Karen Pryor Clicker Training Blog

Clicker trained "wonder rats" save lives in Africa

Miranda Hersey Helin — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 22:37:35 -0500

In Mozambique, clicker trained rats save the day--and save lives. From Ireland's Corkman:

Landmines are a huge problem in Mozambique. The country's villages, farming land and roads are a patchwork of minefields, planted by both sides during the 16-year long civil war. The mines remain active, despite the fact that the war ended many years ago. They continue to kill and injure Mozambicans, preventing normal daily activities like farming and movement through the countryside.

Landmines are remarkably difficult to remove. Armored mine-clearance vehicles are only effective on level, smooth surfaces. Metal detectors locate any metal object, leading to numerous false alarms. Dogs are good at detecting the explosives in landmines, but they are heavy enough to trigger the landmines themselves, and they tend to get bored with the repetitive work.

The idea of using rats as mine detectors is brilliant. Rats have a highly developed sense of smell and are easy to tame and train, as my ten year old rat-owning daughter will tell you. They are small, cheap and easy to maintain and transport. They are very adaptable, living comfortably in all sorts of environments. And once they have been taught a task, rats love to perform repetitive tasks. They are more easily transferred between trainers compared to dogs, since for rats, the key motivating factor is the food reward rather than the social kudos of impressing their owner.

Read the whole article here.

Meet at the Training Frontier

KPCT — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Explore the training frontier and find out why so many people say ClickerExpo is the most valuable conference they have ever attended! Mark your calendars for ClickerExpo, 2009’s must-attend program for training professionals and enthusiasts.

Monkey business? Go fish!

Miranda Hersey Helin — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 22:50:32 -0500

Clicker trainers know that old dogs can learn new tricks. And so, apparently, can monkeys. From the Associated Press, as reported by LiveScience:

Long-tailed macaque monkeys have a reputation for knowing how to find food - whether it be grabbing fruit from jungle trees or snatching a banana from a startled tourist.

Now, researchers say they have discovered groups of the silver-haired monkeys in Indonesia that fish.

Groups of long-tailed macaques were observed four times over the past eight years scooping up small fish with their hands and eating them along rivers in East Kalimantan and North Sumatra provinces, according to researchers from The Nature Conservancy and the Great Ape Trust.

The species had been known to eat fruit and forage for crabs and insects, but never before fish from rivers.

"It's exciting that after such a long time you see new behavior," said Erik Meijaard, one of the authors of a study on fishing macaques that appeared in last month's International Journal of Primatology. "It's an indication of how little we know about the species."

Read the full article here.

When your dog attacks the Roomba, scold the machine

Miranda Hersey Helin — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:23:15 -0500

Dog and vacuum don't always get along. As reported on NPR's "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me,"the Wall Street Journal published an article on how to handle this particular domestic dilemma:

The trouble started when Mr. Hearn first turned on his Roomba automatic cleaner. When the device started scooting around the floor, Mr. Hearn's dog, Argos, attacked it.

Seeking help, Mr. Hearn found an online forum dedicated to the hundred-dollar Roomba buzzing with similar stories of pet assailants. Owners were offering advice. Among the most popular: Chastise the vacuum in front of the dog.

And so, with Argos looking on, Mr. Hearn shook his finger at his gadget and sternly called it "a bad Roomba." Argos appeared to be mollified. "After that, he never tried nipping at it again."

See the video or check out the full WSJ article for details. Then, prepare to put your Roomba in the time-out chair.

International Friends—and Chickens, too!

Tia Guest — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

I was both exhausted and exhilarated as I flew home from Sequim, WA. It was a feeling similar to the one I have at the end of ClickerExpo—as if I have just been "refueled" by all the positive energy of the people and the experience.

Dogs can detect ovarian cancer

Miranda Hersey Helin — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 21:28:58 -0500

Ovarian cancer has a high mortality rate, primarily due to late diagnosis. Important research published in the June issue of Integrative Cancer Therapies explores whether ovarian cancer has a scent different from other cancers and whether working dogs could be taught to distinguish it in its different stages.

Recent studies have shown that dogs have successfully detected cancer, but it wasn't clear whether the dogs were responding to the cancer itself or to other odors associated with the cancer. With this new research, the question was answered:

"[Researchers] found that the odor of ovarian cancer does seem to differ from those of other gynecological malignancies, such as cervical, or endometrial cancers, suggesting that a particular, distinguishable scent is associated with ovarian cancer. They additionally found that early-stage and low grade ovarian cancers emit the same scent as advanced tumors."

