Animal Training | General Discussion

The training of animals is one of the most rewarding things ever and is something I'm greatly passionate about. There's nothing like that feeling when it finally clicks in your pets' brain what you've been trying to teach them and there's just that moment of pure connection and communication. This thread will be for anything and everything to do with training of all sorts and of all sorts of animals. Post your deets! [code][b]Animals:[/b] (name, species, whathaveyou) [b]Tricks they know:[/b] [b]What are you working on now?[/b] [b]Got Vid?[/b] [b]What got you started/interested in training?[/b] [b]Need help/tips/suggestion?[/b][/code] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [b]Awesome Youtube Channels of Awesome People[/b] [u][url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-qnqaajTk6bfs3UZuue6IQ]Kikopup[/url][/u] Clicker Training, Positive Reinforcement, Counter conditioning [u][url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRyHBkIJ90SZNRyq1iVda5g]Training Positive/Tab289[/url][/u] Clicker Training, Trick Tutorials, Positive Reinforcement [u][url=https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0C724F6F6A597540]Victoria Stilwell[/url][/u] Basic Training Tutorials, Positive Reinforcement [u][url=https://www.youtube.com/user/TheCatDaddy66/featured]Jackson Galaxy[/url][/u] Explanations of Cat Behaviors, General Cat Owner Tips Know any good trick or training Youtubes? Suggest them!

Saracirce

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April 24, 2014 19:54:42

The training of animals is one of the most rewarding things ever and is something I'm greatly passionate about. There's nothing like that feeling when it finally clicks in your pets' brain what you've been trying to teach them and there's just that moment of pure connection and communication. This thread will be for anything and everything to do with training of all sorts and of all sorts of animals.

Post your deets!

Code:

[b]Animals:[/b] (name, species, whathaveyou)
[b]Tricks they know:[/b]
[b]What are you working on now?[/b]
[b]Got Vid?[/b]
[b]What got you started/interested in training?[/b]
[b]Need help/tips/suggestion?[/b]

Awesome Youtube Channels of Awesome People
Kikopup Clicker Training, Positive Reinforcement, Counter conditioning
Training Positive/Tab289 Clicker Training, Trick Tutorials, Positive Reinforcement
Victoria Stilwell Basic Training Tutorials, Positive Reinforcement
Jackson Galaxy Explanations of Cat Behaviors, General Cat Owner Tips

Know any good trick or training Youtubes? Suggest them!

Last edited on Apr 27, 2014 06:11:00 by Saracirce

Why Marker/Clicker Training?

Marker training is a way of communicating clearly and efficiently with an animal. The 'marker' is basically a one second "atta boy!" and can be anything from a clicker (which is the most common), a word like 'yes', a hand sign (mostly used for deaf dogs/animals) to even touch (for deaf and blind animals). The marker is always followed up by a reward, which can be anything from food (the most common and usually the most rewarding) to a toy (very dependent on the dog) to praise (rarely rewarding enough for more complicated or harder things) to even a certain scent or activity. Absolutely anything the animal finds rewarding and can be given quickly can be the reward. Clicker/Marker training is superior to just saying 'good job' then rewarding because it's literally a snapshot of what the animal is doing at that exact moment and telling them that's exactly what they're getting rewarded for. Of course, this requires decent timing (which gets easier with practice). A clicker specifically is preferred because the sound never deviates like it can with your voice.

Fun Fact: Most animals you see in the movies and in zoos are trained using some form of marker training.

Why food rewards?

Most animals find food very rewarding as all animals need to eat. Just think about how much you enjoy food. I bet you enjoy it even more when you've actually earned it by either cooking it yourself or preforming some task that was asked of you. The same principal applies to animals. Food rewards can also be scaled. Dog doesn't find their kibble that rewarding or not rewarding enough for what you're currently doing? Move up to cheese, hot dogs, liver, etc. You give the food in small enough pieces that the animal can eat it really quickly and you can rapid fire the treats/food or extend the training time before the dog is full. It ends up being quicker and easier then toys and praise as well as the fact praise can not be scaled and not all dogs are motivated enough by toys.

