Some of Irith's articles also appear below. Click any of the titles below to see the entire article (click the title again to hide the article). You can also use the "show all" and "hide all" buttons to show or hide all of the articles.
Happy reading!
Catch your pet doing something good
One hallmark of trainers who use clicker training and other positive training (technically "positive-reinforcement training") is that they focus on what they want their pets to do, rather than what they don't want their pets to do. This approach is incredibly effective. By simply ignoring behaviors you don't really like, and rewarding the ones you do, you can completely transform your pet's manners. Unfortunately, this is somewhat easier said than done.
Most humans have spent years learning to look for, and point out, mistakes around them. To be a truly positive trainer, one must transform one's thinking. Start by focusing on the good around you, rather than the bad. It takes a little practice, but it gets easier over time, and you're likely to find it makes you a happier person, too.
So how does this apply to pets? Many of our pets crave attention, and they've learned that some of the best ways to get attention include "undesirable" behaviors, such as scratching the couch, chewing on your shoes, and jumping up on you. Since we tend to focus on what's wrong, these behaviors get them what they want – our undivided attention (and remember, even negative attention is better than being ignored in the eyes of most pets).
It's time to change the picture for your pet. The next time you are sitting quietly at home and reading a book, while your cat purrs on the couch next to you, or your dog lies quietly at your feet, take a moment to notice and reward that desirable behavior by praising or petting your pet – or even surprise your pet with a treat (or pull out your pet's favorite toy). This teaches your pet that being quiet and calm around you can be very rewarding.
If, on the other hand, your pet does something you don't like (e.g., jumps into your lap, knocks the book from your hand, etc.) simply move aside to dislodge your pet, or get up and sit elsewhere, all without saying a word to your pet. Don't even make eye contact (since that would be attention).
Follow these suggestions, and you'll find that some of your pet's nuisance behaviors begin to decrease and even disappear. This happens because you are teaching your pet that the behaviors you like get attention, while nuisance behaviors achieve nothing.
So go out there and catch your pet in the act of doing something good. It may seem counter-intuitive, but it's sure to improve your relationship with your pet and make your home a happier place.
Have a happy and safe 4th of July with your pets
The 4th of July can be a lot of fun for you and your family – including your pets – but certain aspects of the holiday can put your pets under stress. The dangers of the holiday include over-exuberant guests, dehydration and sunburn (highs in the L.A. area may hit the 90s), overly rich food, toxic items such as matches and lighter fluid, and the noise from fireworks.
Here are six tips to ensure that you and your pets have a happy and safe holiday.
1. Make sure your pet is comfortable with the level of attention he or she is getting from your guests. Children, in particular, can overwhelm a shy pet. Bear in mind that many animals don't like to be hugged or held by strangers, so keep an eye out and be prepared to step in and protect your pet if necessary.
2. Give your pet lots of water, especially if you are spending time outdoors. Most animals get dehydrated much faster than humans. Also watch for signs of overheating. Since many pets have fur all over their bodies, they aren't able to release excess heat as effectively as we are.
3. Consider putting sunscreen on your pet. Some areas that sunburn fairly easily are the belly and ears of light-colored pets, as well as the noses of pink-nosed pets. Make sure the sunscreen you choose is non-toxic, PABA-free, and unscented, since pets have sensitive skin and may also try to lick the sunscreen off. Sunscreens formulated especially for pets are available.
4. Avoid giving your pet human food – or at least keep the human food to a minimum. Rich human foods like those at barbecues can give your pet an upset tummy, and that can put a real crimp in your 4th of July celebration. The same applies to alcoholic beverages.
5. Keep matches, lighter fluid, charcoal, and the like out of your pet's reach. If you find your pet has eaten anything inappropriate or dangerous, consult a veterinarian immediately.
6. Many pets find the sound, vibrations, and flashes from fireworks extremely frightening. Make sure your pet is either on leash with you, in a crate, or otherwise secured when the fireworks start. If you have not been through a 4th of July holiday with your pet before, it's best to either stay home with your pet or get a pet sitter to keep your pet company. Many a family has come home from watching fireworks to find that the pet they left home alone has somehow managed to escape and is nowhere to be found.
Here are a few things that can help make the fireworks less stressful for your pet:
i. Rescue Remedy™ is a safe, and often highly effective, herbal stress reliever for many different kinds of pets.
iv. Thundershirts™ and Anxiety Wraps are quite helpful for some noise-phobic dogs (some people find simply putting a tight t-shirt on their dog works, too).
v. DAP (Dog Appeasement Pheromone) also has a calming effect on some dogs.
vi. Melatonin can also reduce the stress of dogs who suffer from noise phobia.
Your veterinarian can also prescribe medication for pets who suffer from extreme anxiety during fireworks.
One final note: Feel free to comfort your pet if he or she seems distressed during the fireworks. Contrary to popular belief, this does not make the fear worse, and it has the potential to make your pet feel better.
Special thanks to Nan Arthur, San Diego Pet Behavior and Training Examiner, who introduced me to Calming Collars.
Adopting a pet in L.A. (Part 1: Shelters)
There are many options for adding an animal to your household, including purchasing from a responsible breeder, getting an animal from a rescue organization, and adopting from a local shelter. Over the next few weeks, this column will offer information on each of the above options, as well as an overview of how to select the right animal for your home. (Note: I do not recommend buying an animal from a pet store, because animals in pet stores usually come from puppy mills or other inhumane breeding operations, regardless of what the staff at the store may claim. The best way to put puppy mills out of business is to deprive them of their profits.)
