As reported today in the Boston Globe, Oscar the cat comforts the dying at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Providence, Rhode Island. Oscar provides more than your usual does of animal therapy: he curls up on the beds of those who are about to die, often before anyone else is aware that a particular patient's remaining hours are few. Oscar purrs deeply, providing comfort and beauty to a life's close.
Clicker Training Blog
ClickerExpo 2008: Registration Now Open!
By KPCT on 07/19/2007You can register for ClickerExpo 2008 now and save your place for what's sure to be the best season yet!
The program will be released by September, 2007. We've got lots of new advanced courses and topics planned, new faculty additions, and at least half the program will be completely new.
Three reasons to register right now for ClickerExpo 2008:
- No risk! We're confident you'll love the new program when it comes out, but if you don't -- cancel within 14 days of that date and you'll get 100% refund! No administrative fee.
- Favored Access Been left out before? Many sessions and learning Labs fill up quickly. You'll be the first group to view the new program and have quickest access to the session you want! Plus, registering now saves you valuable time later!
- Early Bird Savings Save $50 on standard registration
Clicker training cats as service animals...?
By Miranda Hersey Helin on 07/12/2007Thinking outside the canine box when it comes to service animals, from Newsday.com:
...Training a service cat can be more challenging than your average golden retriever. "Cats are a harder package to put together," Knowlton concedes. "You have to get one that's not afraid of anything, and who will listen. And she needs to be unobtrusive—if I bring Pushette to a restaurant, she needs to stay in her basket," which is attached to Knowlton's motorized wheelchair.
Read the full article Newsday.com here. You can also find lots of goodies on clicker training cats at this page.
Proof that miniature horses love clicker training
By Miranda Hersey Helin on 07/03/2007Clicker trainer Michele Pouliot sent us a highly amusing photo of her miniature horses.
Tamar Geller and Opportunities for Clicker Training Instructors
By Aidan Bindoff on 06/27/2007Recently, author of "The Loved Dog", Tamar Geller was featured on Oprah. Tamar Geller advocates a positive, hands-off approach to dog training using rewards rather than punishment to show the dog what is expected.
Geller has an enormous reach into the homes of the American public through shows and publications such as Oprah, 20/20, USA Today and The New York Times Magazine.
Thousands of people will be discovering the joys and advantages of a positive, hands-off approach to dog training - and apart from reading "The Loved Dog", where will they find it in their town?
Earn CEUs from Karen Pryor Academy!
By Tia Guest on 06/25/2007Great news! You can now earn CEUs for IAABC and CPDT by enrolling in the Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Program! Along with all the other benefits — a great education, business training, marketing support and more — you can add CEUs (22 for CPDT and 20 for IAABC)!
Learn more about Karen Pryor Academy:
Pet Strollers: Good idea? Bad idea?
By Bill Peña on 06/19/2007I came across this today and was dumbfounded. Strollers, like baby strollers, for dogs and cats up to 165 lbs. I'm not sure whether this is a great idea, or a really terrible idea. What do you think?
Survey Reveals Hidden Reason Behind Cat Urine Marking
By Aidan Bindoff on 06/08/2007Veterinarian and cat specialist Dr Kim Kendall has recently conducted a survey of cat owners around Sydney, Australia to try to determine reasons why cats might urinate inside the house.
Her findings support a hypothesis that cats who are "bullied" by other neighbourhood cats, or struggling to maintain a territory, will "mark" their territory with urine in a desperate attempt to claim it. Another consideration is that stress can prevent the bladder from filling, causing more frequent urination.
