Typist: Bethany
It was my first training class with Tynan when I heard the instructor give her speech about the word "sit" for the first time. "You might want to consider using a different word, one that your dog understands as 'this is my trainer cueing me' as opposed to a kid at the park or a clerk at the store ask you dog to do something cute," she urged. Yet in all the times I heard that speech, in classes with Tynan, Wilhelm, Brychwyn, and Huxley, when the instructor would go around the room after asking "what word will you be using?" I only once heard someone say something other than "sit." And, unfortunately, it wasn't me. Now, I have three super smart dogs who can go anywhere and be adored, but not one of them knows "sit."

One flaw in my dogs "sit" is that I used the word "sit." If I had used any other word, a word that isn't said to them dozens of times a day by neighbors, shop keepers, mail carriers, etc, my cue to lower the tail end may not have been poisoned. But I chose "sit." Yet if I had worked harder in proofing the cue before they heard it over and over again from people all over in our travels, people who rewarded them even if they didn't obey, the cue may not have been poisoned. So my true training confession is that I am terrible at proofing.

I am not a bad trainer. I am just way more focused on socialization than proofing. Back when I was gung-ho about titles and competitions, I was horrified when a child at the park told my dogs to "sit." Yet, I didn't like horrified trainer me. The being able to take the pets anywhere happily trainer me, even if the dogs don't obey every random "sit" they hear, is a much more fun trainer me. Happy, well-socialized pets matter more to me than perfect, consistently compliant to obedience cues pets. The only exception to this lazy proofing attitude is I insist on a speedy recall and, like all good pet owners should, the pets and I work on it daily. I know that if I gave "sit" a new cue word and the same attention as our recalls, the dogs would learn it in no time. After all, they are smarter than me! I am really the one that does not know "sit."

Just because I am bad at proofing skills doesn't mean you have to be! Here's a great resource on proofing. Do you have any proofing tips to share?

Share this post:

Before teaching a cat to walk on a leash, make sure the cat is comfortable, safe, and confident in a harness; read "Walk Your Pet Month: How to Train A Cat To Wear A Harness."

 Typist: Bethany
The first time I put a leash on adventure cat Amelia, I did it on a whim. It was a lovely summer evening and the whole family, dogs, humans and cockatoo, were all enjoying time on the deck together while Amelia peered longingly through the glass on the deck door. I grabbed one of the dogs bungee leashes, attached it to her collar, and carried her outside. Well, Amelia did what she always used to do when outside, she froze. I stroked her and spoke to her softly and when she finally moved, it was back towards the door. Once the door was cracked, she bolted inside, surprising both of us with a suddenly tight leash. And cats don't like to feel a tight leash. Especially cats who have never been on a leash before. Amelia's reaction to that tight leash was a speed blur but in her upwards and sideways motion she ricocheted of a mirror on the wall and broke it. I am not sure if the superstitious seven years of bad luck is hers or mine. Fortunately, that moment that horrified both of us also taught us both about how to teach a cat to walk on a leash.

Cat Leash Training
1) Know Thy Leash
Just like with training a cat to wear a harness, leash training begins with getting the cat used to just having the leash around. One of the reasons Amelia freaked out the first time I put a leash on her was that it smelled like dog. Sure, it is a dog she lives with and tolerates but still, dog. Placing the cats leash in harms way of playtime (pictured) is also a good way to make sure it is truly a cat proof leash. Having the leash and harness around at meal time helps the cat learn to associate those items with good things (like food and fun!)