If you really want to save a life, the best thing you can do is adopt from a shelter. Animals in shelters are living on borrowed time. Many of them are euthanized despite being completely adoptable because shelters simply don't have the resources to care for them all. When you get an animal from a shelter, you both give that animal a second chance and donate money to a system that is generally underfunded.
Shelters in Los Angeles house a wide variety of animals, ranging from dogs and cats to rabbits, chickens, horses, and more. You can check a shelter‘s online database to see what animals are available for adoption. These databases are not updated continuously, so if there is a particular animal that interests you, you may want to call ahead to make sure the animal is still at the shelter and is not on hold.
If you choose to adopt an animal from a shelter, be aware that you will most likely have to assess for yourself whether or not a particular animal is suitable for your home - unless you hire an expert to accompany you, of course. Watching how the animal behaves can be helpful, but an animal's behavior can be quite out of character in a stressful shelter environment, so take what you observe with a grain of salt. Spend a little time asking the staff and volunteers at the shelter about the animals that interest you. Note any written or verbal comments that imply the animal is unsuitable for certain types of homes. Most importantly, don't choose an animal based entirely on looks, especially if that animal’s personality makes him or her a bad fit for your household.
It's usually possible to meet animals outside of their cages. Don’t be shy about asking a volunteer or staff member to bring an animal to the shelter's "meet and greet" area. In most cases, the volunteer or staff member will stay with you and the animal to ensure everyone's safety, as well as to help you decide if a particular animal is right for you. You can also use this opportunity to ask about the shelter's adoption procedures.
If you visit a shelter and see an animal you like, but are not sure about taking him or her home yet, ask how soon the animal is scheduled to be euthanized and whether you can put a hold on the animal while you think things over. An animal that has not been placed on hold can be moved to another shelter, euthanized, or adopted by someone else at any time. Not all shelters allow you to put a hold on animals, and in some cases (such as with litters of kittens or puppies), the animal you want may not be available until a certain date, at which point there may be competition from other potential adopters. Some shelters even encourage bidding for particularly popular animals. If you are interested in an animal, be sure to get all the information you need to ensure you will be able to adopt that animal.
The Los Angeles area has many shelters, including several in the county shelter system and a variety of municipal shelters, as well as non-governmental shelters. The county shelter system has shelters in Agoura, Baldwin Park, Carson, Castaic, Downey, and Lancaster. For more information on these shelters, as well as an online database of adoptable animals, visit the L.A. Country Department of Animal Care and Control online.
The Los Angeles area is so vast that it's difficult to make a comprehensive list of shelters in the area. If this article does not list a shelter near you, I encourage you to search online for other options.
The next installment of this series will address adopting from a rescue organization.
NOTE: It's sometimes difficult to tell if a shelter is run by the government or not, so please excuse any misattributions.
Adopting a pet in L.A. (Part 2: Rescues)
There are many options for adding an animal to your household, including purchasing from a responsible breeder, getting an animal from a rescue organization, and adopting from a local shelter. This article is part of a series providing information on each of the above options, as well as an overview of how to select the right animal for your home. (Note: I do not recommend buying an animal from a pet store as animals in pet stores are basically guaranteed to come from puppy mills or other inhumane breeding operations, regardless of what the staff at the store may claim. The best way to put animal mills out of business is to deprive them of profits.)
Today's topic is adopting from a breeder.
The first article in this series discussed adopting an animal from a shelter. Today's topic is adopting from a rescue organization.
There are dozens of animal rescue organizations in the Los Angeles area. They range from small rescue organizations run by just one or two people (such as Pup Squad Rescue) to rescue organizations with a full board of directors and a facility housing animals (such as The Amanda Foundation). Some rescue organizations keep animals on their own property until they are ready for adoption (such as Dude's Ranch Equine Rescue Center and BunnyLuv Rabbit Resource Center), while others put each animal in a foster home (such as Border Collie Rescue of California). And don't forget we live in Tinseltown -- some rescue organizations, such as Much Love Animal Rescue have honorary boards with a large number of celebrities who donate their time and money to help raise awareness and save animals.
Different rescue organizations have different missions. Perfect Pet Rescue, for example, mostly pulls small dogs from Los Angeles area shelters. Golden Retriever rescue (there are two: Golden Retriever Club of Greater Los Angeles Rescue and Southern California Golden Retriever Rescue) specializes in Golden Retrievers. Some rescue organizations get most or all of their animals from shelters, while others take in animals from the public and even pick up strays. Whatever it is you want, there is most likely a rescue organization that provides it. Take some time to search online or ask other rescue organizations if there is a rescue in the area that specializes in what you are looking for.
Rescue organizations, especially those that have brick & mortar facilities, may seem indistinguishable from shelters, but they tend to operate quite differently. For one thing, rescue organizations are usually 501(c)(3) entities, which means they do not operate to make a profit, and the money you give them is technically a donation (which may be tax-deductible, depending on your circumstances).
In addition, most rescue organizations have a rather extensive application process, and reserve the right to reject any applicant. Just about anyone who can pay the requisite fees can adopt an animal from a municipal or county shelter, but rescue organizations almost always look into your ability to care for an animal, as well as whether the animal you have chosen is likely to be a good fit. Some rescue organizations merely have an application form that they use to help them make a better determination, while others do extensive adoption counseling and even visit your home to make sure the animal you have selected is a good fit.
Finally, many rescue organizations require that you return animals adopted from them to the rescue organization in the event your circumstances change (for example, if you need to relocate to a home that does not allow pets). This helps the rescue organization ensure the animal is rehomed appropriately. Shelters have no such restrictions.