There's a belief that any time an animal (particularly dogs) are trained with food, they will only obey if there is food present. You can avoid this outcome by starting to phase out the food once the dog/animal offers the behavior reliably and then only rewarding randomly. Be sure to factor in the treats into how much food they'll be getting that day.

Pro Tip: Mix low value food (like kibble or pellets) in with higher value food so that the animal never knows what you're about to give them.

What is Counter Conditioning?

Counter conditioning is, essentially, changing the emotional response of the animal to a trigger. For instance, my mother's dog is afraid of people. When she sees someone approaching, she becomes tense, sniffs the ground (which is a disengagement behavior) and does everything in her power to ignore the person and just hopes they go away. As soon as she sees a person, I stuff a piece of food in her mouth. She now starts associating people with getting something yummy. She starts looking forward to seeing people, keeps her head up, wags her tail and isn't tense. If she acts curious about them (like sniffing the air towards them), jack pot reward (which means giving her a bunch of food at once). Eventually, you push the threshold (distance the dog feels safe from their trigger. basically a safety bubble) and the ultimate goal is that she'll be okay with people being around her without feeling the need to defend herself. (Not necessarily that she'll allow people to pet her but having a stranger nearby won't be the end of her world either.)

This works better then 'traditional' training methods like popping the collar of a dog every time they show a hint of aggression because, again, you're changing the dog's emotional response. Dogs trained with 'traditional' methods and the "alpha method" often have their warnings (growling, barking, etc) taken away (making them unpredictable), makes them worse towards their trigger (they learn when the trigger comes around, I'm disciplined. trigger = bad!), robots who have simply given up, and they often regress quicker and easier then those who are counter conditioned. You can NOT reinforce fear! Even if you accidentally reward the behavior, the behavior will become more playful or happy rather then aggressive.

Counter Conditioning at work

Why Positive Reinforcement?

Traditional training methods are generally reactive, meaning you're fixing a problem after it's already begun. Positive Reinforcement is proactive. You show the dog what you want them to do before they ever learn a different behavior. You're setting the dog/animal up for success rather then waiting for them to fail. Even after something becomes a problem, you show the dog what you want them to do instead of expecting them to figure it out on their own. So say the dog rushes the door every time it opens. Instead of disciplining the dog, you teach them to go to a specific spot and sit every time there's a knock at the door. When he's rewarded for sitting instead of running out the door, he starts doing it automatically. Door dashing should no longer be a problem.

+R also acknowledges the individual animal and is set up to work with them rather then against. Just like everyone is unique in the way they learn, so are animals. You figure out what works for your animal and how to communicate to them that is what you want. Marker training and positive reinforcement work hand in hand.

+R and Counter Conditioning also works under the understanding not all dogs/animals can be 'fixed'. Some aggression or reactivity is either so deeply ingrained or genetic that it simply can not be changed. We accept that fact and, instead of forcing the dog/animal to be something they're not, we manage the problem. (For instance, prey drive is instinctual. Instead of punishing the dog, you simply don't allow the dog the chance to run after squirrels.)

Why not dominance/Alpha/Cesar's Way?

I will let these articles speak for me:

http://www.examiner.com/article/dog-whispering-the-21st-century
http://drsophiayin.com/philosophy/dominance
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/14_12/features/Alpha-Dogs_20416-1.html?mid=540
http://io9.com/why-everything-you-know-about-wolf-packs-is-wrong-502754629
http://academyfordogtrainers.com/blog/2013/are-dogs-pack-animals/
http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/misconceptions-mythical-alpha-dog
http://avsabonline.org/uploads/position_statements/dominance_statement.pdf

Saracirce

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April 24, 2014 19:54:47

Why Marker/Clicker Training?

Marker training is a way of communicating clearly and efficiently with an animal. The 'marker' is basically a one second "atta boy!" and can be anything from a clicker (which is the most common), a word like 'yes', a hand sign (mostly used for deaf dogs/animals) to even touch (for deaf and blind animals). The marker is always followed up by a reward, which can be anything from food (the most common and usually the most rewarding) to a toy (very dependent on the dog) to praise (rarely rewarding enough for more complicated or harder things) to even a certain scent or activity. Absolutely anything the animal finds rewarding and can be given quickly can be the reward. Clicker/Marker training is superior to just saying 'good job' then rewarding because it's literally a snapshot of what the animal is doing at that exact moment and telling them that's exactly what they're getting rewarded for. Of course, this requires decent timing (which gets easier with practice). A clicker specifically is preferred because the sound never deviates like it can with your voice.