2) Keep It Loose
Cats don't like tight leashes. This is important, so I'll repeat it; cats don't like tight leashes. But tight leashes are an inevitability. All it takes it get a cat to accept a tight leash is to work up to it gradually. Amelia is an absolute pro at knowing when she is reaching the end of her leash (literally and figuratively, but lets stick with the literal.) But it wasn't always that way, as the lack of an antique mirror in the back room of our house proves. To get Amelia trained to know what it meant when she felt the leash begin to tighten, we worked very slowly, in very controlled environments. Basically, I did not allow the leash to get tight while Amelia practiced wearing her harness and leash in a small room of the house. We moved up to larger rooms and finally the hallway but I followed closely and carefully, keeping the leash consistently loose. Once Amelia was comfortable and confident on her loose leash, it was time for her to gradually feel it tighten. The goal was for her to freeze or even turn around when feeling the leash tighten as opposed to going into frightened fleeing mode. There was a little trial and error here because I had to get used to what she could feel. So there were a few times she freaked out, which is why we were in a safe room, with all hazards out of bungee leash length. I immediately soothed her and treated her after a panic, and stopped the leash training once she was calm. Finally, both she and I got a rhythm on me allowing the leash to tighten slightly, and her slowing down or pausing when it did. Once we were good at this routine, I finally attempted a complete stop and did not loosen the leash immediately after it tightened. And the was no panic! So with patience and consistency. Amelia learned about a tight leash even though cats don't like tight leashes.

3) Slow and Steady Wins the Leashed Cat Walk
Do not attempt to go for a leashed cat walk outside until both walker and cat are confident with a tight leash. I am physically capable of running if needed to help Amelia enjoy her outdoor time on a loose leash but she is fast! And every time that leash gets close to being tight, I flash back to broken mirror day. But after broken mirror day, I took my time to properly teach Amelia to love her harness and accept her leash. The slow and steady pace I used to teach Amelia how to safely walk on her leash has meant that she has even tightened her own leash, by wrapping it around a tree or pole, and sat patiently waiting for me to fix the tension. This is the trust consistent, gradual leash training has instilled. I am very proud of Amelia's trust in me and her leash as well as the patience I gained in training her. After all, cat walks are awfully sluggish at times as well!

IMPORTANT TRAINING TIP: Never let a leashed cat walk out the door; always carry a cat outside. This will prevent any bad running out the door habits from forming. I always let Amelia walk inside on her own, though, as that is exactly what I want her to know how to do, leashed or not.

Lucky Amelia has gone from having a crazy human wrap her in a dog leash, to one who she trusts enough to untangle her tight leash from a tree. Lucky me has gone from a frightened whirlwind smashing mirrors at the end of a bungee, to an adventure cat who loves to go wherever the rest of the Cascadian Nomads go. If there really is seven years bad luck from a broken mirror, it certainly has not been bad luck in my relationship with my precious kitty. The bond of training and spending time together indoors and out has made us both as lucky as can be.

Do you have any cat leash training tips to share?

January is Walk Your Pet Month and while the Cascadian Nomads love events like this to raise awareness of pet health and safety, we think pets should get a walk every day!

Share this post:

Typist: Bethany
Two years ago when I began taking adventure cat Amelia out on her harness and leash, the majority of people we met either laughed, said they had never seen such a thing, commented that their cat would never wear a harness or that they wished they could teach their cat to come out on a leash. Recently, I have more and more conversations with people who are trying to find the right harness for their cat or are seeking cat leash training tips. This is such a wonderful turn for healthy, active cats everywhere.

For cats that want to go outside, and not all cats do, the only way to keep them safe is to take them out on a harness and leash. And by keeping cats safe, I mean alive. Indoor only cats live two times longer than indoor/outdoor cats. These statistics were the same twenty plus years ago when Gryphon was a kitten and I decided that he would be an indoor only cat. But humans don't always get to make decisions for cats. Gryphon disagreed with my indoor only cat decree and spent his youth becoming a master escape artist. Had I, or really the pet industry been more informed, I would have taught Gryphon to wear a harness and walk on a leash. Instead, I repaired screens, barricaded vents, and spent thousands of dollars on vet bills. Miraculously, Gryphon lived to nineteen. This statistic defying lifespan was probably because Gryphon finally had to succumb to my indoor cat only rule in his geriatric years, but he got his revenge on me by passing along his outdoor-lust to his best friend, Amelia. Thanks to being a more educated cat owner, I was ready this time. A little less than six months after Gryphon passed away, I purchased Amelia's first harness and leash.

