Product News

 

Some dogs are born to tug. Although I wasn’t present for his birth, I did meet Blink, my border collie, when he was very young (about 3 weeks old). I was lucky enough to visit his litter each week until I brought Blink home at age 8 weeks. I can attest to this—from the time he and his siblings were able to grasp something in their tiny mouths and hold on to it, they were tuggers. Fierce, enthusiastic, tuggers. They would tug until they dropped from exhaustion, falling asleep mid-tug with some poor, unsuspecting, braided-rope monkey toy hanging out of their mouths with its stuffed head half torn off. (True story).

 

Having had two Labs that were all about the food and “meh” about tugging, I thought this was just about the coolest thing ever! These baby puppies were grrring and tugging with all their might and seemed to really enjoy the game.

Given that, tug became a very powerful reinforcer early on Blink’s life. In fact, tugging was used to reinforce desirable behavior long before the pups ever left their breeder. I had such a huge head start using tug as a reinforcer in training that it felt like cheating! By the time I brought Blink home, not only did he have a reinforcement history of tugging, he had a reinforcement history of tugging with ME.

I capitalized on that reinforcement history right away. Unlike food (which Blink would accept politely, if I was lucky), he was rabid about tug. So rabid that he once lost three puppy teeth in the span of an hour-long group class and kept right on tugging through it all. Blink simply could not get enough of the game. I would have been foolish not to use that passion to my advantage in his training. I used tug as his main reinforcer for every single new behavior I taught him. “Wait.” Click/tug. “Sit.” Click/tug. “Lie down.” Click/tug. And on it went, until we built up a basic behavioral repertoire successfully, solely using clicker training, but almost never using food as a reinforcer.

Blink also loves to chase toys like balls, Frisbees and ring toys. Later on, when I wanted to add some distance to Blink’s behaviors, I began using thrown toys as reinforcers. For instance, if Blink was 20-30 feet away, and it wasn’t possible to tug with him, I would click and reinforce with a thrown toy.

To this day, tug remains 7-year-old Blink’s main reinforcer. I do use food sometimes, but almost everything the dog knows was taught with tug or a thrown toy. “Give me a hug.” Click/tug. “Hold still while I trim a nail.” Click/throw a ball. “Do a dog-sport demo with me in front of a crowd of people and dogs.” Click/tug.

Although it works great with Blink, using toys in place of food as reinforcers isn’t for every dog. For example, this would have been a terrible training plan for my Labs, unless I took the time to condition toys as secondary reinforcers for them. But, if you have a dog that loves tug or toys more than food (not to be “breedest,” but herding dogs often fit this description!), try using those things as reinforcers.

You can find an assortment of tug toys here, including the Follow Me fleece braided tug that Blink is enjoying in the video.

If you’re interested in learning more about adding toys, tug, natural, and novel reinforcers to your reinforcement strategy, and improving your own reinforcement skills, Ken Ramirez has authored an entire online course on this very subject! Check out the Smart Reinforcement course.

 

Karen Pryor Clicker Training’s Terry Ryan Treat Pouch was named “best treat pouch/bait bag” in the August 2016 issue of The Whole Dog Journal (WDJ). Nancy Kerns, Editor in Chief of WDJ, tested and rated a variety of treat pouches as she walked and trained her own dogs. An admitted “treat-bag junkie,” Nancy experiments with all of the reasonably priced bags she finds, and has clear criteria on what makes a bag great.

The WDJ article discusses first the basic features of a working treat pouch, including preferred size, open-and-close method, quality, ease of care, and “extras.” Although she herself does not like bells and whistles, Nancy does mention some design additions that might appeal to other trainers (space for poop bags, extra loops for attaching keys, etc., space for personal items).

What leads Nancy Kerns to declare the Terry Ryan Treat Pouch her “absolute favorite” is its simplicity—and quality. From the pouch’s belt attachment to the French-spring hinge mechanism for easy access, from the space for a basic phone to the squared base of the bag that allows it to stand alone on a flat surface, Nancy praises the Terry Ryan Treat Pouch as an essential tool. While the WDJ test results article describes two pouches that are runners-up, and lists other bags that did not make the cut, only the Karen Pryor Clicker Training product was described as “Everything we need, nothing we don’t!”