Fun Fact: Most animals you see in the movies and in zoos are trained using some form of marker training.

Why food rewards?

Most animals find food very rewarding as all animals need to eat. Just think about how much you enjoy food. I bet you enjoy it even more when you've actually earned it by either cooking it yourself or preforming some task that was asked of you. The same principal applies to animals. Food rewards can also be scaled. Dog doesn't find their kibble that rewarding or not rewarding enough for what you're currently doing? Move up to cheese, hot dogs, liver, etc. You give the food in small enough pieces that the animal can eat it really quickly and you can rapid fire the treats/food or extend the training time before the dog is full. It ends up being quicker and easier then toys and praise as well as the fact praise can not be scaled and not all dogs are motivated enough by toys.

There's a belief that any time an animal (particularly dogs) are trained with food, they will only obey if there is food present. You can avoid this outcome by starting to phase out the food once the dog/animal offers the behavior reliably and then only rewarding randomly. Be sure to factor in the treats into how much food they'll be getting that day.

Pro Tip: Mix low value food (like kibble or pellets) in with higher value food so that the animal never knows what you're about to give them.

What is Counter Conditioning?

Counter conditioning is, essentially, changing the emotional response of the animal to a trigger. For instance, my mother's dog is afraid of people. When she sees someone approaching, she becomes tense, sniffs the ground (which is a disengagement behavior) and does everything in her power to ignore the person and just hopes they go away. As soon as she sees a person, I stuff a piece of food in her mouth. She now starts associating people with getting something yummy. She starts looking forward to seeing people, keeps her head up, wags her tail and isn't tense. If she acts curious about them (like sniffing the air towards them), jack pot reward (which means giving her a bunch of food at once). Eventually, you push the threshold (distance the dog feels safe from their trigger. basically a safety bubble) and the ultimate goal is that she'll be okay with people being around her without feeling the need to defend herself. (Not necessarily that she'll allow people to pet her but having a stranger nearby won't be the end of her world either.)

This works better then 'traditional' training methods like popping the collar of a dog every time they show a hint of aggression because, again, you're changing the dog's emotional response. Dogs trained with 'traditional' methods and the "alpha method" often have their warnings (growling, barking, etc) taken away (making them unpredictable), makes them worse towards their trigger (they learn when the trigger comes around, I'm disciplined. trigger = bad!), robots who have simply given up, and they often regress quicker and easier then those who are counter conditioned. You can NOT reinforce fear! Even if you accidentally reward the behavior, the behavior will become more playful or happy rather then aggressive.

Counter Conditioning at work

Why Positive Reinforcement?

Traditional training methods are generally reactive, meaning you're fixing a problem after it's already begun. Positive Reinforcement is proactive. You show the dog what you want them to do before they ever learn a different behavior. You're setting the dog/animal up for success rather then waiting for them to fail. Even after something becomes a problem, you show the dog what you want them to do instead of expecting them to figure it out on their own. So say the dog rushes the door every time it opens. Instead of disciplining the dog, you teach them to go to a specific spot and sit every time there's a knock at the door. When he's rewarded for sitting instead of running out the door, he starts doing it automatically. Door dashing should no longer be a problem.

+R also acknowledges the individual animal and is set up to work with them rather then against. Just like everyone is unique in the way they learn, so are animals. You figure out what works for your animal and how to communicate to them that is what you want. Marker training and positive reinforcement work hand in hand.

+R and Counter Conditioning also works under the understanding not all dogs/animals can be 'fixed'. Some aggression or reactivity is either so deeply ingrained or genetic that it simply can not be changed. We accept that fact and, instead of forcing the dog/animal to be something they're not, we manage the problem. (For instance, prey drive is instinctual. Instead of punishing the dog, you simply don't allow the dog the chance to run after squirrels.)

Why not dominance/Alpha/Cesar's Way?

