From Nancy Lyon, Upper Valley Humane Society: For those who might encounter resistance introducing the clicker to their shelters, how about selling clicking as a method used to communicate and not call it a "training" method. We all want to get our shelter dogs to repeat good behaviors and stop repeating bad behaviors. In the shelter environment most of the dogs have a wide array of "bad" behaviors; most are the result of no self-control.
Just for Shelters
Tell Us About Your Shelter Experience!
By KPCT on 11/06/2002"We have been clicking around here for some time, but we are doing it more than ever now. We have decided to do more work in the kennels, despite the noise and confusion, and have had far better results than anticipated in just one week. We are planning to put together a video for you shortly with BEFORE and AFTER footage, since I think we will be able to show dramatic improvements in front-of-kennel behavior."
Sarah Babcock, Director of Education and Training, Richmond SPCA.
Clicking with Cats in the Shelter Environment
By Karen Pryor on 10/01/2002With cats we need not use the clicker to 'train' the cat in the traditional sense; we can use it to enrich the cat's environment, to give it some control over its world, and if possible to widen its own perceptions of that world. We are communicating to the cat so the cat can learn healthy ways to communicate back.
Online Discussion with Karen Pryor: Clicker Training in the Shelter Environment II
By KPCT on 09/19/2002Hi, everyone. Welcome again to our members from the first Discussion, and to our new members, thanks for joining us. Today we'll be continuing to talk about clicker training in the shelter environment. Since last time, I've visited and given clicker introduction workshops at several more shelters in New England, and I've had the pleasure of seeing how quickly a shelter can get involved. It doesn't require everyone's participation, just a few, to get things rolling. A handful of volunteers, and maybe one or two interested staff members, is enough to get those kennels quieted down, and start dogs and cats, and other people, learning to learn.
Online Shelter Discussion a Big Hit
By Karen Pryor on 09/01/2002Our first on-line discussion, "Clicker Training in the Shelter Environment," was a smash hit. Great questions, great solutions, great new ideas-and participation from all over the world.