Karen Pryor Academy earns IIACAB endorsement

KPCT — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 10:49:27 -0500

Excellent news: The Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Program has earned the endorsement of the International Institute for Applied Companion Animal Behavior (IIACAB). Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partners who are or become members of IIACAB now qualify as having passed IIACAB's standards for the higher level professional endorsement for dog trainers. IIACAB endorsement provides enhanced benefits to the professional trainer.

Click to learn more about IIACAB or Karen Pryor Academy.

New on CBS: Greatest American Dog

Miranda Hersey Helin — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:13:34 -0500

We knew reality TV was going to the dogs, but now it's really lying down with the fleas. On July 10 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT, CBS will unveil its most canine reality series: Greatest American Dog. We learned about the show when its producers called us asking for "a bag" of 50 clickers and wrist coils, which we happily provided. From the CBS site:

Twelve extraordinary teams of dogs and owners from across the nation from "pageant dogs" to those simply trained at home, will live together and compete against each other in challenges that put the owners' ability to train their dogs to the test. Each week, the judges will eliminate one dog and their owner. The last remaining team will walk away with a $250,000 cash prize and the title of GREATEST AMERICAN DOG. Distinguished canine critics Wendy Diamond, Allan Reznik and Victoria Stilwell are the three judges with Jarod Miller hosting.

Visit the Great American Dog website for show info and video clips. Will our clickers feature predominantly on a future episode? Stay tuned!

Take your dog to work on Friday 6/20!

Miranda Hersey Helin — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:54:42 -0500

What could make the work day better than bringing your favorite friend along? First celebrated in 1999, Take Your Dog To Work Day (TYDTWD) was created to celebrate the great companions dogs make and to encourage their adoption from humane societies, animal shelters and breed rescue clubs. This annual event encourages employers to experience the value of pets in their workplace for this one special day to promote pet adoptions.

On June 20, 2008, businesses, animal shelters and pet-care professionals from around the world will work together to better the lives of shelter dogs everywhere. Thousands of businesses will open their doors to employees' pets on this day in celebration of the great companions dogs make.

More details available at Take Your Dog.

We're back from ClickerExpo Lexington 2008—check out the photos!

KPCT — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0500

We took over 1,000 photos at ClickerExpo Lexington. There was fun and excitement, learning and laughter, as well as an abundance of beautiful dogs.

Click here to see a small selection of what we saw.

Concerned about chemicals? Consider your pet too

Miranda Hersey Helin — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 16:51:56 -0500

Concern about chemicals in our environment—especially those inside our homes—is growing. From water bottles, baby bottles, and Teflon pans to cleaning chemicals, products that many of us rely on may be making us sick. This may be even more true for our beloved animals. Unfortunately, the US does not regulate the chemicals that pets are exposed to, including those used in manufacturing chew toys and pet accessories.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a nonprofit research and advocacy organization. Founded in 1993, EWG works to protect human health and natural resources. EWG's groundbreaking investigations into human body's toxic burden led to the creation of Pets for the Environment.

In a study released April 17, 2008, EWG reveals that pets are indeed carrying a toxic burden—one that is even higher than their human owners.

"In the first study of its kind, Environmental Working Group found that companion cats and dogs are polluted with even higher levels of many of the same synthetic industrial chemicals that researchers have recently found in people, including newborns.

"Dogs and cats were contaminated with 48 of 70 industrial chemicals tested, including 43 chemicals at levels higher than those typically found in people, according to our study of blood and urine from 20 dogs and 40 cats. Average levels of many chemicals were substantially higher in pets than is typical for people, with 2.4 times higher levels of stain-and grease-proof coatings (perfluorochemicals) in dogs, 23 times more fire retardants (PBDEs) in cats, and more than 5 times the amounts of mercury, compared to average levels in people found in national studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and EWG.

"Just as children ingest pollutants in tap water, play on lawns with pesticide residues, or breathe in an array of indoor air contaminants, so do their pets. But with there compressed lifespans, developing and aging seven or more times faster than children, pets also develop health problems much more rapidly. Pets, like infants and toddlers, have limited diets and play close to the floor, often licking the ground as well as their paws, greatly increasing both their exposures to chemicals and the resulting health risks."

Wondering how to protect your pets? Here's a list of tips to keep your pet healthy. You can also read EWG's press release or visit Pets for the Environment for more information.

Graduate of Karen Pryor Academy makes headlines

Miranda Hersey Helin — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:22:36 -0500

A member of the first graduating class of Karen Pryor Academy, Terri P. Tepper of Barrington, IL, was recently profiled in the Barrington Courier Review. Terri's training business is the Cultivated Canine, also located in Barrington, IL. An excerpt from the profile:

"Terri Tepper, a Barrington area resident for over 40 years, is a former teacher, published author and portrait photographer but recently shifted her attention to her love of dogs and is the only certified clicker method dog trainer in Illinois.