I will let these articles speak for me:

http://www.examiner.com/article/dog-whispering-the-21st-century
http://drsophiayin.com/philosophy/dominance
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/14_12/features/Alpha-Dogs_20416-1.html?mid=540
http://io9.com/why-everything-you-know-about-wolf-packs-is-wrong-502754629
http://academyfordogtrainers.com/blog/2013/are-dogs-pack-animals/
http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/misconceptions-mythical-alpha-dog
http://avsabonline.org/uploads/position_statements/dominance_statement.pdf

Last edited on Apr 25, 2014 05:21:24 by Saracirce

Animals:
Lolita, chihuahua/dachshund mix dog, female, 14 years old, mostly deaf and partially blind
Boo, Moggy (mixed breed) cat, male, 11 years
Niles, Moggy cat, Male, 10 months
Tricks they know: The cats don't know any tricks. Lolita doesn't know any on command but barks, waves, bunnies, dances and paws
What are you working on now? Niles is being harness/leash trained. Lolita is being counter conditioned to fear of people.
Got Vid? I only have training/trick videos of Clemmy, a boxer who used to live with me. crawl || working on a food dispensor || Dig
What got you started/interested in training? Clemmy. Just counter conditioning her to her fears and seeing how much she blossomed under a mostly +R environment. It was just a great feeling and so much fun. She was a smart, smart cookie.

NOW OPEN TO POSTING

Saracirce

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April 24, 2014 21:02:40

Animals:
Lolita, chihuahua/dachshund mix dog, female, 14 years old, mostly deaf and partially blind
Boo, Moggy (mixed breed) cat, male, 11 years
Niles, Moggy cat, Male, 10 months
Tricks they know: The cats don't know any tricks. Lolita doesn't know any on command but barks, waves, bunnies, dances and paws
What are you working on now? Niles is being harness/leash trained. Lolita is being counter conditioned to fear of people.
Got Vid? I only have training/trick videos of Clemmy, a boxer who used to live with me. crawl || working on a food dispensor || Dig
What got you started/interested in training? Clemmy. Just counter conditioning her to her fears and seeing how much she blossomed under a mostly +R environment. It was just a great feeling and so much fun. She was a smart, smart cookie.

NOW OPEN TO POSTING

Last edited on Apr 25, 2014 09:33:37 by Saracirce

Animals:
Dogs
Dakota - 4 1/2 year old German Shepherd/Labrador Retriever cross
Alice - 5 1/2 year old American Pit Bull Terrier
Tazzy - 9 1/2 year old Toy Poodle

Cats
Shadow - 7 year old black/white Moggy

Reptiles
Trish - female hypo carrot tail Leopard Gecko
Ryuk - female Ghost Corn Snake
Silas - male rescue Spider Ball Python
Dante - male Jungle Carpet Python
Rin - male Hypo Boa Constrictor Imperator
Akasha - female Viper Boa
Whiskey - male Butter Corn Snake
Shura - unsexed Ball Python
Cicero - male Lemon Blast Ball Python

Tricks they know:
I don't know where to start. Far too many to count. Dakota knows the most, he's titled in mondioring obedience and participates in several different sports along with being a diabetic alert service dog. Alice knows a handful of things, she loves doing rearend awareness. And Tazzy's best trick would be "Sneeze", yes he sneezes on cue.

What are you working on now?
I'm currently working on escorting and defense of handler with Dakota. Messing around with object guard with Alice. And Tazzy, well, we're just living life. ^_^

Got Vid?
Yes, many.
Dakota doing some obedience for his dinner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuudaptZ1Rs
Older video of Alice starting hind-end awareness
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKKr06-75uM
And Tazzy doing some lighter weight pulling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X87RT3--uXc
And I have plenty more!

What got you started/interested in training?
Well, like most I've always loved dogs. But I started volunteering at a local shelter to fulfill my required 40 hours. I got to know the trainers there and got involved in the dog sport world through them. Ended up doing over 300 hours in my first year. ^_^"

Need help/tips/suggestion?
Not really, but I look forward to future discussion!