 

 

The FitPAWS K9FITbone is a very versatile piece of balance equipment. The lateral movement the K9FITbone offers encourages your dog to engage the abdominal muscles, the muscles along the spine (core and trunk muscles), and the supporting muscles around the hips and shoulders that are used for stability and support good posture. Here are 10 great reasons to use the K9FITbone at home or during a class:

1. Keeps knees and rear feet tracking forward
   Dogs often toe out in a sitting or standing position. Some dogs have a lazy sit that developed in puppyhood. Others live on slippery floors and/or lack proper weight distribution, which makes it harder for the dog to hold the rear feet and knees tracking forward. Developing muscle strength to maintain the correct foot/leg position is key to helping dogs keep their knees and rear feet tracking forward. Strengthening muscles also encourages more weight distributed to the rear. The K9FITbone promotes proper foot position in both a sitting and a standing position due to the width of the bone.
2. Lateral stability
   The K9FITbone increases lateral stability by strengthening supporting muscles around the shoulders and hips. Varying the inflation can make the K9FITbone rock side to side with just a small amount of inflation or can create more dramatic change by increasing inflation. The K9FITbone is made of material with a lot of give. At 4” tall, it lets the dog push into the bone to find balance, thereby strengthening the major muscle groups that support the dog’s joints. Keeping the dog’s head in a more natural position will help to distribute weight more evenly.
3. Range of difficulty
   There are many levels of difficulty to try by varying the inflation of the K9FITbone and by using two K9FITbones together. With less air, the K9FITbone lays flat but is squishy and can provide resistance for strengthening feet, toes, wrists, shoulders and hips. With more air, the K9FITBone rocks side to side, providing a lateral challenge, engaging the core and spinal muscles, and improving stability in the various joints mentioned above.
4. GREAT for Puppies
   Because the K9FITbone encourages rear feet and knees to track forward, it does not put unnecessary stress on the joints. It also encourages a flat back so that a puppy develops muscles in the right position. You can shape you puppy to use the K9FITbone independently quite easily. The tool is low to the ground so if the puppy comes off of it, the puppy can just hop right back on. No matter the inflation rate, the K9FITbone is perfect for puppies.
5. Shaping for strength and balance
   Training your dog to use the K9FITbone requires less handler support and lends itself to shaping independent behaviors in the proper position. If you use a clicker and love to shape behaviors, this piece of equipment is for you. As your dog gains strength, you can pair the K9FITbone with other pieces of equipment, shaping the dog to stand, down, weight-shift, and other movements that will strengthen a dog’s core, spinal muscles, and the muscles around shoulders and hips. Your dog can back up to the K9FITbone for shoulder stability work (for agility contact). The tool can also be paired with the Paw Pods to work lateral stability in the shoulders that is useful for weave poles and more.
6. Target hips or shoulders with two feet on the K9FITbone
   If your dog demonstrates front feet on the long side of the K9FITbone, target the rear end strength by shifting weight to the dog’s rear legs. With rear feet on the long side of the K9FITbone, target shoulders, biceps, and triceps by shifting weight to the front legs. Position your dog’s feet on the END of the bone and you can engage more muscle groups while challenging your dog to balance laterally.
7. Fabulous for small dogs
   The K9FITbone material has enough give when it is under-inflated to provide a challenge for smaller dogs as their feet push into the material. It also provides the lateral challenges when air is added. The tool is close to the floor and most smaller dogs are completely comfortable using it. The handler can also put the K9FITBone on a table and it won’t roll away. This position allows the handler to stand upright and not bend over or kneel on the floor to participate in a strength program for the dog.
8. Using it with larger dogs
   Due to the fact that the K9FITbone is 23″ x 11.5″ x 4″ it is very difficult for a 35-45 pound dog to find a good position while supporting a flat back—but it can be done. Because of the narrow shape, and depending on the level of inflation, it is more difficult for the dog to find balance, which encourages more muscles to be engaged. If you have a larger dog, the K9FITbone can be paired with another Bone, Balance Disc, Donut, or Paw Pods.
9. Encourages a FLAT back
   With its elongated shape, the K9FITbone encourages a flat back when the dog positions its feet correctly. Some dogs have a harder time with maintaining a flat back, but the K9FITBone can help the dog find the correct position faster than on other equipment. Longer dog? Use two K9FITbones end to end, perpendicular or parallel, and still reap the benefits of a flat back, lateral movement, shaping independent strength training, and more.
10. Versatile
    The K9FITbone can be paired with almost any other FitPAWS item: Balance Discs, Paw Pods, Wobble boards, rocker board, and even the Peanuts and Eggs!

