A primary reinforcer is a reinforcer that an animal is born needing such as food, water, shelter.
Clicker Training Blog
Training Levels
By Melissa Alexander on 11/28/2006Want to train your dog but not sure what behaviors to teach? A new Web site offers a brilliant solution.
"Click to Calm" Inspiration Passes
By Aaron B. Clayton on 11/28/2006Our condolences go out to Emma Parsons, author of Click to Calm, on the passing of her golden retriever, Ben, this past weekend. Ben was the catalyst for Emma's inspired and diligent work on dog aggression. The lessons Emma learned from her experience with Ben and other aggressive dogs, Emma captured in her writing and in her teaching...
The New Face of Click-L
By Melissa Alexander on 11/28/2006Click-L is the grandfather of all clicker training mailing lists. It was started in the mid-1990s by Kathleen Weaver, and has consistently been at the forefront of clicker lists since. Click-L has a new owner now, Kellie Snider, and its focus has evolved. Rather than being "just another general discussion list," the new Click-L focuses on the scientific side of clicker training.
Dealing with Aggression
By Melissa Alexander on 11/28/2006What do you do when two friends become mortal enemies? That's what happened to a poster on the Cat-Clicker mailing list recently. She had two cats, an aging female and a young male, who had been, well, if not friends then friendly cohabitants, until the older cat had surgery. Now for the last several months, the owner has had to keep the cats separated because trouble starts quickly if the two are together.
Puppy Testing for Service Dogs
By Melissa Alexander on 11/20/2006What can a prospective owner do to maximize his chance of selecting a puppy who will make a superb service dog candidate? That has been a lively topic of discussion on the OC-Assist-Dogs mailing list recently. Read on to see what they had to say.
China's Sad Policy
By Melissa Alexander on 11/20/2006Unfortunately, a new Chinese law limiting households to just one dog threatens the lives of many of these beloved pets. "Extra" dogs, unlicensed dogs, and dogs over a certain size are being slaughtered. In one province, authorities beat to death 55,000 dogs, many in front of their owners. In many areas, the dogs who remain must be under a certain size. In other areas, dogs are severely restricted in where they can go, not even allowed in parks.
Bark Magazine: Clicker Training in the Spotlight
By Miranda Hersey Helin on 11/16/2006The November 2006 issue of Bark magazine features a wonderful profile of Karen Pryor ("the maven of clicker training"). The piece is written by Boston writer Amy Sutherland, author of Kicked, Bitten, and Scratched. Bark magazine is a high-profile publication, and we're delighted to have the spotlight shine on clicker training—and Karen too!