"Clicker training is a dog obedience course that stresses positive reinforcement and Tepper said the training is more fun for dogs and the animals are more receptive to learning."

To read the full article, click here. You can also learn more about Karen Pryor Academy or find a great dog trainer near you.

Rescue horse + clicker training = positive outcome

Miranda Hersey Helin — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 16:37:12 -0500

Karen Pryor was recently interviewed for an article posted at CinCHouse.com, a website for military women and wives. The article details how clicker training helped a traumatized rescue horse.

Blue had clearly been abused. The then-7-year-old Arab/Appaloosa/Percheron gelding was petrified of horse trailers. His owner, Lei Ryan, Army wife and former active duty officer, could tell her rescue horse had been traumatized in a trailer.

After clicker training:

Blue now not only willingly loads in a trailer, but also trusts Ryan to guide him through all kinds of situations that used to terrify him. The horse that used to shy away from human contact recently took part in a parade through downtown Leavenworth. "He's very much my buddy," she said. "He chooses to be with me. He chooses to do the things I do. He's very cooperative."

Once again, clicker training saves the day—and the horse. Read the full article here.

Watch a clicker-trained cat band on YouTube!

Miranda Hersey Helin — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:10:43 -0500

Samantha Martin has been clicker training animals for commercials and films for more than 15 years. One of her special projects is the Rockcats, an all-cat rock band. Now you can help boost these felines' star power!

Samantha writes: "Hey everyone, help the Rockcats get more exposure by clicking on their YouTube video. The more people that see them, the better chance they have at becoming a featured video. Help them get the numbers up by passing it on to all your friends! You don't even have to watch the whole video, to make your hit count. Thanks!"

If you want to learn more about Samantha and her Amazing Acro-Cats, read our profile: Herding Cats in Hollywood.

We're back from ClickerExpo LA 2008—check out the photos!

KPCT — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0600

We took over 1,000 photos at ClickerExpo Los Angeles. There was fun and excitement, learning and laughter, as well as an abundance of beautiful dogs.

Click here to see a small selection of what we saw.

Be sure to click "View slideshow" on the right, and then choose your picture size to get an automatic slideshow of all the pictures.

Student scholarships now available for Karen Pryor Academy

Aaron Clayton — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 15:07:23 -0600

If you've been waiting for scholarship money to be available for the professional Dog Trainer Program through Karen Pryor Academy, then here's some great news!

Seeing How to Teach Those Who Can't See

Aaron Clayton — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 15:05:03 -0600

How does a sightless person teach a guide dog to help locate a wall switch or crosswalk button or find an empty chair to sit in? Those were just three of the fascinating training puzzles worked through at ClickerExpo this year.

Clicker trained Acro-Cats on Chicago's WGN morning news!

Miranda Hersey Helin — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 08:18:08 -0600

Tune in! Friday, February 1, between 8:15 and 9:00 a.m., the Acro-Cats, along with special guest Wilbur the Groundhog, will be making a live appearance on Chicago's WGN morning news to promote their upcoming show at Mars Gallery on February 3.

Watch as a groundhog competes with the Acro-Cats in a display of various skills and tricks. As always, cats and live TV make for unique entertainment!

Some of you may remember clicker trainer Samantha Martin and the Acro-Cats from our profile: Herding Cats in Hollywood. Samantha has been clicker training animals for commercials and films for more than 15 years.

Music teacher breaks new ground with TAGteach

Miranda Hersey Helin — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 14:35:16 -0600

The following success story was posted to the TAGteach Yahoo Group:

I just wanted to say again how much I enjoyed your TAGteach seminar in Sanford last week. It has really changed not only how I view teaching music and training dogs, but how I view all human interactions.

The Acro-Cats' holiday special, live in Chicago December 9

Miranda Hersey Helin — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0600

Some of you may remember clicker trainer Samantha Martin from a profile we ran about her last year: Herding Cats in Hollywood. Samantha has been clicker training animals for commercials and films for more than 15 years.

Now Samantha and her Amazing Acro-Cats will be celebrating the holiday season with two special shows at the Mars Gallery, located at 1139 W Fulton Market in Chicago on Sunday, December 9 at 4:30 and 6:00 pm. Tickets are $10 and available at the door.

These fabulous felines will perform such festive feats as jumping through Christmas wreaths, pushing a sleigh, and many more amazing and entertaining tricks. There will be a special appearance by The Rockcats playing seasonal carols such as "Sandy Claws is Coming to Town" and "Oh Catnip Tree." This show will be an unusual twist on what has already proven to be an entertaining and one of a kind show for audiences of all ages. For further details, read more!