Dog-dog reactivity

Patricia McConnell has an excellent duo of blog posts talking about reactive dogs.

Dog-Dog Reactivity: Treatment Summary
Dog-Dog Reactivity II - The Basics

The thinking dog

Though we may lament when Fido figures out how to open the door or get into the cat's food, a dog that thinks for themself is a wonderful dog to work with.

Let Your Dog Think, by Cathy Bruce, CPDT

Dog training: R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

Gillian Ridgeway provides excellent perspective on the role of respecting your dog.

Respectful dog training.

Dog training: Traditional vs operant training

This concise, straightforward article by Brenda Aloff talks about the substantial differences between the two training styles, and the resulting effects on dog and handler.

Traditional Training versus Operant Training: What IS the Difference>

Equine training: Trailer loading

Clicker training a 15 week old filly to trailer load, using a clicker.

Dog training: An open mind

In this wonderful blog article, Nicole Wilde, CPDT, reminds us that the most important training tool you can have is an open mind, and a willingness to listen.

"Purely Positive?" "Balanced?" Another Perspective

Training theory/bird training: Chicken clicker training notes

An introduction to positive reinforcement/clicker training, applied to training chickens, but the comprehensive coverage of training and learning theory is applicable to all animals.

Introductory Chicken Class Notes

Dog training: Obsessive barking

Article by Debi Davis detailing how she worked with her dog to reduce alert barking.

Retraining Manic Alert Barking

Dog training: Formal sits

An article detailing how to produce competitive obedience quality sits using food lures.

Competition-Quality Sits

Cat training: Skateboarding cat!

Does your cat want to take up a hobby? How about skateboarding! This great video shows (in real time) teaching Jazzmanda the cat to get on and ride a skateboard. By YouTube user CourteousCats.

Bird training: Biting

All about birds biting, and how to prevent and manage this behaviour, by Liz Wilson, CVT, CPBC.

Stop a Biting Bird

Dog training: Premack explained

A good video which outlines the theoretical and practical applications of the Premack Principle, by Eric Letendre (youtube user eletendre1).

Dog training: "The Rules of Love" video

This charming short film presents clicker training from a dog's perspective. 2^nd runner up in the Canis Film Festival, showcasing films featuring clicker training, sponsored by Karen Pryor.



Never fails to make me smile!

Dog training: the implications of punishment

Good, thorough article on the effects of positive punishment (adding something unpleasant in order to decrease the likelihood of a particular behaviour being repeated).

What are the Implications of Using Training Techniques Which Induce Fear or Pain in Dogs?

Cat training: Hang on, CAT training?!

One of the worst stereotypes cats were ever stuck with is the notion that they can't be trained! Lies! Cats can indeed be trained, and positive works best.

Joan Orr explains the basics of cat clicker training, and explains how to train several tricks. You must register to view the article, but registration is free.

Click and Laugh: Fun Cat Tricks!

Equine training: About clicker training and ground tying.

This excellent video by YouTube user Ksturg8929 is in response to some negative comments about clicker training horses, and talks about many of the common misconceptions that surround clicker training.

It also shows off ground tying, bridle-less riding and some amazing targeting.

Dog training: Head halters

Make no mistake, I'm a positive trainer. That does not mean, however, that I am a huge fan of head halters.

Here Suzanne Clothier (a trainer whom I have slightly mixed views about) argues against the use of head halters in most situations. An interesting (if undoubtedly controversial, among positive trainers) article.

The Problem With Head Halters

Dog training: "Dominance" among dogs

"Dominance" is a highly controversial topic in dog training, and is often used as a justification (or excuse) to use punitive training methods, and instigate some bizarre household rules.

In this article, Dr. Sophia Yin presents a comprehensive, compelling case against the way "dominance" is purported by certain popular TV personalities/"dog trainers".

The Dominance Controversy and Cesar Millan.


