Unfortunately, a new Chinese law limiting households to just one dog threatens the lives of many of these beloved pets. "Extra" dogs, unlicensed dogs, and dogs over a certain size are being slaughtered. In one province, authorities beat to death 55,000 dogs, many in front of their owners. In many areas, the dogs who remain must be under a certain size. In other areas, dogs are severely restricted in where they can go, not even allowed in parks.
Clicker Digest
Training Alone
By Melissa Alexander on 11/02/2006Training classes have definite benefits. An instructor walks you through the process of getting the behavior you want, the class offers structure and motivation to keep training, and your classmates are available to act as extra hands or distractions. Unfortunately, not everyone has access to good training classes. So how can someone get the benefits of class without taking one? A recent thread on the ClickerSolutions mailing list brainstormed ideas for training alone.
Techniques for Calming Your Horse
By Melissa Alexander on 11/01/2006All horse owners know that a fearful or too-excited horse can be dangerous, or even deadly. Being able to calm your horse can be the difference between a safe, fun ride and a serious accident. Recently, the ClickRyder mailing list discussed techniques for calming a horse.
Lazy, bored, or ... ?
By Melissa Alexander on 10/26/2006A poster on the Cat-Clicker mailing list ran into a snag. Her six-month-old kitten had lost interest in training. She had previously taught him to come when called, sit on a stool, give a "high five" with his paw, and to stand on his hind legs, and she had worked a bit on jumping through a hoop. But recently he had just seemed to lose interest.
Knowing Your Animal
By Melissa Alexander on 10/26/2006I've been reading the posts on the Bird-Click mailing list. I'm not a bird trainer, per se, but I've participated in several Bailey chicken camps, and I've trained dogs and horses. So I joined the list feeling fairly confident that I had a good grasp of what I needed to know to train birds. Instead, I found that I needed to sit in the corner with a healthy helping of humble pie and spend some time getting to know my animal!
