clicker training + donkeys = huge success!!

Sounds wonderful!  *applause*
I know nothing about clicker training.  Can you help me understand what it's all about?  Sounds like you're very successful with it!  Also, any pictures of your babies would be fabulous! [] Great to see you (Merry Christmas!)

Interesting - I never thought of trying clicker training with my donkey.  I may have to try it.

clicker training is pretty simple. its positive reinforcement for behaviour you 'want'.
so basically when they do what you want, they get a click to let them know 'yes!! thats what I want' its a bridge communicator - cuz it also means 'a treat is on the way!'
most of the time if you're doing positive reinforcement ( working for goodies - not bribing) you aren't always in the position to get a treat right at that 'point' when they're doing what you want. the click lets them know that they're earned one and its on the way.

My donks picked up on this VERY quickly. I actually took some vids of Daisy learning it today. its amazing how fast they catch on. ( I'll post those as soon as I get them up).

so most people start out by having their animals to 'touch' objects, I kinda skipped all that and went straight for Martha's feet. LOL.

so for example, she would barely let me touch her knee. so in our first session ( without even being introduced to the clicker LOL) i would touch her knee, i'd keep it there for a couple seconds, then click, TREAT!
then do it again and again, slowly building up how long you can touch that area - I went PRETTY fast with Martha - going from only touching the knee to holding a foot in ten minutes.!! You just have to go as fast as the animal will allow.

I was working with Daisy today under saddle with the clicker. She soon was responding to 'whoa' verbally only - no tension on the reins!!

 So here's Martha on her 3rd clicker session - giving me her front foot
+
hmmmm its not letting me post a pic. boo

***spam***

I have heard that donkeys pick up on this incredibly fast ( probably because most are very food oriented ) . It's great to hear that you have made such fast progress with Martha !!

This weekend was huge for Martha!
We've been slowly working with her, and on Saturday she had her hind feet trimmed for the first time!! with the grinder too!! and not tied!!
I'm so proud of her! all that slow hard work paid off!!
She's coming along!

Sounds wonderful!  Where'd you get the clicker, or will a television remote control work?   ROFLMHO!!!  LOL

(you should hear my son impersonate my friend's husband... "Where's my clickah?"  LOL

I recently watched a young horseman with a filly he had brought (early) to a horse sale.  He had her in the sales ring by 7am and instead of a clicker, snapped his fingers.  She responded beautifully and it seemed to keep her calm.  When her time to be shown in the ring came, she was perfectly calm and relaxed.  I am sure the early introduction helped her, but I think the 'clicking fingers' helped when she first went in there.

[quote=Connie]

I recently watched a young horseman with a filly he had brought (early) to a horse sale.  He had her in the sales ring by 7am and instead of a clicker, snapped his fingers.  She responded beautifully and it seemed to keep her calm.  When her time to be shown in the ring came, she was perfectly calm and relaxed.  I am sure the early introduction helped her, but I think the 'clicking fingers' helped when she first went in there.


ya, you can use whatever sound you'd like. alot of people just have a word they use, like 'yes' ( but then you use yes alot in regular conversation so it can be confusing for the animal!)