The holiday season is upon us, and we are prepared with lots of items that make great gifts, big and small. Our new clicker training stocking stuffers section has all sorts of toys, clickers, gift certificates and more to get you started.
Clicker Training Blog
Taming the wild in mustangs, with clicker training
By Miranda Hersey Helin on 11/22/2005Robert Denlinger of Kentucky utilizes imaginative and low key approaches in dealing with ungentled and troubled horses. When working with mustangs, he employs participant involvement and his "human round pen" is a popular activity at the workshops.
When training, Denlinger uses a clicker to signal to the horse. "When she hears a click, she knows exactly at that point in time that she did exactly what I wanted. I will then unobtrusively give her the reward, which in this case is some alfalfa hay because she likes that."
Denlinger stressed that he only uses food as a reward. "We're not bribing her. I'm getting as close as I can to that little wild horse and saying (by making the click-click sound) because you allowed me to get in close, here's your food."
Denlinger said he does the exact movement to her maybe 100 times and the horse then knows it is safe to get the food. Patience in the pen is a virtue to gaining trust with a wild animal.
Zoo Uses Chickens To Train Trainers
By Bill Peña on 11/18/2005"Because of their lack of intelligence, they respond to exactly what you ask them to do," zoo trainer Colleen Baird said. "It teaches our keepers how to concentrate on the three elements of training, (including) timing, criteria and rate of reinforcement."
Clicker training business hit the ground running after Expo
By Bill Peña on 11/17/2005KPCT President Aaron Clayton's "Growing Your Business" session at ClickerExpo gave many trainers much food for thought. By exploring the challenges and opportunities facing professional clicker trainers, Aaron stirred the minds and hearts of trainers looking to build and grow successful businesses.
ClickerExpo Minneapolis best reviewed yet!
By Bill Peña on 11/14/2005We just got back from ClickerExpo Minneapolis, where we were received by a very enthusiastic and friendly community of clicker trainers. It was three days of learning and fun, and the reviews tell us that we're on the right track. Learning Labs were very popular and well regarded, and the variety and depth of the lectures was lauded by every attendee. Over half (56%) rated ClickerExpo a "Wow!" experience! Take a look at some of the comments coming from the most recent ClickerExpo conference: ClickerExpo reviews.
Clicker trainers meet up for local support
By Bill Peña on 11/11/2005I think ad hoc meetups like this are fantastic, they are future of community organizing. Nan Arthur of Whole Dog Training in San Diego wrote to tell us about DogBeGood : San Diego Dog Behavior Support Group which will be having a "live" gathering in the San Diego area on November 13. If you're in the area, check them out!
Our own Emma Parsons--Click to Calm in the press
By Miranda Hersey Helin on 11/10/2005From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review online: When Massachusetts dog trainer Emma Parsons taught a not-so-old dog a new trick, she learned a big lesson herself. It eventually led to a training method that teaches aggressive dogs how to calm down, a book on the subject, and workshops such as one she will lead this weekend in Oakmont. The workshop is Parsons' first appearance in this area and is one of a growing number of workshops she has been doing since her book, Click to Calm, came out in December.
Don't miss Attila & Fly at ClickerExpo Newport!
By Miranda Hersey Helin on 11/03/2005In his day job Hungarian Attila Szkukalek is a biochemist in Norwich, England. In his private life he's a husband, father, and dog training instructor. To the rest of us, Attila with his dog, Fly, is the best freestyle trainer and performer on the planet—and a powerful ambassador for reinforcement-based training.