Some people find the application process and contracts used by rescue organizations intrusive, and the financial outlay is often higher, but there are many benefits to outweigh those costs. For example, rescue organizations are generally able to give you much more information about the animal you are considering. Rescue organizations are almost always less overcrowded than shelters, so they have the time and staff to give each animal individual attention. What's more, since many rescue organizations place animals in foster homes before they are adopted, a rescue organization may actually be able to tell you a great deal about the animal (for example, whether the animal is good with other animals, litter trained, safe around children, etc.), which is almost never the case with a shelter.
This article lists only a small fraction of the rescue organizations serving the greater Los Angeles area. A simple online search will yield the names of many more rescue organizations. Two other good resources for finding an animal that suits your needs are Petfinder and Adopt a Pet, both of which collect information from both rescue organizations and shelters and allow you to search by type of animal, geographic area, breed, size, and more.
The next installment of this series will address adopting from a reputable breeder.
Adopting a pet in L.A. (Part 3: Breeders)
There are many options for adding an animal to your household, including purchasing from a responsible breeder, getting an animal from a rescue organization, and adopting from a local shelter. This article is part of a series providing information on each of the above options, as well as an overview of how to select the right animal for your home. (Note: I do not recommend buying an animal from a pet store as animals in pet stores are basically guaranteed to come from puppy mills or other inhumane breeding operations, regardless of what the staff at the store may claim. The best way to put animal mills out of business is to deprive them of profits.)
In the last two installments of this article, which covered adopting from shelters and rescue organizations, there were links to many different shelters and rescue organizations. This installment, which focuses on breeders, does not contain many links. Instead, it provides some tools to help you decide whether a given breeder is likely to provide you with a healthy pet that is suitable for your home.
Below is a list of criteria to help ensure that you are buying an animal from a responsible breeder.
A responsible breeder:
• Treats animals humanely.
• Waits until animals are fully grown before breeding them.
• Thoroughly understands the genetics (and common genetic defects) of the animals he or she is breeding.
• Performs appropriate medical tests on both parent animals to avoid passing on genetic defects whenever possible.
• Breeds with the intention of improving the line of animals being bred.
• Does not breed animals in back-to-back heats.
• Has both the parents and offspring cared for by a veterinarian.
• Interviews and/or provides a detailed questionnaire to prospective buyers.
• Turns down buyers who are not good prospective homes.
• Carefully matches animals with buyers based on temperament, activity needs, etc., rather than allowing buyers to choose solely based on superficial criteria such as color.
• On request, provides prospective buyers with contact information for previous buyers (who have agreed to share their information for this purpose).
• Allows prospective buyers to visit the breeding operation and meet both parents (in some cases, the stud animal lives elsewhere so you can only meet the dam; in that case, the breeder should be willing to provide contact information for the stud's owner)
• Does not allow animals to go home with buyers until they are an appropriate age.*
• Keeps in touch with buyers throughout the animal's life.
• Will take back any animal he or she bred, at any point in its life, if the buyer decides to give it up.
• Never allows the animals he or she has bred to be sold in pet stores.
* Here are appropriate ages for a few species: Kittens should be at least 7 weeks old before they are taken away from their mothers. Puppies should be about 8 to 10 weeks old. Gerbils should be at least five weeks old, and are best adopted at about 8 to 10 weeks old. Foals are generally about one year old when first sold. Even Iguanas should be a few weeks old before being separated from their mothers, since they acquire important immunity by living in close contact with adults during that period. To determine appropriate ages for other species, consult an expert or do your own research on the topic.
If the breeder you are considering does not meet all of the criteria listed above, I recommend that you look for a different breeder.
Puppy mills, kitten mills, and even Premarin (a.k.a. PMU) horse farms often masquerade as responsible breeders. This is easier in the Internet age, since an animal mill can choose a very pleasant sounding name, "borrow" or buy photographs of happy animals, and create a very appealing, if fictional, image of a veritable animal haven. There is no substitute for seeing a facility in person. If a breeder makes excuses as to why you (or someone acting as your agent) cannot visit, I recommend that you find another breeder.
Also, if you are considering a breeder who sells registered, purebred animals, make sure to call the organization that registers the animals to make sure the breeder is legitimate. Papers can be faked.
The bottom line is that the best way to ensure you are buying your animal from a responsible breeder is to do your research. Buying an animal from a fly-by-night breeder or pet store may cost less (though even that's not always true), but the animal is much more likely to have a poor temperament or behavioral problems, and may wind up costing you thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills due to genetic defects or early malnutrition.
If you find the list of criteria above daunting, ask a pet professional to help you find a responsible breeder. Most animal trainers are happy to help clients (or prospective clients) select the right pet.
One final note: Remember that pet stores will often lie and tell you the animals in their store are from "legitimate breeders." Regardless of how convincing - or convinced - the staff are, animals in pets stores do not come from reputable breeders, by definition. As mentioned above, a responsible breeder would never sell animals through a pet store.
The next installment of this series will address choosing the right pet for your family.
Adopting a pet in L.A. (Part 4: The Right Pet)
There are many options for adding a pet to your household, including purchasing from a responsible breeder, getting a pet from a rescue organization, and adopting from a local shelter. This article is part of a series providing information on each of the above options, as well as an overview of how to select the right pet for your home/family. (Note: I do not recommend buying an animal from a pet store as animals in pet stores are basically guaranteed to come from puppy mills or other inhumane breeding operations, regardless of what the staff at the store may claim. The best way to put animal mills out of business is to deprive them of profits.)
