In this recent picture from the Duke University Lemur Center (DULC) you can see the training pouch and target that the staff is using when working with their lemurs. The pouch has front pockets that are great for holding a cliker or other training items and a D ring that is perfect for holding the target.

One of the important behaviors we want horses to do safely is lift their leg on cue and let us examine and clean the bottom of their hooves.

I’ve worked with my 6-year old gelding for over 18 months to get him to lift his feet briskly when I cue him. The procedure is for me to stand by the side of his leg facing toward the rear. I’ll run my hand gently down the top of his leg to the knee (front leg) or hock (rear). I’ll then squeeze the knee gently and he lifts his leg and presents his hoof. We’ve been working to improve the speed of response and the height he lifts it.

After I finish the first front foot, I’ll move to the rear on the same side then around to the other side until I’ve examined, cleaned, and if necessary, treated all four hooves. We do this at least once every day. It’s a routine part of his life.

Recently I heard a suggestion that handlers should be able to lift all four feet from the same side. There may be situations in which I can’t get to one side or the other and would still need to pick out his hooves.

So we tried it. He gives me his rear feet just fine from whichever side I ask for them. The front legs are a different matter.

With some coaxing and patience, he will give me his right front with me standing at his left front. He’s obviously confused and hesitant though.

There is no way he’ll give me his left front with me standing at his right front. I stand where I would if I were asking for his right front foot and run my hand down his left leg, stopping at the knee and squeezing. He promptly lifts the right front foot. The more I ask for the left front, the faster and higher he lifts the right front. To the point where I thought he was going to smack me right in the nose with it. The expression on his face is one of irritation and confusion. He obviously thinks he’s doing what he’s supposed to be doing and he wonders what’s wrong with me.

I suspect that what I think is the cue for the front legs, i.e., squeezing the knee I want him to lift, means nothing to him. I suspect there is something in the way I stand next to him, bend over, and move my body that tells him to lift his foot.

All this time I’ve been sending him one cue and he’s been learning another. Now I need to figure out what his cue is and either work with that, translating it to the other leg as well, or untrain and retrain him to the cues I thought he was learning in the first place.

If anybody has experienced this before, and I’m sure it’s not uncommon, I’d appreciate some thoughts and advice. The horse isn’t stubborn. He loves to learn and he wants to please. It does irritate him when he thinks I’m acting stupid, though. Can’t say I blame him.

One of the things I love about training is seeing how the science can be applied to new situations. This point is made in the following link that introduces Bart Weetjens and his clicker trained rats. For the past seven years, Weetjens has been running a unique lab in Tanzania, where he trains rats to sniff out deadly unexploded land mines — the legacy of countless bloody conflicts. Although dogs have traditionally been used to help humans detect mines, Weetjens realized that rats are lighter, cheaper to maintain and less susceptible to tropical disease. You can find the video at http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/tanzania605/video_index.html

I was recently asked what books do we use when we are teaching an introductory course on animal training. We use two books for our assigned reading; Animal Training: Successful Animal Management Through Positive Reinforcement by Ken Ramirez and Don’t Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor. Both books provide a solid foundation for understanding basic principles including timing, criteria and rate of reinforcement.

I have found that no matter how many times I read Don’t Shoot the Dog, I always pick up on something I missed during my previous readings or a point becomes clearer. For this reason, I recommend the book to beginners as well as  experienced trainers that may not have read it since they first started training.

The Ramirez book covers everything from an introduction to training to advanced training.  We use this book in all levels of classes. The book is written very clearly and is easy to understand.  The book is a wonderful resource full of articles from a variety of authors.

Congratulations to the marine mammal training staff at Shedd Aquarium for a successful beluga birth! Mauyak and her calf are doing great! http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-web_belugaaug17,1,3610388.story?ctrack=3&cset=true