Everyone loves the holidays, but changes in routine and the comings and goings of visitors can create stress for many pets. At times like these, interactive treat toys such as Kongs can be particularly useful. Karen Pryor Academy and ClickerExpo faculty member Laurie Luck explains how to pre-stuff Kongs so that you always have a terrific, but easy, way to keep the holiday peace!

I use Kongs to buy time if I'm working on a project. Busy dogs are good dogs! Offering Kongs is also a preventive measure to avoid separation anxiety. Every dog in my house gets a stuffed, frozen Kong as I'm walking out the door. They don't stress about my departure or my absence. In fact, the dogs love to see me leave!

When you're stuffing Kongs for four dogs, as I do, it's helpful to pre-stuff a bunch at a time and freeze them—the treats will be ready whenever you need them! Start with a basket of empty (and clean) Kongs. I run the Kongs through the dishwasher about once a month (top rack, no heat) just to clean all the goop off. I do this for myself only—the dogs do not mind the goop at all!

I'll use peanut butter as the stuffing example, but you can put almost anything your dog likes in the Kong. Some ideas include cream cheese, canned pumpkin, leftover mashed potatoes, plain yogurt, ricotta cheese, cottage cheese—pretty much anything that's gooey. If you really want to keep your dog busy, toss in a few kibbles and shake the Kong so that the kibbles stick to the sides. Or, add apple or banana pieces to the Kong (do not add grapes or raisins, as they are toxic to dogs).

With the filling and the Kongs ready, slide a knife into your filling and spread the filling all over the inside of the Kong. With the peanut butter on the knife, just run the knife along the inside of the Kong. I try to distribute the peanut butter evenly, but only because I'm a control freak and like to have everything just so. The dogs don't care how the peanut butter is distributed, as long as there is peanut butter in the Kong!

After the Kong is stuffed, I drop it into a big plastic bag. Why? I put stuffed Kongs in the freezer. Frozen peanut butter takes longer for the dogs to extract, so it keeps the dogs occupied for longer periods of time. The plastic bag also keeps all the Kongs together so I can find them easily. Finally, placing Kongs safely in a bag keeps my freezer a little cleaner.

Pop the entire bag of peanut-butter-filled Kongs into the freezer and allow them to freeze. Now you are ready for the week (or the holidays) ahead!

With the hustle and bustle that comes with holidays, it’s easy to forget that all of the excitement can be stressful for our pets. Dogs jumping and begging at the Thanksgiving table can be stressful for us and for our guests, too!

Consider providing for your pet a safe, quiet space away from the commotion. That space should contain a bed, water, and calming music. Keep your dog busy with a bully stick or a treat-filled toy, such as a Kong. If your dog is anxious or barking in the crate or quiet area, try rewarding quiet, calm behavior by saying “good dog” in a soothing voice and/or dropping treats. (Please try to resist giving your dog Thanksgiving leftovers, which can be harmful to his digestive system.) Soon your dog will be as happy and relaxed as your guests after their Thanksgiving turkey!

Some of the most popular items sold through the Karen Pryor Clicker Training (KPCT) store are custom-printed clickers. KPCT staff members have often wondered about the final destinations of the custom clickers that have been purchased. One order of custom clickers ended up in a faraway location as part of an exciting project.

Target Training A Dog

Dr. Anne Savage, Conservation Director of Walt Disney World’s Animal Programs, traveled to Colombia in 2013 with Proyecto Tití, an organization whose mission is to conserve the cotton-top tamarin in Colombia. Cotton-top tamarins, endangered and only found in Colombia, are tiny (one pound!) and have flowing white hair that determined their “cotton-top” name. Disney’s Animal Kingdom hosts an exhibit of the cotton-top tamarins.

In Colombia, conservationists, Disney’s animal team members, and veterinary professionals worked with the local population to educate them about the health, habits, care, safety, and propagation of not only the cotton-top tamarin, but also pet dogs and cats. The messages of the visit and the many associated activities were to “keep wildlife in the wild,” “say no to pet monkeys,” and “say yes to canine and feline pet bonding.”

One of the program’s activities geared to the local children emphasized understanding dogs’ behaviors and signals. That’s where the clickers come in—the children learned and played the Training Game! Placing themselves in the role of both trainer and learner, the children experienced some of the frustration and success related to training their own smart dogs. Understanding that a click means success—and then a treat!—resulted in clear jumps in motivation and achievement.