If you have a new puppy, or are planning to get a puppy, you may have heard about "socialization." It's been established that pups are more likely to grow into stable, well-adjusted dogs if they experience a wide variety of new things at a very early age.
Shaping and Targeting
Stepping on the Food: A Memo from Karen
By Karen Pryor on 02/19/2008You're training "leave it." You drop a bit of food, the dog lunges toward it, and you cover it with your foot. Are you just managing the environment, or is this negative punishment, taking away something desired?
What is Microshaping, Anyway?
By Kay Laurence on 01/08/2008This month I'm welcoming a guest author to the Letter from Karen, British clicker training innovator Kay Laurence. Please enjoy this wonderful discussion of what Kay has dubbed "microshaping."—Karen Pryor
How Shaping Develops Learning
By Kay Laurence on 11/01/2007Free shaping sessions give us a window into the thought process of learners. We can see how learners make choices toward solutions, and we can see when they have run out of ideas.
The Sea Food Circus: Training Fish
By Karen Pryor on 11/01/2007Are fish trainable? And if they are, why bother?