Today's topic is selecting the right pet for your home.
The last three installments of this article discussed different ways to get a pet. This installment discusses how to select a pet that will fit in well with your family and your home.
The key to picking the right pet for your home is understanding both the needs of your family and the needs of the type of pet you are considering. Many people who want a pet have a specific type of pet in mind, but the reality of a given type of pet is often different from what the media shows us. Assess what your home is able to provide for a pet, and then take the time to research the type of animal you are considering.
Here are some questions that may help you make the right decision:
What kind of pet do you need?
1. What kinds of animals are allowed where you live? Be sure to check federal, state, and local laws, as well as any applicable community regulations. Ferrets, for example, are outlawed in many states.
2. Why exactly do you want a pet? What do you expect from life with a pet?
3. Do you want a pet that lives in your home, out in your yard, or in a remote location (such as a rented stable)?
4. Does everyone in the family agree on the same type of pet? If not, why not?
5. How much time do you and your family have for a pet?
6. How much attention, exercise, and interaction can you and your family give a pet?
7. How much time do you and your family have to train a pet?
8. Does anyone in your family have allergies or phobias about a certain type of animal?
What does the pet need?
1. How much money will it cost to maintain this pet, in terms of food, equipment, etc.?
2. Can you afford routine veterinary care for this type or breed of animal, and are you prepared for other veterinary bills? It's a good idea to research common ailments in the type or breed of animal you select so you know what to expect.
3. What physical and mental needs does the animal have? For example, does it require a great deal of exercise? Does it need a lot of mental stimulation to keep from getting bored? Is it a social animal that craves company and will suffer if left alone?
4. Does the animal need extensive grooming or have other physical requirements that require regular care?
5. Does the animal shed, and if so, how much? Does the animal tend to cause allergic reactions?
6. Is the animal good with children, strangers, other animals, etc.?
7. Is the animal diurnal (active during the day) or nocturnal (active at night)? If it's nocturnal, will its nighttime activities disturb your sleep?
8. Does the animal tend to make a lot of noise, and if so, is that acceptable to you, your family, and your neighbors?
These two lists of questions are obviously not exhaustive. The more questions you can ask and answer before choosing a pet, the better your odds of getting the right pet. Taking the time to look into and analyze different options is the best way to ensure you wind up with a pet that enriches your life.
NOTE: The next article will give a quick overview of a few types of animals.
Adopting a pet in L.A. (Part 5: Common Pets)
This column recently featured a series of articles on adopting and choosing a pet. This companion article features a quick overview of a few of the more common types of pets.
Cats: Tend to enjoy interactive play, can be litter-trained, can be left alone at home, but are also often quite social. Kittens (and adult cats) can be destructive when bored or unsupervised, and need to be taught appropriate house manners. Keeping cats outdoors, or allowing them a combination of indoor and outdoor living, is an option, but there are risks involved, not the least of which is the danger posed by coyotes. Generally live between 15 and 20 years.
Dogs: Highly social animals that require regular human interaction. Most breeds are not well-suited to living in the yard and should be kept as house pets. Require regular walks, although they can be trained to use artificial turf or "pee pads" indoors or in a yard. Puppies (and adult dogs) can be destructive when bored or unsupervised, and must be taught appropriate house manners. Need obedience training to fit in well with the typical family. Generally live between 6 and 13 years, depending on the breed (smaller breeds tend to live longer, as a general rule).
Reptiles: Generally require a heat lamp. Some species can live in a large aquarium in the house, while others (such as tortoises) do well roaming free. Tend to get sick somewhat easily. May carry salmonella. May not be legal where you live. Lifespans vary considerably by species.
Gerbils, hamsters, mice, rats: Can be kept in an aquarium or similar container. May bite if handled roughly. Since they are so small, must be handled gently. Rats in particular are quite intelligent and like to interact and learn new things. Mice generally live 1 to 2 years, while gerbils, hamsters, and rats generally live 2 to 3 years.
Guinea pigs, rabbits: Can be kept in a large cage or pen, but should also be given time to play and roam outside their living area daily. Require hay as a regular part of their diet. Rabbits in particular tend to chew on many things, including electrical cords, so it's important to bunny-proof areas they use. Guinea pigs need their nails trimmed on a regular basis. Rabbits are easy to injure if picked up incorrectly or handled roughly, so they are not the ideal pet for young children. Guinea pigs generally live 4 to 7 years, while rabbits live about 10 years when housed indoors.
Horses: Generally live outdoors or in stables or barns (though there are house horses, too). Require a great deal of food and water daily. Require regular exercise and training. Can be ridden, worked in harness, and even taught to perform complex behaviors at a distance from handlers. Equipping, training, and housing a horse can be quite expensive. Generally live 20 to 30 years.
Birds: Different species have different needs, but some varieties have very long lives and get bored easily, so investigate their mental needs before you adopt. Get sick relatively easily. Some species do well living in a cage, but many enjoy time outside the cage as well. Lifespans vary considerably by species. NOTE: Chickens are legal in Los Angeles as long as they are kept a certain distance from the surrounding houses, but other areas have their own restrictions. Check local statutes.
Ferrets: Not legal in some areas, including the State of California. Active and busy when awake, sleep a good deal of the time. Can be housed in a ferret-proof room or large cage, but should be let out at least twice a day to explore and interact with the family. Intelligent and curious about their environment. Can be destructive, but also highly entertaining. Generally live 7 to 10 years.
