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For
those of you with fids, clicker training is just
so
important to socialising and bonding that I cannot
stress
enough that you should get into clicker
training
if you have not done so.
When
I got into clicker training about two years ago,
I
realised that this was my key to getting recall as I
was
going to let Tinkerbell fly. You all agree
allowing
a fid to fly without recall can be
stressfull.
The
target stick training was so very important to me.
After
the initial bend down and bend up and bend left
and
bend right to touch the target stick to get her
click
and treat, I went beyond. As Tink gets bored
with
too many repetitions, I had to think of other
ways
but still involving the target stick.
She
had to walk along sofa to get that target stick.
She
flew to perch to walk and claw her way to 'touch
target'.
Tink had to pull that target stick on a
chain
to 'touch target'.
All
that was to make sure she got to love that target
stick.
Below
are shots of her doing that.
http://community.webshots.com/album/61033370PIFOrv
For
her recall, my arm for her to fly to was inches
away
and at level of her feet. The target stick was
wriggled
at her to entice her to hop and flap to me
together
with voice cue of "come here". When she
hopped
and flapped across, it was click and treat.
That
was extended to a foot and then a couple of feet
for
her to flap her way across to me. While the visual
cue
to her was the target stick, it was the click and
treat
together with the voice cue and bend arm to
condition
her. The distance was then extended to 5
feet
and beyond.
You
can see that in the photos below
http://community.webshots.com/album/55081254qsbpaf
You
can see how I use the target stick as a lure to
induce
her on recall to me.
Subsequently,
I faded the target stick away depending
on
voice cues alone.
Then
the clicker was faded away and now her treats are
given
on an irregular basis, from none at all to 4-5
seeds.
She
is regularly recalled from 20-30 meters and beyond
nowadays.
For
those who are not flying fids, it will also be a
very
good idea to train for this recall. It is fun to
teach
and fun for them to learn.
There
may come a time you are so glad that your fid
understand
and respond to recall.
=====
With
warmest regards
Shanlung
Joy
- wife, Tinkerbell - CAG & surrogate daughter
earlier
emails and photo links on Tink -
http://www.geocities.com/shanlung9
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shan
lung <