This morning, I was able to give Alan his first honest-to-goodness wrap-my-arms-around-his-neck hug! And I scratched his sides and his back with my bare hand! Sing it with me...oh happy day...oh happy day...
(To the folks who might have cruised over here from equusite today, Alan has been untouchable since I brought him home but a little clicker/target training this week has rendered miracles.)
Showing posts with label clicker training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label clicker training. Show all posts
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Clicker Training Magic!
It’s like Chuck is a magic wand and every time I wave him over Alan, little miracles happen. Yesterday, we were out in the arena walking laps side by side, sidepassing, backing up, doing turns on the haunch and forehand. Today, I was able to use Chuck to rub Alan’s head, neck, back and sides vigorously for minutes at a time...actually it was for four choruses of “Happy Trails.” Alan’s wishing I would learn the words to another song. He leans into the glove and I can just tell by the twinkle in his eye that he’s loving it. And that same little twinkle greets me every time I walk out to the barn - whether he’s looking forward to the carrot treats or to spending time with me doesn’t really matter - what does matter is that he’s learning to trust, and I couldn’t ask for anything more.
We had SO much fun today that I made a little video of our progress. Not to worry...I replaced my singing with the real thing.
We had SO much fun today that I made a little video of our progress. Not to worry...I replaced my singing with the real thing.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Meet Chuck
Alan and I are having too much fun with this clicker training stuff. Since the whole point is for Alan to get used to the touch of my hand, I added one of my old gloves to the end of the Chuck-it. It's taken on a life of its own now, so I call it Chuck.
I am dazzled by how receptive Alan is to this training. He seems eager to play and doesn’t get distracted by George or the horses watching us from the peanut gallery outside the corral. I lose track of time and what starts out to be a 15-minute session turns into 30 because Alan doesn’t lose interest. When the session is over and I’m just doing chores or feeding, he’s much more relaxed when I’m near him. This is all seeming too good to be true.
I took these pictures this morning. With Chuck's tail(?) tucked under my arm, I still have two hands available to hold my camera in one and hand out treats with the other. (If I were using a real clicker, I'd be in deep quiche but I'm faking the click noise with my tongue.) But the camera is a distraction for both of us so until/unless I can teach George how to press the shutter, these may be the last pictures you'll see for awhile.
By the end of our session tonight, I was able to rub Chuck on Alan's forehead and cheeks - not for a long time, but for long enough to want to run in the house and tell you all "it's working! it's working!"
I am dazzled by how receptive Alan is to this training. He seems eager to play and doesn’t get distracted by George or the horses watching us from the peanut gallery outside the corral. I lose track of time and what starts out to be a 15-minute session turns into 30 because Alan doesn’t lose interest. When the session is over and I’m just doing chores or feeding, he’s much more relaxed when I’m near him. This is all seeming too good to be true.
I took these pictures this morning. With Chuck's tail(?) tucked under my arm, I still have two hands available to hold my camera in one and hand out treats with the other. (If I were using a real clicker, I'd be in deep quiche but I'm faking the click noise with my tongue.) But the camera is a distraction for both of us so until/unless I can teach George how to press the shutter, these may be the last pictures you'll see for awhile.
By the end of our session tonight, I was able to rub Chuck on Alan's forehead and cheeks - not for a long time, but for long enough to want to run in the house and tell you all "it's working! it's working!"
Sunday, March 30, 2008
The grand plan
After reading about my dilemma with Alan, Billie over at camera-obscura directed me to the Diary of DaVinci, a fearful horse who didn’t want to be touched. From reading through that, and thinking back to Victoria’s story of clicker training her horse Siete, I have come up with a training plan for Alan. And after our first session this morning, I’m very optimistic.
For my clicker-training target, I am using an object that he has never seen and has no reason to fear. It’s a Chuck-it that has very good karma, as I used it to launch a bazillion tennis balls to my beloved yellow lab Annie.
Alan picked up on the touch the Chuck-it/hear a click/get a treat concept in about two seconds. The treat is a tiny piece of carrot or a pellet of equine senior that is so small he has to lick it out of my hand. Once he’s completely comfortable with the Chuck-it and associates it with only positive things, I will use it to scratch his neck and keep progressing until I can scratch him all over. And some day, of course, I hope to be able to rub him with my hand instead of the Chuck-it. I’m committed to three short training sessions every day, and I’m confident this is going to work.
Shorty the farrier was here this morning, and George behaved like a seasoned veteran for his third trimming. Then I had Shorty hold the lead rope while I gave George his spring shots. I was shocked to discover how thick a burro’s skin is compared to a horse’s. I had to really push to insert the needles. But George was a trooper and stood quietly for all three injections. I can only hope that Alan will do the same eight weeks from now.
For my clicker-training target, I am using an object that he has never seen and has no reason to fear. It’s a Chuck-it that has very good karma, as I used it to launch a bazillion tennis balls to my beloved yellow lab Annie.
Alan picked up on the touch the Chuck-it/hear a click/get a treat concept in about two seconds. The treat is a tiny piece of carrot or a pellet of equine senior that is so small he has to lick it out of my hand. Once he’s completely comfortable with the Chuck-it and associates it with only positive things, I will use it to scratch his neck and keep progressing until I can scratch him all over. And some day, of course, I hope to be able to rub him with my hand instead of the Chuck-it. I’m committed to three short training sessions every day, and I’m confident this is going to work.
Shorty the farrier was here this morning, and George behaved like a seasoned veteran for his third trimming. Then I had Shorty hold the lead rope while I gave George his spring shots. I was shocked to discover how thick a burro’s skin is compared to a horse’s. I had to really push to insert the needles. But George was a trooper and stood quietly for all three injections. I can only hope that Alan will do the same eight weeks from now.
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