Fish: Do well in an appropriately-sized aquarium with the right kind of water. Highly prone to disease, compared with most other animals. Depending on the type of fish, can be relatively inexpensive pets, but a salt-water aquarium is expensive to maintain. Do not require much human interaction, though many species of fish can be trained. Lifespans vary considerably by species.
Again, the above is just a quick overview of some of the more common pets. Make sure to do extensive research before you decide on a pet for your household. The more information you get, the more likely you are to find the right pet for your needs.
A final note: Most animals enjoy clicker training (check out articles on training different species at Karen Pryor Clicker Training). While certain animals can handle more complex tasks than others, almost all animals are happier when they get regular interaction and mental exercise, both of which are provided by clicker training.
Clicker training: technique and philosophy (Part 1)
Part 1: Technique
"Clicker training" has become something of a buzzword, and people all over the world are using clickers in their training. While this is an encouraging trend, many people don't realize that there is more to clicker training than just using a clicker.
Clicker training encompasses both a technique and a philosophy. The technique of clicker training involves using an event marker (often the "click" sound of a clicker) paired with reinforcement (a desirable reward, such as a food treat or toy).
The philosophy of clicker training involves looking for behaviors you like and reinforcing them, rather than punishing behaviors you don't like.
Part 1 of this article examines the technique of clicker training. Part 2 of this article discusses the philosophy of clicker training.
Clicker training is a system of training that uses an event marker followed by positive reinforcement to increase the likelihood that a desired behavior will be repeated. There's a lot of jargon in that sentence, so let's look at some of the words in it a little more closely.
An "event marker" is anything -- a sound, a flash of light, or a touch, for example -- that acts as a signal pinpointing a certain instant in time (and, by association, the behavior taking place at that moment) for the learner. Clickers make good event markers because they create a brief, distinct sound that is the same every time the clicker is used. The sound clickers produce is also quite unique, and unlikely to occur in other contexts.
The clicker isn't always an ideal event marker, though. Some animals, such as fish, don't hear sounds produced in the air very well. Others, such as deaf animals, simply can't hear at all. The sound of the clicker might also be drowned out in a noisy environment. In cases like these, a flash of light, gentle touch, or other non-sound-based event marker is a better choice. (Note that the term clicker training is commonly used to refer to any type of training where you are using an event marker and following it with positive reinforcement, even if the event marker isn't a clicker.)
"Positive reinforcement" is something added to the learner's environment that increases the likelihood that a behavior will be repeated. "Positive" refers to the fact that something has been added to (rather than removed from) the environment. In other words, the term "positive" is used as it applies in mathematics. (Although the removal of something bad is sometimes referred to as a "positive" thing in common parlance, that common use of the word "positive" does not apply in this case.) "Reinforcement" (or "reinforcer") is shorthand for anything the learner likes and will work for. Common reinforcers for pets include food (most often in the form of treats) and toys. "Positive reinforcement" can therefore refer, for example, to the giving of food to the learner.
Behaviors that are positively reinforced are more likely to occur again in the future. In clicker training, the trainer marks certain behaviors and then reinforces them (in other words, makes the behavior more likely to happen again) by adding something desirable to the environment.
Note that the learner, not the trainer, decides whether something is reinforcing. Put another way, just because you would do anything for a Klondike bar doesn't mean every other person on the planet would (with all due respect to Klondike bars, of course). If you insist on giving Klondike bars to a learner who doesn't like Klondike bars (in hopes of making them repeat a certain behavior), you won't get very far.
When training using marker-based positive reinforcement training, a.k.a. "clicker training," trainers click as the learner is performing the desired behavior. In most situations, the goal is to click for movement, rather than for completed actions.
Let's look at teaching your pet to tap your hand with his or her nose (a fairly simple targeting behavior) as an example. One way to do this is to hold your hand right in front of your pet's nose and then click as your pet begins to reach his or her nose towards your hand.
Most learners will complete the action they have started, as long as your hand is close enough, so your pet is likely to finish tapping your hand even though you marked the reach with your click, rather than the tap. Even if your pet actually stops without quite tapping your hand, your pet has now learned that reaching for your hand earns a click, so if you wait a millisecond longer before clicking the next time, your pet will complete the action.
Clicking for movement towards your hand generally works better than clicking while (or after) your pet taps your hand, for the following reason: Most pets will move their noses away from your hand after the tap, so if you attempt to click as the nose taps your hand but your timing is slow, you wind up teaching your pet to move away from your hand -- the exact reverse of what you intended. When in doubt, click a little too soon. You can always delay the click next time.
After clicking your pet for reaching towards your hand, you would follow the click as quickly as possible with a treat, toy, or other reward your pet enjoys. Your pet would soon learn that tapping your hand with his or her nose results in a click, followed by a reward he or she likes, so your pet would repeat the behavior to earn the click and the reinforcement again.
Clicking at the right time obviously requires perceiving the behavior as it happens. That involves observing the learner (which can be a lot of fun - there's a reason people tend to have great stories about the things their pets do). In the example above (nose to hand targeting), the trainer would watch and wait for the instant the pet's nose begins to move towards the trainer's hand. It can take a little practice to see subtle behavior as it is happening, but as with all other things, the more you do it, the easier it gets.
To recap, clicker training involves the following three steps:
• Observe (look for the behavior you want)
• Mark (click your clicker -- or activate another event marker -- as the behavior is happening)
• Reinforce (quickly follow the event marker with a reward the learner enjoys)
As you can see, the technique of clicker training is quite straightforward, although it can be challenging in practice. A later article will describe games you can use to hone your observation skills and ensure you time the event marker properly and deliver the reinforcer promptly.