Dakonic

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April 24, 2014 21:40:31

Animals:
Dogs
Dakota - 4 1/2 year old German Shepherd/Labrador Retriever cross
Alice - 5 1/2 year old American Pit Bull Terrier
Tazzy - 9 1/2 year old Toy Poodle

Cats
Shadow - 7 year old black/white Moggy

Reptiles
Trish - female hypo carrot tail Leopard Gecko
Ryuk - female Ghost Corn Snake
Silas - male rescue Spider Ball Python
Dante - male Jungle Carpet Python
Rin - male Hypo Boa Constrictor Imperator
Akasha - female Viper Boa
Whiskey - male Butter Corn Snake
Shura - unsexed Ball Python
Cicero - male Lemon Blast Ball Python

Tricks they know:
I don't know where to start. Far too many to count. Dakota knows the most, he's titled in mondioring obedience and participates in several different sports along with being a diabetic alert service dog. Alice knows a handful of things, she loves doing rearend awareness. And Tazzy's best trick would be "Sneeze", yes he sneezes on cue.

What are you working on now?
I'm currently working on escorting and defense of handler with Dakota. Messing around with object guard with Alice. And Tazzy, well, we're just living life. ^_^

Got Vid?
Yes, many.
Dakota doing some obedience for his dinner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuudaptZ1Rs
Older video of Alice starting hind-end awareness
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKKr06-75uM
And Tazzy doing some lighter weight pulling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X87RT3--uXc
And I have plenty more!

What got you started/interested in training?
Well, like most I've always loved dogs. But I started volunteering at a local shelter to fulfill my required 40 hours. I got to know the trainers there and got involved in the dog sport world through them. Ended up doing over 300 hours in my first year. ^_^"

Need help/tips/suggestion?
Not really, but I look forward to future discussion!

@Saracirce
The fact you have a section on why dominance training and Cesar's methods are bad methods makes me so happy. Thank you.
I don't have pets to train currently but I have clicker-trained with a bobcat and attempted an ocelot and leopard cat. :)

Shaiya

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April 24, 2014 21:51:19

@Saracirce
The fact you have a section on why dominance training and Cesar's methods are bad methods makes me so happy. Thank you.
I don't have pets to train currently but I have clicker-trained with a bobcat and attempted an ocelot and leopard cat. :)

Once a Big Cat Rescuer, always a Big Cat Rescuer

Animals:
grimm (seven-year-old mastiff)
krueger (five-year-old mastiff)
beziman (ancient and mysterious cat god)

Tricks they know:
honestly, i have no idea what they remember and what they don't! i've not been home much and haven't practiced with 'em in ages (beyond basics when i visit home -- sit, down, wait, touch), and i doubt my family does much by way of keeping these skills sharp.

but when i lived there, at least, then grimm knew the following (or what i can remember of it, anyway.. it's been a long time!):
- sit, down, wait, come, up, off, stand, crawl, touch, shake/paw, drop it, slow, "go sniff" (to meander on walks instead of walking by me), kiss (touching your nose with his)

smidge different for krueger, who tends to be more ah enthusiastic in life:
- sit, down, wait, come, up, off, "manners!" ("back the heck up, sit your butt down, and lemme through!"), touch, shake/paw, "are you lying?!" (long story.. but it cues him to run to where the treats are kept), drop it, back up, "gentle" (when taking food)

What are you working on now?
not a thing \m/ i've been living several hours away from the dogs for the better part of two years, but i graduate in a couple weeks and will return home for most of my upcoming gap year. gonna be focusing largely on a new puppy though; the fam wants to get one this summer or fall, and i gotta make sure they don't mess the bugger up (my sister's pregnant with her first kid, so gotta ensure the puppy's got a good foundation!)

Got Vid?
hhaaaa barely ah. a couple old ones, like grimm crawling, krueger doing touch, & grimm doing touch

What got you started/interested in training?
welp, we got a puppy, and he needed to be trained. (came across an online diary when i was like 14. it chronicled a woman's mission to use positive reinforcement to raise her curly-coated retriever, pax. got me started, & sent me on to focus on behavior modification in psychology here)

edit -- oho, nearly forgot, gotta give credit to mastiffonlinecommunty.net too. i joined 7-8 years ago when we got the puppy, and the other members' experience was really invaluable! especially v (user "simplifyit") who's a super-seasoned trainer, great stuff

kneecap

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April 24, 2014 22:02:52

Animals:
grimm (seven-year-old mastiff)
krueger (five-year-old mastiff)
beziman (ancient and mysterious cat god)

