The Association for Behavior Analysis (ABA), the organization for the "parent" science of clicker training, held its annual meeting this year in Boston, where I live. There were over 3,000 attendees, a 200-page program, and hundreds of papers, speeches, panels, symposia, and gatherings. This year was the 100th anniversary of B.F. Skinner's birth, and many special events were held to honor the occasion.
Dogs
Clicker Trainers Garner Honor and Awards at ABMA (Animal Behavior Management Alliance)
By KPCT on 06/01/2004At the recent American Behavior Management Alliance conference, Karen Pryor delivered the keynote address on the history of clicker training, from its roots in B.F. Skinner's lab, to its practical applications, first in the hands of dolphin trainers up to the present day, and the remarkable advances achieved by dog and horse trainers, in the zoos and aquariums, and soon, on the fields of youth sports.
ClickerExpo is Back!
By Karen Pryor on 06/01/2004Many people last year were surprised to find that there is much more to clicker training than they had supposed. This year we are taking it to a new level. We listened to your comments and requests, and I think you'll be thrilled with the new program, with four simultaneous tracks instead of three. Here's your chance to catch what you missed the first time around, and a lot of new programs as well.
The Phoebe Chronicles IX: Teaching Teenagers Manners
By Gale Pryor on 06/01/2004I've been fairly relaxed about letting Phoebe play at the park with any dog who comes along, confident in her ability to assess and respond appropriately. If she is able to tell another dog to back off, so much the better. I can bird watch and daydream while Phoebe manages the canine situation. Lately, however, her communication with a dog here and there, always some unknown, over-enthusiastic teenager, moves swiftly from merely a raised lip to raised hackles, fierce snarls, and bared-teeth snaps. "Dammit, you dope," I imagine her saying, "don't you speak DOG?!"
Beyond the Target Stick
By Karen Pryor on 06/01/2004Q: I have started target stick training with my 4-year-old lab, Carter. He is very quick to learn and really enjoys it. I've gotten him to touch the stick in many situations, and have shortened the stick, but he still wants to touch the end of the stick when I say "target." Where do I go from here? How do I teach him to touch objects and not the stick each time? I would like to teach him to maybe turn lights on and off or something challenging and interesting. He learns so quickly he needs a constant challenge. Any suggestions?
