Vinny enjoying some Llama TTouch. ⤠Watch his nose at the end when he asks me for more.
Tellington TTouch Method includes many different ways of using touch to support our animals. Dogs of all ages and abilities (Vinny is blind/deaf) benefit from TTouch.
It's easy to learn and so valuable to know. There are so many everyday situations where TTouch can make our dogs' lives better! Reach out if you'd like to learn - I can teach you!
When teaching a blind and deaf dog new tricks, where do I start? In this case, Delight is learning to walk a figure 8 through and around my legs. She's already learned to be comfortable walking between my legs.
The next step is to teach her the motor pattern and help her navigate around my legs. While I can teach this with shaping, I'm going to start it out by luring. That means I'm using treats in my hands to lead her through the behavior.
I start with little pieces of the behavior, just going through my legs once and then getting her treat as she comes around toward the front of my leg. Because she's very familiar with luring already and seems comfortable, I can rather quickly move to luring more of the behavior before she gets her final treat.
Enjoy this video of Delight learning this new behavior. We will continue to build on this trick until she can do it with touch signals, no luring, and a reward coming at the end.
What are you teaching your dog today?
It is Adopt a Less-Adoptable Pet Week, so Vinny and I wanted to remind everyone that ALL animals deserve a forever, loving family â¤
The term Less-Adoptable only reflects our human perception of what the "ideal" animal family member might look like. In reality it refers to the fact that animals with differences are often overlooked, so they are often, by definition, harder and less likely for shelters and rescues to adopt out.
Vinny would like to remind you that all animals have love to give, and with loving kindness can be taught amazing things! They can learn about living in and with a family, going on outings, becoming a therapy animal, learning fun tricks, playing with children, and so much more!
This is Vinny's first session learning to do a chin rest on a rolled-up towel on my leg. He is completely blind and deaf, and is "clicker" trained with a tactile marker signal. He is learning this skill through shaping, and loves learning new things.
We are expanding on the cooperative care skills that he's already been taught. He will do a lovely chin rest in my hand so the vet and I are able to do routine eye exams as necessary, and I am able to give him eye drops without assistance to prevent dry eye. This new aspect of a chin rest will allow us to expand the number of daily care and medical procedures that Vinny is able to choose to opt into cooperatively.
If you're considering adopting an animal with a difference, please reach out. I'd love to help you get started. Your new family member deserves to live the best life to their fullest potential! ⤠www.yourinnerdog.com
It is Adopt a Less-Adoptable Pet Week, so Vinny and I wanted to remind everyone that ALL animals deserve a forever, loving family â¤
The term Less-Adoptable only reflects our human perception of what the "ideal" animal family member might look like. In reality it refers to the fact that animals with differences are often overlooked, so they are often, by definition, harder and less likely for shelters and rescues to adopt out.
Vinny would like to remind you that all animals have love to give, and with loving kindness can be taught amazing things! They can learn about living in and with a family, going on outings, becoming a therapy animal, learning fun tricks, playing with children, and so much more!
This is Vinny's first session learning to do a chin rest on a rolled-up towel on my leg. He is completely blind and deaf, and is "clicker" trained with a tactile marker signal. He is learning this skill through shaping, and loves learning new things.
We are expanding on the cooperative care skills that he's already been taught. He will do a lovely chin rest in my hand so the vet and I are able to do routine eye exams as necessary, and I am able to give him eye drops without assistance to prevent dry eye. This new aspect of a chin rest will allow us to expand the number of daily care and medical procedures that Vinny is able to choose to opt into cooperatively.
If you're considering adopting an animal with a difference, please reach out. I'd love to help you get started. Your new family member deserves to live the best life to their fullest potential! ⤠www.yourinnerdog.com
Your Inner Dog offers dog training, behavior and well-being support to dogs and their people.
