Over $500 in cash prizes and a video contract await the producers of top videos that showcase innovative and informative animal training featuring positive training methods. Everyone can qualify for entry, provided that each demonstrated trick or feat is achieved through force-free training methods, and submissions can feature any species.
Cats
Chase the Dot: The Ultimate Cat Sport
By Karen Pryor on 02/01/2010Pet stores sell lots of interactive cat toys you can use to amuse your cat: feathers on springs, battery-operated mice, and so on. We sell a few toys of our own, too—the Kong Swizzle Bird Cat Toy, the Kitty Lure Caster, and the Cat Dancer. One of the best toys in the world for most cats, however, is the laser pointer, which you can get from any office supply store.
How to Train a Deaf Cat to Come Inside for Medication
By Jules Nye on 11/01/2009Recently I had a client call about her deaf cat. She wanted to train him to come inside when she called because he needed medication in the morning and evening. Giving the meds in the morning was no sweat, simply because he was in the house and "catchable." Giving the evening meds was an absolute nightmare.
Podcast: Click vs. Voice—an excerpt from ClickerExpo, a preview of Reaching the Animal Mind
By Karen Pryor on 04/01/2009This month's podcast is an excerpt from Karen Pryor's lecture Neuroscience and Clicker Training presented at this year's ClickerExpo. During the lecture Karen addresses many topics that she writes about in her new book Reaching the Animal Mind. One of the more popular topics, Click vs. Voice, is addressed in this podcast. Listen to the podcast to hear Karen present her research and results on this topic.
During the podcast Karen references the article by Lindsay Wood, Clicker Bridging Stimulus Efficacy. Click on the title of the article to read an abstract, or to link to the full article.
It's a Clicker Win-Win: Shelter Animals and their Volunteers
By Lynn Loar on 03/01/2009If you've ever had a rewarding experience volunteering, you know that it's not always clear who benefits more: the person donating their time and services, or the recipient. This is especially true when working with animals. That win-win scenario is exemplified in The Latham Letter article "A New Wrinkle in Animal-Assisted Therapy," written by Lynn Loar, Ph.D., LCSW, President, The Pryor Foundation and Ken White, President, Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA.