Dog Clicker training - Basics

Clicker training has been a long established way of trainingmany animals in a reward based manner. It is both effective and kind and can belearnt by anyone. Clicker training is so effective it is the choice of manyanimal trainers and is used to teach an array of animals from cats, dogs,horses to tigers, dolphins and even elephants! Although you might not beteaching a tiger you can still use clicker training to teach your pet dog basiccommands right through to party tricks.

What you need:

The needs for clicker training are very basic, you will needa clicker, some small food bits (‘Coachies’, very fine pieces of soft dog treator tiny pieces of cheese) and depending on what you are teaching.

How it works:

The clicker works on ‘conditioning’ your pet to carry out abehaviour, this is called shaping. It is done purely by positive reinforcement,in other words rewarding your dog for the behaviour. It’s important tounderstand you are not bribing the dog; the treat is slowly taken out of theequation in order to make the click sound the reward. It is effective as ittells the dog the exact moment the behaviour was correct and does so withoutbeing angry, upset or tired! In effect it is enabling you to talk to your dog.You should limit the sessions to no more than 10-15 minutes, to allow the dogto understand what it has learnt.

Associating the clicker

The first thing to do is to associate the clicker with apositive meaning, if you don’t do this it will just be a sound to ignore. To dothis you need very, very small pieces of food. Tiny pieces of sausage,Coachies, small pieces cheese or small bits of soft dog treat. They need to besmall as it is meant to give the reward of a taste, you don’t want to fill yourdog up! Start by putting a few pieces on the floor. As the dog eats them, saynothing, just click. After 3 or 4 times doing this try throwing one or twopieces and clicking as your dog is about to eat it. A couple of times at thisand your pet pooch should have linked the click with a reward. Test this bywaiting until your dog has stopped looking for food on the floor and whilstsaying nothing clicking. If he or she looks at you throw a tid bit down. If notcarry on with the previous stage until he or she looks at you after the click.

Teaching ‘Sit’

Now the dog has associated the clicker with a reward you canstart teaching commands. To teach sit have the dog near you (you may want tostart indoors at first) and just wait. When the dog sits immediately click andhand a tiny piece of food. After a couple of goes at this repeat the step butwhen he sits click and say ‘sit’, while handing a piece of food. Repeat this afew more times. Now, try calling ‘sit’ first. Wait, do not continue callingthis, just wait until the dog sits. As it does, click and give a bit of treat.It may take longer to get this right so give it a few goes. You will noticethat your dog will begin to sit more immediately after the command. When itsits straight after you calling the command, stop rewarding with food everytime. Keeping the food random (but the click consistent) makes sure it isworking for the click not the food and in essence the approval of you ratherthan food. As the dog gets more and more confident with the command ‘sit’ youcan give food less and less.

Using this basic method you can teach other tricks andcommands, such as ‘come’, ‘stay’,‘heel’ and ‘paw’.

Gordon Bloomfield © 2010 http://www.allpet.co.uk

Should I give my Tortoise a Bath?

People seem to have many different ideas regarding "outside" care for a healthy tortoise, that is, the part that he lives in! One thought is that since turtles are "wild" animals, they needn't be bathed. Exactly the opposite is true. Another misconception is preparations of some type (many of which are commercial) are recommended, to be placed on the shell, to "give it nutrients" and make it shiny. Many, if not most of these products, are potentially harmful. Both the carapace and the plastron of a tortoise or turtle is comprised of living tissue. It needs oxygen and exposure to sunlight to keep healthy. The build-up of soils, waxes, oils, or other preparations, is actually harmful to a tortoise's shell. The keratin and bony layers contain millions of microscopic pores, and things such as the products mentioned actually clog the pores, causing problems. It is perfectly safe to give your chelonian friend a bath, in fact he/she might actually like it!Use a bowl big enough to accommodate the tortoises, and tepid water, no deeper than is necessary to cover the entire plastron, and a few centimetres of the carapace. Allow your tortoise awhile to rehydrate itself, usually 15 to 20 minutes, then replace the water. Often, tortoises will often take advantage of this time to replace their water stores, voiding the old, and replacing it with fresh. Take the toothbrush and gently brush the entire carapace, being particularly attentive to any areas of build up, between the scutes, and beneath the carapace as well, to include all areas above the head, surrounding the legs, and around the tail. Repeat the same for legs, tail, and neck. Be careful of any areas not covered with scales, as these areas can be more sensitive. Repeat the same procedure with the plastron, paying careful attention that all dirt is removed from between the scutes. Finally, rinse well. DO NOT use any type of detergent, shampoo, or other product unless recommended by your veterinarian. Some of these products, while safe for dogs, cats, or people, can be potentially harmful, and sometimes even fatal to turtles.

