The video below is a great example of how a person can use clicker training and positive reinforcement training techniques to deal with annoying, dangerous, or otherwise unwanted behavior. In this case, the dog had a habit of jumping up into the owner’s face when she would bend over. The owner does a great job […]
ORCA’s awesome shaping workshop
Good clicker trainers understand and use the principle of shaping. Shaping means teaching a behavior in small approximations or steps. Good shaping can greatly speed up learning and reduce confusion and frustration by helping the animal be successful every step of the way. (To see shaping in action, check out this video of Georgie learning […]
5th Art and Science of Animal Training Conference coming soon!
I’m getting really excited, the 5th annual Art and Science of Animal Training Conference is coming up in just a couple of weeks. This year’s conference includes some of the world’s top animal trainers, including Bob Bailey, Ken Ramirez, Alexandra Kurland, Kay Laurence, Phung Luu, Steve White, and Susan Schneider. This year’s keynote speaker is […]
StaleCheerios: The best of 2012
I’ve been going through my blog this past week and picking out my favorite blog posts from the past year. 2012 was quite a year! I acquired several new rats, did plenty of training with my rats and with the rescue horses, and completed another year of my behavior analysis master’s program at the University […]
Clicker training a zonkey? (video)
First, you may be asking…. What’s a zonkey?! A zonkey is a hybrid equine — half zebra and half donkey. A zonkey looks a lot like a donkey, but with stripes. Hannah Dawnson, a clicker trainer from England, recently posted a video on her Facebook page of the latest additions to her barn, two zonkeys. […]
Izzy rat eats her medicine (video)
One of my rats, Izzy, was sick several times this fall and winter with some pretty nasty respiratory infections. (You might remember the photo I posted when she met the cat at the vet’s office.) Fortunately, she seems to be all better now. I’ve had several people ask — how do you give medicine to […]