Clicker Training Your Small Pet

Agility bunnies and high-fiving guinea pigs

Clicker training small pets is a rewarding experience for animal and owner both. Rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, rats and other small pets are entirely trainable. Clicker training can help develop positive behavior, as well as a bond between human and animal. Joan Orr's article on clicker training small pets, as published in fall 2005 issue of PETS magazine, is available online as a PDF.

Joan Orr is the producer of the popular Clicker Puppy DVD and a member of the ClickerExpo faculty. She is a pioneer in the field of clicker training rabbits. Joan is working on a new book, Clicker Training Rabbits, to be published in early 2006.

Joan Orr is a scientist with 20 years of experience in the application of scientific principles to study design and data interpretation. She holds a bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry from the University of Waterloo and a master's degree in biochemistry from MacMaster University. She operates a private consulting practice in the fields of human health and environmental risk assessment.

Joan has trained dogs using positive reinforcement methods for more than 10 years and more recently has instructed others in clicker training techniques. She has worked with animal behaviorists and has used clicker training methods with pet dogs and puppies, problem dogs, shelter dogs and service dogs.

Joan works with experts Theresa McKeon and Karen Pryor to develop methods for using clicker training with child athletes. This crossover to human training using the clicker is called TAGteach, and Joan is active in the promotion and development of this new method.

In addition she is active in dog bite prevention and has given many seminars on this topic. Joan is the president and cofounder of Doggone Safe. She is the co-inventor, along with animal behaviorist Teresa Lewin, of the family fun board game Doggone Crazy!, a game that teaches children to read dog body language and act safely around dogs. Joan has been nominated for the Dog Training Excellence and the Education 2005 Award by the International Association of Positive Dog Training Assciation. She lives in Campbellville, a small village in Southern Ontario, with her husband, Dave, two daughters, two cats, two bunnies, and Josie the foster poodle.

To read "Clicker Training Your Small Pet," click here.

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