To learn more about clicker training and get in-person coaching, seek out a clicker trainer in your area (feel free to contact me even if you are not in my area as I can provide referrals, or use the links on the right side of the page). If you are interested in meeting other clicker trainers and learning about clicker training in depth from a variety of experts in the field, consider attending ClickerExpo.
Clicker training: technique and philosophy (Part 2)
Part 2: Philosophy
Clicker training encompasses both a technique and a philosophy. Part 1 of this article discussed the basic technique of clicker training. Part II of this article discusses the philosophy behind clicker training, with reference to technique as appropriate.
Using a clicker to mark desired behaviors in training sessions is a major part of clicker training, but there's more to clicker training than formal training sessions.
The philosophy of clicker training encourages trainers to look for desirable behaviors at all times, mark them in some way, and then reinforce them with whatever reward happens to be handy. In other words, clicker training is something we can be doing all the time, even if we don't have a clicker or food treats with us.
By looking for, and rewarding, desirable behaviors in everyday life, the clicker trainer increases the likelihood that desirable behaviors will happen, and decreases the likelihood of less desirable behaviors, by simple mathematics (the good behaviors fill up more and more time). Less desirable behaviors are ignored in the moment (assuming they aren't dangerous), noted, and dealt with later, either through management of the environment or by training an alternative behavior that is incompatible with the undesirable behavior. Since most pets thrive on attention, the behaviors we ignore will tend to occur less and less often, while those we are marking and rewarding will happen more frequently.
Put another way, a major part of the clicker training philosophy involves learning to look for what we want, rather than what we don't want. For further discussion of this concept, you may want to peruse "Catch your pet doing something good."
The philosophy of clicker training also involves setting the learner up for success. Ideally, clicker trainers promote error-free learning, in which the learner advances at just the right pace so that he or she is continuously improving, but never feels discouraged. This is one of the main ideas behind "shaping," one of the primary methods clicker trainers use to get the behaviors they want (the other major method is called "capturing").
Let's start by discussing capturing, which is a little easier to explain. Capturing involves clicking when the learner performs a complete behavior that the trainer likes. It's a very handy tool for behaviors the learner does frequently, since the trainer has many opportunities to reinforce these behaviors. For example, you can teach your dog to sit on cue by clicking and treating each time your dog happens to sit, until your dog starts intentionally offering you sits while looking at you in expectation of a click and treat, at which point you can teach a cue for the behavior.
Shaping, on the other hand, can be used to train behaviors that the learner rarely, or never, does (as well as behaviors that are more common). In shaping, the trainer rewards behaviors that may initially look almost nothing like the goal behavior, and gradually fine-tunes what the learner is doing to achieve a more complex or precise behavior. You can use shaping to teach your pet to do anything he or she is mentally and physically capable of, as long as you set appropriate goals along the way.
The treasured musical The Sound Of Music features an example of shaping in action. When Maria is teaching the children about music, she begins by introducing the first three notes of the scale: "do," "re," and "mi." She then gradually adds the other major notes in the scale. Once the children have mastered the basic notes, Maria begins to teach them about harmony and chords.
If Maria had jumped straight into harmony and chords right away, she would likely have confused and frustrated the children, so she taught them the "building blocks" first. Though Rogers and Hammerstein may not have thought of it in these terms, what Maria was doing was shaping the children to understand music (the shaping is quite accelerated, of course, but that's movie magic for you).
Here's how you can use shaping to teach your pet to go to a mat:
Begin by clicking and treating your pet for any sign of interest in the mat, even if it's only a flick of the eyes in the direction of the mat. After you get a few glances at the mat, you can hesitate ever so slightly before clicking so that your pet has the opportunity to escalate his or her behavior a little, perhaps by leaning in the direction of the mat or even taking a step towards the mat. Click and reward once or twice for that escalation. Then look for a further escalation, however small (one step plus a lean, for example). Gradually build up to clicking and rewarding for taking two steps, three steps, and so on, until your pet learns go all the way to the mat.
The key to shaping is setting achievable goals, so that the learner doesn't get frustrated and give up on the training session. If you find the learner is failing to "earn a click" on a regular basis, you've most likely set your criteria too high. For behaviors that are highly complex or involve an increase in duration or effort (a dog's staying still for longer periods or a horse's jumping a higher obstacle, for example), it's a good idea to throw in a click for an easier version of the behavior once in a while (by going back to a shorter duration stay or a lower jump, for example) so that things aren't continually getting harder for the learner.
One more piece of the philosophy of clicker training has to do with the teaching of cues. Clicker trainers only add a cue to a captured or shaped behavior after the behavior is established and occurs predictably. This helps ensure that the learner understands that the cue indicates one specific behavior. As you go through the process detailed above to teach your pet to go to a mat, you should not do any cueing. Simply stand quietly in the same area as your pet and the mat and let your pet figure out what the game is. Once your pet is consistently going to the mat, and you are confident that your pet will do so again, you can add a cue (adding cues will be discussed in a future article).
To learn more about clicker training and get in-person coaching, seek out a clicker trainer in your area (feel free to contact me even if you are not in the Los Angeles area as I can provide referrals, or use the links on the right side of the page). If you are interested in meeting other clicker trainers and learning about clicker training in depth from a variety of experts in the field, consider attending ClickerExpo.
Basic clicker training: capturing
One of the easiest ways to use a clicker is to capture behavior an animal already does naturally. Here's a thumbnail sketch of how to do it.
