November 22, 2013

Positive Reinforcement Training. Just What Does it Mean?

Terrie Hayward

four_on_floorDay ONE-21 Day Positive Training Kickstart Challenge

Wouldn’t it be nice to try to catch your dog or horse or child doing something right & rewarding them for that great behavior choice rather than waiting around for them do do something wrong & punishing them for it?

Positive reinforcement training or “R+ Training” is just that simple! We OBSERVE a behavior by watching for it or using a technique called, “shaping.” Then we mark the behavior with a sound or sometimes even a light, but with a signal that tells our learner that the behavior that they JUST performed is what we liked. Finally, we reinforce that behavior by allowing access to something that the learner finds reinforcing (food, a game, a walk, interaction, money..etc.).

ACTION: See if you can find someone around you (person or animal) doing something right today & reinforce that behavior (with a kind word, belly rub-best reserved for the pups!, or some other special treat)!

Remember for each new “like” of PAW-Positive Animal Wellness on Facebook during the 21 Day Challenge, PAW will donate $1.00 to Defensa Animales de Rincon (DAR)!

Don’t miss one day of the kickstart! Sign up for updates below.


November 21, 2013

Announcing the 21 Day Positive Reinforcement Kick-Start Challenge!

Terrie Hayward

Posiitve Animal WellnessWould you like to improve the consistency & effectiveness of your teaching, training, & overall relationship with the learners in your world?

Over the following weeks PAW will be presenting a 21 day “kick start” Positive Training Challenge!

Folks often reach out for help when they find themselves in a challenging & frustrating situation.

However, with the tips, advice, & guidance to follow, pet parents & people generally interested in how knowledge, science, applied behavioral analysis, persistence, & consistency can make positive changes for the better.

For the busy dog, bird, or horse owner who is time crunched & dealing with other realities & priorities of daily life, finding the right information to help from legitimate sources can feel frustrating & overwhelming.

However, before you throw up your hands & give up, the twenty-one day positive reinforcement training challenge is here to help you to optimize your learning, teaching, & training potential.

Stay tuned & tune in to participate & be on the way to a better understanding of training & learning & an overall improved relationship with your companion animal!

For every new “like” on the PAW-Positive Animal Wellness Facebook page during the 21 day challenge, PAW will donate one dollar to the newly created Defensa Animal de Rincon-DAR animal rescue group.

Thanks & good luck getting started on the right “PAW” today!

August 3, 2013

Bottom on the Mat

Terrie Hayward

Does your dog have a difficult time when needing to calm down in new or exciting surroundings?

A towel is a handy tool that you can use as it can roll up and travel with you providing your dog a spot to relax and settle on cue in new, distracting, or stressful environments. Via an exercise in Leslie McDevitt’s,  “Control Unleashed” program we worked on following the cue, “Bottom on the Mat” in which George lays down on a towel until his release cue is given. You can see that he is attentive and eager but not overly stimulated.

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