How do we teach behaviors when training animals and how do we associate cues with these behaviors? How does a dog or horse (or cat, goldfish, parrot, roommate, child, employee, etc.) learn a cue for a behavior? What’s the best way to create a solid association between a behavior and a cue, even when distractions […]
Tag Archives | clicker training
Free Online Clicker Training Short Course
Norwegian dog trainers Morten Egtvedt and Cecilie Koeste (of Canis Clicker Training) offer a free 7 day online class that covers the basics of clicker training. I’ve seen the course advertised online before, but didn’t know much about it. From their website, “Morten is a trained biologist with a degree in psychology and Cecilie, also […]
Teaching Hoof Handling Using Shaping
Teaching a horse to pick up it’s feet can be a frustrating job. The horse gets frustrated because he doesn’t know what the trainer is asking and the trainer often goes too fast, too soon. This can get dangerous when working with back feet because an irriated, frustrated horse is more likely to take a […]
What’s a good reinforcer for an elephant?
Regarding finding valuable reinforcers: “One keeper I met learned that an elephant will perform for a single miniature marshmallow.” This is from Temple Grandin’s latest book, Animals Make Us Human. (I also blogged recently about her discussions on introducing scary objects and stereotypical behaviors.) I find many people object to adding a clicker to their training […]
Teaching new skills using targeting
Targeting is a great way to teach a horse or a dog (or a goldfish!) new skills or tricks. The animal learns to follow a hand, a stick, or any other sort of object where ever the object might lead. (For the horses, I usually use an empty plastic water bottle duct taped on the […]
Mustang Poker
I’ve been watching Carolyn Resnick’s Waterhole Rituals DVD. I don’t agree with a lot of her horse psychology and dominance theory approach. However, she does make some good points. In the beginning of the DVD she talks briefly about the power of curiosity as a motivator. Instead of chasing our horses around and around a […]