Tricks they know:
honestly, i have no idea what they remember and what they don't! i've not been home much and haven't practiced with 'em in ages (beyond basics when i visit home -- sit, down, wait, touch), and i doubt my family does much by way of keeping these skills sharp.

but when i lived there, at least, then grimm knew the following (or what i can remember of it, anyway.. it's been a long time!):
- sit, down, wait, come, up, off, stand, crawl, touch, shake/paw, drop it, slow, "go sniff" (to meander on walks instead of walking by me), kiss (touching your nose with his)

smidge different for krueger, who tends to be more ah enthusiastic in life:
- sit, down, wait, come, up, off, "manners!" ("back the heck up, sit your butt down, and lemme through!"), touch, shake/paw, "are you lying?!" (long story.. but it cues him to run to where the treats are kept), drop it, back up, "gentle" (when taking food)

What are you working on now?
not a thing \m/ i've been living several hours away from the dogs for the better part of two years, but i graduate in a couple weeks and will return home for most of my upcoming gap year. gonna be focusing largely on a new puppy though; the fam wants to get one this summer or fall, and i gotta make sure they don't mess the bugger up (my sister's pregnant with her first kid, so gotta ensure the puppy's got a good foundation!)

Got Vid?
hhaaaa barely ah. a couple old ones, like grimm crawling, krueger doing touch, & grimm doing touch

What got you started/interested in training?
welp, we got a puppy, and he needed to be trained. (came across an online diary when i was like 14. it chronicled a woman's mission to use positive reinforcement to raise her curly-coated retriever, pax. got me started, & sent me on to focus on behavior modification in psychology here)

edit -- oho, nearly forgot, gotta give credit to mastiffonlinecommunty.net too. i joined 7-8 years ago when we got the puppy, and the other members' experience was really invaluable! especially v (user "simplifyit") who's a super-seasoned trainer, great stuff

Last edited on Apr 24, 2014 22:04:16 by kneecap

Your boys are gorgeous @kneecap!

Dakonic

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April 24, 2014 22:15:25

Your boys are gorgeous @kneecap!

@dakonic aw thank you! they're such dorks

kneecap

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April 24, 2014 22:18:24

@dakonic aw thank you! they're such dorks

[b]Animals:[/b] Chloe (5 y/o Australian Cattle Dog) [b]Tricks they know:[/b][list] [*]Sit [br] [*]Down [br] [*]'Come Get It' (She runs up to you to get the treat) [br] [*]Stay [br] [*]Come [br] [*]Yuck (Refuse food you offer her) [br] [*]'Leave it' (You set food, toys, etc down in front of her, and she can't touch them until you specifically hand the item/food to her.) [br] [*]Shake Hands [br] [*]'Go to your room' (That's exactly how it sounds. Tell her that from anywhere in or out of the house, and she'll go to my room and lay on my bed.) [br] [*]'Speak' (Barks) [br] [*]'Get 'em' (Barks and wags tail) [br] [*]'Get the ball' (She gets a ball from wherever she hides them) [br] [*]'Find Momo' (She finds where our elusive cat is. I sear that feline creates spaces in the void and hides there!) [br] [*]'Back it up' (She backs up) [br] [*]'Arm' (She jumps upwards and rests her front paws on my arm and stays in that position until I tell her the release word.) [br] [*]'Off' (She gets off any furniture (XD or lap) that she's on) [br] [*]I've taught her to follow the cup and tell me which has the treat under it. I'm not sure what it's called. I just taught it to her on my own.[/list] [b]What are you working on now?[/b] For now, I'm just reinforcing tricks so that she doesn't grow lax. I'm not sure what else to teach her. Many of the tricks I did were taught to her on accident. [b]Got Vid?[/b] Sadly, no. I do have images of her though. [ [url=https://31.media.tumblr.com/adcecc9f5ee78442ac0882680c301269/tumblr_mwdpt3V4Cf1smk8lko6_1280.jpg]x[/url] ] [ [url=https://24.media.tumblr.com/08abc01b86bc78e586beb166616992c0/tumblr_mwdpt3V4Cf1smk8lko9_1280.jpg]x[/url] ] [ [url=https://24.media.tumblr.com/b4bea4035e9ccce31b8f855c48af4733/tumblr_mw4fnaqzmR1smk8lko2_1280.jpg]x[/url] ] [ [url=https://31.media.tumblr.com/3a801a82a589134f3019f03efd080995/tumblr_n4l5hsd7r91smk8lko1_400.png]x[/url] ] - I had a commission made of her =3 [b]What got you started/interested in training?[/b] When I first got Chloe (who was my first dog), it was simply obvious to me that she would need training. [b]Need help/tips/suggestion?[/b] It's okay to start off with treats as a reward, but don't rely on them. If you use them too often and too lavishly, they'll refuse to do the trick unless they see the food. Once in a while, make your pet do the trick without a treat. Then lavish them with praise.