Here, Patricia McConnell, Ph.D CAAB (Certified Applied Animal Behaviourist) outlines what "dominance" is and isn't, and why it doesn't apply to such trivial things as who goes through doorways first. Look forward to a good discussion by her readers!

The Concept Formerly Described as "Dominance".

Photo: Take A Bow!!

Take A Bow!!
Originally uploaded by meg price

A photo by the fabulous meg price, with her handsom Border Collie "Barney" showing off.

The full photo description also tells about how she trained the behaviour.

Dog training: housebreaking issues

Two articles on house training your dog, the positive way!

Housesoiling, by Dr. Ian Dunbar.

House training, by Emily Larlham.

Photo: Clicker cheetah!

Just Click It
Originally uploaded by Cynr

Not only a beautiful cat, but I spy a clicker in the trainer's hand!

Working on posting photos showing off people's success with the clicker.

Small animal training: introduction to rabbit clicker training

A nice, straightforward article covering all the fundamentals of clicker training your rabbit, by Joan Orr and Teresa Lewin. In PDF format.

Clicker Training Your Rabbit

Dog training: take a bow

Training the dog to take a bow, featuring Honey the Great Dane, by youtube user hsinyicohen.



Wow, that's a big dog! Nice detailed explanation of how to teach and further develop the trick.

Small animal training: Rat walking through hoop

Posting this video (by youtube user ACDmom1) not only to show how to train a rat to walk through a hoop, but also to show an example of inconsistent criteria. Notice how after the rat successfully walks through the first time (with an oddly timed click), the trainer then goes back to rewarding mere interest in the hoop.

Training theory: Clicking with people

Clicker training is all about timing, and this article by Dr. Sophia Yin details a training exercise where zookeepers test their clicker training skills on each other!

Folsom Zookeepers Test Their Animal Training Skills.

Dog training: Premack principle

Good article by Casey Lomonaco about the importance of premack, and how NOT to use a clicker.

On Shoddy Clicker Training and the Importance of Premack

Dog training: Stays

Article on training difficult and long stays in highly distracting environments, by Debi Davis.

The Myriad of Workable Ways to Teach a Stay.

Dog training: Clicker bird dog

A great video series on how to train bird dogs using positive reinforcement and clicker training by the youtube user supernaturalbc2009.

Part one: taking, holding and delivering the bumper indoors. Also, basic finishes.



Part two: Staying while the bumper is thrown, calling the dog off the bumper, bumper thrown by a helper, shaping delivery. Moving outdoors, generalization to new locations. Field stays. Building drive via premacking. Retrieving from water. Phasing out food rewards.

Equine training: Overcoming fear of a particular place

Karen Pryor presents this great video on teaching a fearful, formerly abused mule to overcome his fear of the wash stall. Perfect example of shaping.

Bird training: Harness training

Great video on teaching your bird to accept wearing a harness by Barbara Heindenreich.

Dog training: Free shaping

Articles on free shaping:

"101 Things to Do with a Box", by Dr. Sophia Yin, Ask Dr. Yin.

"The Magic of Shaping", by Pamela Dennison, Pamela Dennison's Positive Motivation Dog Training.

Dog training: reliable recall

Some articles focusing on training a reliable recall in dogs:

"How to Teach Your Dog NOT to Come", by Nicole Wilde, Dog Star Daily.

"Total Recall", by Gillian Ridgeway, Dogs In Canada.

"Training a Steadfast Recall", by Melissa Alexander, Karen Pryor Clicker Training (free registration required).

About

Hi

This blog was created mostly for my own use, but if other people are interested that's cool. I aim to compile some of my favourite positive reinforcement animal training links here, organized by subject.

This came about because I couldn't find anything quite like it. There were lots of individual positive training sites, and some compendiums, but I couldn't find any way to easily locate links based on the material covered, i.e. if I wanted to find articles on reliable recall for dogs there was no easy way to find them. I'd just have to look through tonnes of disparate websites to locate them, rather then just being able to search by keywords.

My primary interest is in dog training, but I don't want to limit myself!