Turtles and terrapins, even though most always in water, appreciate a shell cleaning on occasion as well. Algae, shedding skin, and normal peeling of the scutes in paper-thin fragments can all be removed from the turtle, allowing for healthier shell growth. After your turtle is clean and dry, if healthy and on a good diet, should have a shell which shines all by itself. No additional treatment should be necessary. This procedure gives the owner an excellent opportunity to examine the animal in detail for any problems, such as injuries, shell rot, or abrasions. Regular, monthly cleaning and inspection make for a healthier, happier turtle, with less chance of potential for skin or shell problems.

Gordon Bloomfield © 2010 http://www.allpet.co.uk/

Product review – Kong for dogs

The Kong range of dogs, cats and birds are innovative, long lasting and are almost any pet owners essential, once they try them. At the heart of the range is a superb product simply known as ‘Kongs', which are intended for dogs. Made from durable rubber and in a number of types there really is a perfect one for every pooch.

So what does it do? Simply put it's a toy, but used in the right way can become an innovative a simple training aid or even a house saver if your dog suffers from separation anxiety. Generally they are formed in a ‘blobby' cone shape or a hexagonal cone shape, with a large hole in one end and a smaller hole (for ease of cleaning) in the other. This unique shape helps them to bounce, roll and balance like no other dog toy. But there is more, the hole can be stuffed with treats and depending on what sort you use, can transform the Kong for different purposes.

For example, you can use small bits of your dog's favourite kibble, which will come out when rolled or thrown. This makes a great interactive toy for any dog, it also provides mental stimulation as they roll and shake the Kong to get to the treats. However, Kong ‘Stuff 'em's' are a fantastic biscuit with a strange shape, that get wedged in the Kong. This can be fun for your dog as he eventually gets them out or can be used as a training aid for retrieving, as you can easily remove one treat as a reward for bringing it back.

Kong also has practical applications. You can leave the Kong toy as a distraction for dogs that become distressed at being left. Putting tasty morsels in the Kong and sealing it with either frozen cream cheese or Kong ‘stuff'n' paste makes a great distraction. The dogs become so engrossed at getting the food by the time they have, they forget about you leaving, gradually reducing the stress they feel when you leave the house. Another great idea is stuff the end with a treat or kibble, then filling with water to be frozen. In hot weather this makes a fantastic treat that helps keep dogs cool!

But surely all this food and fun would make the dog love it to death? Well Kong have even thought of that. The Kongs come in different sizes, from puppy to small, medium, large and even giant! Along with these sizing they have different softness. For puppies a different type of rubber is used, so they are soft on gums and aid teething. The small medium and large come in the standard softness, which is durable enough not to be broken or ripped but still kind to your companion's teeth! But what about the dogs that can seemingly chomp their way through anything? Well the medium, large and giant sizes come in a variation called ‘extreme'. This type has the most solid rubber and is virtually indestructible, making Kongs a good investment!

Gordon Bloomfield © 2010 http://www.allpet.co.uk/

Top five dog toys

Ball flinger ballistic ball thrower

Dogs love to chase things, if you're lucky they might even like to retrieve! This tennis ball and flinger duo is a great way to play fetch with your pooch. The durable plastic and unique shape of the flinger makes throwing the tennis ball really easy, so it's perfect for all ages of owners! You can also avoid handling a dirty or wet tennis ball as it has a scoop perfect for picking up and carrying your dogs favourite ball.

Ball on a rope

Dogs love to chase and tug and even throw their toys around a bit. The classic ball on a rope allows them to do this. You can join in and tug or throw this toy or your pet will enjoy swinging, throwing and running with this toy. It is also perfect for larger dogs that can't play with smaller sized balls, as they won't swallow this one!

Soft squeaky toys

Although not the toughest things, the many designs of squeaky soft toys will keep your dog amused for hours. Older dogs and less active dogs will enjoy cuddling, chewing and squeaking these types of toys.

Wiggly giggly

The wiggly giggly range of toys is great fun! These soft plastic toys come in a variety of shapes depending on what your dog likes to do. There are large balls, jacks, balls on a rope, all with a fun surprise… They all make a unique noise when rolled, shaken or thrown. This noise is unlike any other dog toy and keeps your companion amused for ages!

Frisbees