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Mary Hunter and her horse Apollo


On this site I share stories of my animal training adventures, information about the science of animal training and behavior, and tips and advice to help you improve your training.

Join me as we explore the best training strategies for creating fast learning, effective communication, and enthusiastic, willing animals.

If you’re new to Stale Cheerios, I recommend that you start by visiting this page to learn more about Stale Cheerios and that you visit my Top Posts page.

~Mary Hunter

Recent posts from the StaleCheerios blog

Dexter the schnoodle practices coming when called

Dog treat review: Primal turkey liver treats

By on October 6, 2014 in Dog Treats

Last month, the dogs and I had the chance to review some really yummy freeze-dried turkey liver treats from Chewy.com. They were the Turkey Liver Munchies from Primal, which are available on Chewy’s website here. Now, when I hear the phrase “freeze-dried turkey liver,” that doesn’t exactly sound like something I’d like to have for […]

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Behavior Analysis Book Shelf

Sunday Science: What is a concept?

By on October 5, 2014 in Concepts and Terms

Science Sunday posts are short posts about the science of animal behavior and training. They often feature a quote or a passage of text. Spend a moment today thinking about the ideas in the post. As always, you can share your thoughts or questions in the comments section. “What is a concept? This is another […]

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trixie cat activity board - screenshot

Enrichment toys for cats

By on September 1, 2014 in Enrichment Ideas, Other Species

In recently years, there’s been a huge increase in interactive toys and food puzzle toys for dogs. While there are some of these types of toys for cats, I think there is a lot larger selection of fun interactive dog toys. This is unfortunate, as many cats are quite active and playful and would enjoy […]

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Flower the black and white hooded rat

Flower learns about luring

By on August 25, 2014 in Rat (and Mouse) Training

I’ve been reading through Kay Laurence’s Clicker Foundation Training: Level 1 book. The book deals with many important foundation skills, such as food delivery, targeting, shaping, and adding cues. This is a book that I’ve read through several times, but there are lots of gems packed into it and I find new ones each time […]

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