current with new techniques as well as old ones. The program has been running since 2001 and South Africa now boasts over 75 Practitioners.

Eugénie has a Master's degree in Applied Music and spent many years performing Opera and teaching singers. She never dreamt that she would end up following a career with animals. Her real passion is dogs and she loves teaching people about ways to interact with animals that are neither frightening nor forceful. Because of this, she has spent extra time in the US becoming an expert on clicker training which she combines with TTouch^® when it's appropriate and useful.

Eugénie runs 2 or 3 Day Clinics, 6-week Classes and consults privately. She has done television spots for both 50/50 and South Africa Today as well as other "specialty programs", written articles for leading animal magazines and done numerous radio interviews. She also teaches week long TTouch^® trainings for the South African Police Dog Unit. She maintains that life is full and good and yes it is possible to work with the things you love!   www.ttouch.co.za