GAMES AND VIDEOS
  • Dog Willing is a site that has some great training videos for obedience, freestyle-dance and teaching tricks along with some demos and lectures by leaders in the field of training. 
  • Want to test yourself to see how much you know about training?  This link allows you to answer questions about basic learning theory which is needed to successfully train any animal.
    Nothing makes you a better trainer than trying to train a new species.  Check out fish school
  • Test your timing with Sniffy the Rat




    ENRICHMENT!

    This is offering ways to forage for food or seek out toys using the animals senses as a way to improve their quality of life.  Zoos have been doing this for decades and it is also vital for every dog, parrot, cat, rabbit, rat, fish, human.... We go to work, soccer games, theaters, restaurants, dance classes, and more on any given day.  Our companions have a much shorter list of things that they can do in a given day yet they built to interact with their world (food bowls don't exist in any natural setting).  When we don't provide a stimulating senses-rich environment, we can see behavior problems develop.

     

    Any novel object that catches the animal's interest can be considered enriching, including natural and artificial objects, scents, novel foods, and different methods of preparing foods (for example, frozen in ice). It must be species appropriate, so realize what may work for a parrot might be different than a dog. To help identify what is enriching think about their senses (sight, sound, taste, touch/tactile, smell, social) and how that animal can move and manipulate objects. It doesn't have to cost much either.  Use your recycle bin to find containers and boxes to put toys or their daily kibble inside. Here are ways you can lose the food bowl! Here is one video of how a shelters offers cheap enrichment to several dogs. Another video with a few ideas to get your started. The ASPCA has a great page dedicated for enrichment for shelter dogs.  Even if you are not working in a shelter this page and it's links can be a great resource to help you find ways to enrich you dog at home.