Animal Behaviour Matters

Our Baloo enjoys helping put up the Christmas tree each year!

50 Behaviours in 4 minutes Challenge! Show off your dog’s tricks in as many as you can fit in four minutes. #4minutechallenge #trickdogs #showuswhatyourdogknows #gooddogs #baloodog #teachyourdog

The daily Baloo! Baloo helps with the washing. #baloodog #thedailybaloo #dogtraining

The daily Baloo! Art class! #baloodog #dogtraining #goodboy @b_isforbaloo #thedailybaloo

The daily Baloo! Baloo helps around the house, like making the bed! #baloodog #goodboy @b_isforbaloo #thedailybaloo #dogtraining

Spider training! Disney's Animal Kingdom is show casing training with their Regal jumping spiders, Regina and Kendall. Training spiders with positive reinforcement and having them conditioned to move towards a light target is possible. It was wonderful discussing training possibilities with the talented invertebrate care team and what other arachnids, insects, snakes and reptiles they might work with. The Disney team also trains dart frogs to move voluntarily into crates for management. If spiders and frogs can learn with reinforcement based principles to participate in care, it highlights the emphasise we should place on providing the companions dogs, cats and even horses we share our lives with, the same training principles. To expand, as many have since asked. Traditionally in most places spiders are moved with paint brushes or handled - this is a way to get them to move with a target. It also inspires guests to appreciate spiders and all species, and change perspectives that learning is possible; and it provides enrichment to the animal. #animaltraining #positivereinforcement #invertebratetraining #spidertraining #disneyanimalkingdom #jumpingspiders Copyright Animal Behaviour Matters

Sheep training

Sheep training! I have had a great opportunity to spend time with the talented team at Disney's Animal Kingdom where they promote positive reinforcement in handling sheep, goats, cows, donkeys and chickens. Sheep are actually very smart and can learn many behaviours. This is enriching for them, providing great mental stimulation and allows caretakers to teach animals to voluntarily participate in their wellbeing checks. Chickens can learn many things, recall and loading into crates is one practical application. #animaltraining #positivereinforcement #sheeptraining #chickentraining #goattraining #disneyanimalkingdom Copyright Animal Behaviour Matters

Mishka learning to sit on cue. She learned this behaviour within five minutes. Her family is doing such a wonderful job training her, which has reduced her anxiety, improved confidence and helped her focus in a very short time frame. Cats are fantastic learners! #cattraining #animalbehaviourconsulting #clickertrainingcats #targettraining #goodcatsofinstagram #ragdollsofinstagram #ragdoll

Nzuri crowned crane enrichment

Nzuri the African crowned crane under the care of the team at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre demonstrates how important food puzzles and environmental enrichment are to keep animals' minds busy and engaged. The team there is focused on the welfare and mental wellbeing of the animals in their care, investing time to build and supply activities that keep them engaged in foraging behaviours. This is a great example of how we should be applying mentally stimulating activities to any animal in care, whether it is our dogs, cats, mice or fish at home - they all benefit from foraging for food, provided you are using supervised, safe feeders and know your animal. Throw away your dog or cats feed dish and provide food in a puzzle! #wetlandsconservation #wildfowlwetlandstrust #birdenrichment #puzzlefeeders

Goat training! Recently Jade worked with Yorkie the goat to stand with his nose on a buoy target while having tactile touch over his side, back and head. This allows body exams and wellness checks to be carried out voluntarily and leads into training for cooperative hoof trims, eye or ear drop application, grooming and other veterinary procedures to be done stress free. Livestock such as goats and sheep can all learn through positive reinforcement to participate in their own care! We were up to 29 seconds duration with a goat who found it hard to stand still in the beginning. This fun training was during our time at The Ranch with Ken Ramirez! #goattraining #positivereinforcement #animaltraining #nubiangoats #goatsofinstagram #clickertraining #targettraining #cooperativevetcare #behaviourconsultant #ranchkpct

Reliable recalls start with lots of solid point a to b rehearsals with high value consequences. Enthusiastic responses in low distraction situations where the learner can succeed over and over are the best place to build from. Practice makes perfect or as close to it as we can expect in a world of competing stimuli. No matter what breed, age, size or species - reliable and rocksteady recalls can be achieved. If we become fluent at a skill before using it in difficult environments we are more likely to succeed. Bella makes a great example! #behaviourconsulting #animaltraining #positivereinforcement #gooddogsofinstagram #bullmastiff #reliablerecalls

Double extended hand targets with Meeko and Baloo. These two sometimes practice duel behaviours at the same time, they have a great relationship and work well together. This behaviour is used to station an individual in one place for health examinations, eye or ear medication, body exams, focus in distracting environments and refocusing overexcitement to a new task. We can also rehearse calm behaviour and relaxation with long duration behaviours and build self control. #cooperativeveterinarycare #positivereinforcement #targettraining #baloodog #meekodog

After two weeks working on a chin duration behaviour, Bella has progressed to adding tactile and body exams to her stationary behaviour. This will come in handy when she needs an annual health and wellbeing check up, is a useful position for eye drops or ear medication application should it ever be necessary and builds focus. Go team Bella! #cooperativeveterinarycare #positivereinforcement #gooddogsofinstagram #bullmastiff #teambella

Chin rests! Meeko and Baloo practicing long duration chin rests. This behaviour is incorporated into voluntary vet exams, where they will stay positioned on my hand or rested on a towel while they have a body exam, have their feet and ears checked, and eye drops can be administered in this position. Practicing as a team builds on their already good relationship. #positivereinforcement #cooperativeveterinarycare #longduration #baloodog #meekodog #cattledogsofinstagram

Long duration chin rest. The criteria I was looking for was the moment he stretched his hind leg and melted into my hand - I want a relaxed emotional response attached to this behaviour, it’s an important part of the picture. The prior approximation was a chin rest with a sigh. #appliedbehavioranalysis #positivedogtraining #conditonedemotionalresponse #relaxeddog #chinrest #husbandrybehaviour #cooperativevetcare #cattledogsofinstagram #meekodog

Merry Christmas from Animal Behaviour Matters! Wishing all of our clients and followers a safe and happy holiday! Baloo helps put up the tree every year!

Baloo’s basketball skills..

Baloo painting up a storm!

Jade has been teaching Baloo how to paint. This is his first session with real paint!