Positive reinforcement trainers usually rely on several different methods to train new behaviors. This includes (but is not limited to) shaping, capturing, and luring. Capturing is often described as waiting for the behavior to happen, then rewarding it when it does. The idea is to teach the animal that the behavior “pays off.” Once the […]
Training Stories and Tips RSS feed for this section
Dogs, horses, and rats. Birds, goldfish, cats. Dolphins, raccoons, and elephants. What animals can’t we train? In this section you’ll find lots of great training stories and tips. You will also get to meet many of the wonderful animals that I get to train. I hope that you’ll enjoy reading about my adventures (and misadventures) and that these articles and tales can provide you with insight that will help you with your own animals.
Ginger goes to lunch
We had some pretty nice weather recently, so my mom and I went for lunch one day to a local café that has outdoor seating. And, we took Ginger dog with us! Ginger had a grand time and hopes that we will do this again soon. (Being in Texas, we have more “nice weather” days […]
Book review: The Possibility Dogs
I’ve been doing lots of reading lately! I’ll be sharing several book reviews on my blog over the next month. One book that I’ve had the chance to read recently is Susannah Charleson’s new book, The Possibility Dogs (Amazon link). If you’re looking for an interesting dog book to curl up with on a cold […]
Lots of dogs (and clicker training)
I have a new job! I’ve been waiting to announce it on my blog, as I’ve been extremely busy getting settled into the new job and learning the ropes. I’m working full time as a dog trainer and behaviorist for Pappy’s Pet Lodge, a Dallas-based company that provides dog boarding, daycare, grooming, training, and in-home […]
ORCA’s 2014 conference: Registration now open!
The Art and Science of Animal Training Conference, held yearly at the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, is one of my all-time favorite conferences. This conference is organized and run by ORCA (the Organization for Reinforcement Contingencies with Animals) a group of graduate students in UNT’s behavior analysis department that researches animal behavior […]
Amy and the bucket trick (video)
Amy is getting to be quite an old rat. However, she still enjoys training time and likes learning new tricks. This is Amy’s latest trick, the bucket trick. A small “bucket” (part of a toothpaste box) hangs on a shoelace. Amy must pull up on the shoelace to get to the bucket and the treats […]