Merlin

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April 25, 2014 05:05:40

Animals:
Chloe (5 y/o Australian Cattle Dog)

Tricks they know:

Sit
Down
'Come Get It' (She runs up to you to get the treat)
Stay
Come
Yuck (Refuse food you offer her)
'Leave it' (You set food, toys, etc down in front of her, and she can't touch them until you specifically hand the item/food to her.)
Shake Hands
'Go to your room' (That's exactly how it sounds. Tell her that from anywhere in or out of the house, and she'll go to my room and lay on my bed.)
'Speak' (Barks)
'Get 'em' (Barks and wags tail)
'Get the ball' (She gets a ball from wherever she hides them)
'Find Momo' (She finds where our elusive cat is. I sear that feline creates spaces in the void and hides there!)
'Back it up' (She backs up)
'Arm' (She jumps upwards and rests her front paws on my arm and stays in that position until I tell her the release word.)
'Off' (She gets off any furniture (XD or lap) that she's on)
I've taught her to follow the cup and tell me which has the treat under it. I'm not sure what it's called. I just taught it to her on my own.

What are you working on now?
For now, I'm just reinforcing tricks so that she doesn't grow lax. I'm not sure what else to teach her. Many of the tricks I did were taught to her on accident.

Got Vid?
Sadly, no. I do have images of her though.
[ x ] [ x ] [ x ]
[ x ] - I had a commission made of her =3

What got you started/interested in training?
When I first got Chloe (who was my first dog), it was simply obvious to me that she would need training.

Need help/tips/suggestion?
It's okay to start off with treats as a reward, but don't rely on them. If you use them too often and too lavishly, they'll refuse to do the trick unless they see the food. Once in a while, make your pet do the trick without a treat. Then lavish them with praise.

Animals:
Labrador retriever named Arco, 6 years old.
Tricks they know:
- Sit
- Lay down
- Stay
- Come here
- Go to your place
- Roll around
- Play dead
- Go find my shoe
- Go get it (As long as I point at it, he understand what to get)
- Sit up (Sits up on his back legs)
- Go around (goes in circles)
- Shake paw
- Close that door
- Kiss me

What are you working on now?
Nothing at the momemt. Not sure what to teach him, se we're just practicing old tricks.
Got Vid?
No :(
What got you started/interested in training?
Just getting a dog made me interested. I knew I had to teach him the basic like sit, go to your place etc. I loved it, so I taught him more. ;)
Need help/tips/suggestion?
Are any of your dogs overly excited about treats? My dog is, and he gets so frustrated when I'm trying to learn him new tricks and he don't understand. It sometimes makes it really hard to teach him stuff.

Tea

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April 25, 2014 05:38:19

Animals:
Labrador retriever named Arco, 6 years old.
Tricks they know:
- Sit
- Lay down
- Stay
- Come here
- Go to your place
- Roll around
- Play dead
- Go find my shoe
- Go get it (As long as I point at it, he understand what to get)
- Sit up (Sits up on his back legs)
- Go around (goes in circles)
- Shake paw
- Close that door
- Kiss me

What are you working on now?
Nothing at the momemt. Not sure what to teach him, se we're just practicing old tricks.
Got Vid?
No :(
What got you started/interested in training?
Just getting a dog made me interested. I knew I had to teach him the basic like sit, go to your place etc. I loved it, so I taught him more. ;)
Need help/tips/suggestion?
Are any of your dogs overly excited about treats? My dog is, and he gets so frustrated when I'm trying to learn him new tricks and he don't understand. It sometimes makes it really hard to teach him stuff.