Charge the clicker
Get your clicker (or other marker) and a handful of food treats or a toy your pet loves. Activate your marker ("click") and immediately give him or her the food or toy. Join your pet in playing with the toy for a short while, or wait until he or she is done eating the food. Once the reward is finished, wait a moment, click again, and deliver another reward. Repeat until your pet is showing anticipation for the reward when you click (the idea is to create a positive association with the marker).
Notes:
1. Make sure your pet isn't doing anything you dislike when you click, or you could inadvertently reward that undesired behavior.
2. Some species figure out the click faster than others. There's no need to continue to charge the clicker once the animal understands it.
Click and treat a desired behavior to capture it
Now that the clicker is charged, you're ready to capture a new behavior. Choose a behavior that your pet does spontaneously and somewhat regularly. Then get a clicker and treats or a toy ready and wait for him or her to do the desired behavior. Click and reward as the behavior happens. Wait for your pet to do the behavior again, and click and reward again. Repeat until your pet is regularly offering the behavior in anticipation of a click and reward.
Notes:
1. Some behaviors happen more frequently and regularly than others. For behaviors that happen at a regular time of day, or in a regular context, you can "prepare yourself" with your clicker and rewards at that time or place in anticipation of the behavior happening.
2. If it's difficult to predict when the behavior might happen, consider carrying the clicker and rewards around with you as you go about your day, so that you can click and reward whenever the opportunity arises. For behaviors like this, it may take several days before your pet starts offering the behavior regularly.
When your pet is offering a behavior regularly in anticipation of a click and reward, you can add a cue, such as a word or hand signal. Adding cues will be covered in the next article.
To read more about clicker training, see "Clicker training: technique and philosophy (part 1: technique)" and "Clicker training: technique and philosophy (part 2: philosophy)." For in-person coaching, contact me or, if you don't live in the Los Angeles area, seek out a certified clicker trainer near you (feel free to contact me for referrals, too). If you are interested in meeting other clicker trainers and learning about clicker training in depth from a variety of experts in the field, consider attending ClickerExpo.
In more recent years, a researcher named Dr. John Gottman has shown that the way married couples interact during an interview is a remarkably reliable predictor of whether they will stay married or not. In the course of his research, Dr. Gottman discovered what he calls "The Magic Relationship Ratio," a ratio of at least five "positive" interactions for every one "negative" interaction between the parties. Couples who maintain or exceed that 5:1 ratio tend to stay together, while couples who have a worse ratio almost always get divorced.
If we accidentally (or intentionally) respond negatively to our spouse, we have language and other tools that can help us reduce the impact of that negative interaction. When we respond negatively to our pets, though, there's really no good way to make up for it, since we can't explain our actions. It's therefore particularly important to make our interactions with our pets as positive as possible, since we can't "fix it" when we accidentally (or intentionally) punish them.
For some ideas on how to improve your ratio of positive to negative interactions with your pet, check out "Catch your pet doing something good" or "Clicker training: Technique and Philosophy (Part 1: Technique)" and "Clicker training: Technique and Philosophy (Part 2: Philosophy)."
You can watch a video of Dr. Gottman discussing the magic relationship ratio here.
Dealing with Excessive Barking (Introduction)
Barking is a natural dog behavior. In fact, it's theorized that one of the reasons early humans kept dogs was their barking, which alerted the humans to predators. Some barking is completely appropriate, such as barking during play, and it's not reasonable to expect a dog to stop barking entirely for the rest of his or her life. Now that the L.A. City Council has authorized animal control officers to issue citations for nuisance barking, however, it's more important than ever to find ways to limit how much your dog barks.
There are many different types of barking, including boredom barking, alert barking, demand barking, and anxious barking. This introduction is the first in a series of articles providing information on different types of barking and how to handle them. The introduction defines several major types of barking. The articles thereafter discuss how to deal with each of these types of barking.
Boredom barking
Boredom barking is a dog's way of occupying him or herself in the absence of other things to do. The best way to stop boredom barking is to give the dog other things to do.
Alert barking
Alert barking occurs when a dog perceives something that he or she feels requires attention. One solution to excessive alert barking is to teach the dog to bark once and then stop, rather than continue barking for extended periods of time.
Demand barking
Demand barking occurs when a dog wants your attention. The best solution to demand barking is to ignore it completely, no matter how long it goes on, while making a concerted effort to pay attention to your dog when he or she is quiet. Your dog will soon figure out that quiet, not barking, gets attention.
Anxious barking
Some dogs bark because they are feeling anxious or fearful. Anxious barking is akin to a person's biting his or her nails during a stressful meeting. In some cases, such as in dogs with separation anxiety, anxious barking can continue for hours. To stop anxious barking you must find and eliminate the sources of the dog's anxiety.
The rest of the articles in this series discuss ideas for dealing with these various types of barking.
* Note that devices such as shock collars and citronella collars can actually make barking worse over time. I strongly recommend you avoid these and other aversive tools.
Dealing with Excessive Barking (Boredom Barking)
Boredom barking happens when a dog is bored. The best solution to boredom barking is to keep your dog more entertained. One good way to do this is to give your dog food toys, such as stuffed Kongs, or any of the Busy Buddy toys from Premier. You can even hide the food toys around the house, so your dog has to "hunt" for his or her food. Consider feeding your dog all of his or her meals in food toys, rather than in a bowl, so that eating takes more mental and physical energy. The goal is to give your dog a job to do while you are out of the house or otherwise unavailable.
