Dogs for Casey--Passage and Piaffe

This is in essence simple target training. Note the rapt attention to her hand(target/reward). As we were discussing "pigs" the other day, it is exactly how I trained the pigs in Canada. Sea mammal trainers keep the reward of to the side/behind, as do feline trainers so that the animals focus on the signal and not on the reward. Yes, Sea Mammal/sea lion trainers will "expose" a bucket of fish, but that is the signal for "you are finished and are going home", or with dolphins/Orka who are ignoring the hand signal it can be banged on the floor to "pay attention, God#$%#." With non carnivorous animals at liberty such as dogs, pigs, liberty horses, etc. the reward is kept in front to keep attention and entice the behavior "come to me or focus on me". In the case of this dog it is all about it's personality/behavior trait. Many pet owners will come up with something great because they are following no instruction. When the animal dies, and they try to do the same thing, they are devastated because the new pet won't do it. They never realized it was the animals "personality/behavior trait" that allowed it to happen not their training skills.

Thank you, Dianne

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hkW4ky4was