Boredom barkers can also benefit from more stimulation when you are around. Taking your dog on regular walks, playing games with him or her when you are home, and doing clicker training will help keep your dog's brain pleasantly occupied.
For information about dealing with other types of barking, please continue to the next article in this series, "Dealing with excessive barking (Alert Barking)." If you started on this article, you may also want to read the introduction to this series of articles, "Dealing with Excessive Barking (Introduction)."
Dealing with Excessive Barking (Alert Barking)
Alert barking occurs when your dog perceives a change in the environment. Dogs who alert bark excessively are often reacting to triggers around the home, such as birds, cars, and your neighbors. Excessive alert barkers spend a great deal of their time looking and listening for triggers, so it's important to keep the environment as free of triggers as possible while training a more acceptable barking pattern. Windows, curtains, shutters, etc., should be kept closed. If necessary, the dog can be kept in a part of the home that is far from the outside. A white noise machine can help mask noises. Once the dog is not being constantly bombarded with triggers, the alert barking should decrease. For some households, this is a good enough solution.
You can also teach your dog to bark just once when he or she sees a trigger. One way to do this is to get your dog to start barking and then click and treat. When your dog is reliably barking at you to earn a click, attach a cue, such as "Speak." Then cue "Speak" and click after just one bark. Continue to repeat this pattern until your dog begins to bark just once and then looks at you expectantly, at which point you can teach a cue for silence, such as "Quiet," by saying "Quiet" after the one bark, and then clicking and treating your dog for remaining quiet.
The goal is to teach your dog to bark just once and then look to you for instructions as to what to do next. Once you have established a one-bark pattern, you can simply let your dog bark once when he or she notices something new and then praise your dog for coming over to you after the bark (which many dogs will do automatically, since you have taught them that a single bark earns a reward). Alternatively, you can say "Quiet" after hearing one bark and then reward the quiet, or say "Thank you!" to let the dog know you heard the bark.
For information about dealing with other types of barking, please continue to the next article in this series, "Dealing with Excessive Barking (Demand Barking)." If you started on this article, you may also want to read the introduction to this series of articles, "Dealing with Excessive Barking (Introduction)," and the previous article, which discusses boredom barking.
Dealing with Excessive Barking (Demand Barking)
Demand barking is designed to get your attention. Unlike alert barking, it doesn't usually relate to a change in the environment. Demand barking is basically your dog's way of saying "Hey! Pay attention to me!" The best way to eliminate demand barking is to ignore it completely whenever it happens.
Dogs that have been using demand barking successfully for a long time may take a while to give up on this tool for getting your attention. In fact, the barking may get worse as the dog has what's called an "extinction burst" and keeps trying barking over and over, as if he or she is thinking, "well, this used to work, so I must not be doing it quite right."
An example of an extinction burst for humans is when we push a button on an elevator and it doesn't light up. Most people feel compelled to press the button repeatedly ("I know elevator buttons light up when I push them, so I must not have pressed this one hard enough"). After a certain number of repetitions, the person will generally realize that the light is burnt out, and stop pushing the button, but it takes a little while. The repeated pressing of the button is the extinction burst.
Similarly, your dog may go through a process of testing barking over and over until he or she learns that it does not work anymore. It's crucial to ignore the barking completely throughout the extinction burst to ensure it isn't accidentally rewarded just when the dog is ready to give up on it. You must therefore ignore the barking no matter how loud or obnoxious it gets, or how long it goes on.
Note that there are many types of barking, and if your dog is not actually barking for attention, ignoring the barking may not ultimately reduce the barking. If ignoring the barking does not work, review the different types of barking, or consult a certified trainer.
For information about dealing with anxious barking, please continue to the next article in this series, "Dealing with Excessive Barking (Anxious Barking)." If you started on this article, you may also want to read the introduction to this series of articles, "Dealing with Excessive Barking (Introduction)," and the previous articles, which discuss boredom barking and alert barking.
Dealing with Excessive Barking (Anxious Barking)
Anxious barking is caused by anxiety or fear, and often happens when a dog sees a "trigger" such as a stranger, another dog, or a motorcycle. To stop anxious barking, you must identify the source of the anxiety and either eliminate it (if possible) or train the dog to accept it. As with boredom barking, making your dog's life more interesting and giving him or her many things to think about can help reduce anxious barking by reducing your dog's overall level of stress.
When dealing with anxious barking, it is absolutely critical to avoid using aversives (shock collars, etc.), since these will only increase the dog's level of stress. Instead, use dog-friendly methods, such as counterconditioning and desensitization (CC&D) and Behavior Adjustment Training (BAT), to teach your dog to accept the triggers more calmly. You may want to consult a certified trainer to help you come up with the right plan for your dog. Bear in mind that for many dogs, there is more than one source of anxiety, and you will need to deal with as many of them as possible.
The best-known type of anxiety in dogs is probably separation anxiety. If your dog has separation anxiety and barks while you are out of the house, the barking will not stop until you teach your dog to feel comfortable alone. There are resources that discuss methods for dealing with separation anxiety, but it can be a difficult problem to treat on your own. Some dogs with separation anxiety need supplements or medication to help reduce their baseline anxiety while training is going on. If your dog has separation anxiety, I strongly advise you to consult a certified trainer or a certified applied animal behaviorist.
If you started on this article, you may also want to read the introduction to this series of articles, "Dealing with Excessive Barking (Introduction)," and the previous articles, which discuss boredom barking, alert barking, and demand barking.
.jpg)
.jpg)