Shopping for a Cat Harness
Security & Comfort
There are many choices for cat harnesses from step in strap harnesses to vests. Amelia started her harness training with a figure eight style harness, she now wears a mesh t-strap harness, and I am hoping to transition her to a walking vest before spring. When purchasing a cat harness, there are only two things that matter: security and comfort. Once Amelia was confidently walking outside like a pro, she became able to slip out of her strap style harnesses. This is why I switched to her current mesh harness. I thought the fuller coverage of this harness would bother her but what she dislikes more that her fur getting out of place as I expected, is the chest strap between her front legs. So now I believe she is ready for the full coverage, safety and comfort of a walking vest. Every cat is different. Every day is different. It never hurts to try everything! Just like adventure dogs, I think an adventuring cat should have a variety of harness options for maximum safety and comfort in all moods and conditions.

IMPORTANT TRAINING TIP: While it is is difficult to know for sure which harness to buy your cat without trying it on, do not out a harness on your cat until they are at step 2 in their harness training. Forcing a cat into a harness will make the entire training process take a lot longer.

Cat Harness Training
1) Harness Happy Place
Always introduce a cat to a harness slowly. I began Amelia's harness training my placing her harness in some of her favorite places. Throughout a month or so, Amelia would find herself next to her harness during playtime on her cat tree, mealtime on the counter or nap time in the closet. I do the same thing with every new harness my cat gets. During this phase of harness training, if I see Amelia sniff or interact with her harness, I praise her and place a treat next to or on her harness. The goal is not just to get a cat used to the harness but to associate it with good things.

3) From Freeze to Food
Getting past the harness frozen cat is as easy as singing "Let It Go." Wait. It's not. But wouldn't that be great? The basics behind getting a harnessed cat to move is that if a cat is comfortable eating in the harness, then the harness is becoming comfortable to the cat. So training a cat to move in the harness is as simple as asking them to move for food. This step must also be taken very slowly. Once the cat is wearing the harness for a few minutes without being agitated or scared, offer the harness wearing cat some treats in place. It's okay if the cat does not immediately warm up to this idea. It may be necessary to remove the harness, then let the cat have the treats. Amelia believe she could not lower her head in her harness so the first time I placed treats at her feet during harness time she gave me a "yeah, right" look. The next time I put her in her harness, I held treats to her mouth in my palm. Still, she refused. Apparently her jaw was also frozen by the bizarre straps around her body. I removed the harness, and let her have the treats. After a few more of these too-frozen-for-treats harness training sessions, Amelia finally took a bite. The freeze was over! "The cold never bothered me anyway!" And I might have actually belted that out... might. From here, in each short harness wearing training session, I was able to go from treats in my hand, to treats on the floor, to treats one step away. If Amelia ever seemed hesitant or afraid, I stopped, took the harness off and let her have the treats. Eventually, I was placing the treats a few steps away.

4) Mealtime Dress-Up
Once those first few steps while wearing a harness have been accomplished, it is time for more! Now it is time to put the harness on a hungry cat at mealtime. Again, if the cat becomes irritated or frightened, stop, take the harness off, and try again at another meal. The first time I dressed Amelia up in her harness for a meal, I prepared her food and set it in the hallway. As she walked past me to get to her food, I put her harness on. She froze. I watched the clock and after three minutes, I took her harness off and let her proceed to her meal. This happened a few more times until one fateful day, when she was obviously particularly hungry, that after slipping into her harness she continued towards her dish. Now, the awkward walk she did was going to win her a Best In Cat Show title, but it was movement. She ate a few bites and as soon as she looked up at me from her dish, I removed her harness and let her finish eating naked. This mealtime training continued slowly until she was eating an entire meal and even walking away for a post meal playtime with her harness still on. Eventually, I placed her meal where she had to jump to it while wearing her harness. At this point in the harness training, my cat acted as if she was wearing nothing at all.

5) Keep Up The Cat Harness Is Good Work
We continued (and still continue) with Harness Happy Place and Mealtime Dress-Up harness training. Like any pet training, there are ups and downs of good days and bad days. Even just one bad experience, maybe something only a feline notices, can set training back several steps. But it's okay! The goal is that the harness remain a happy and fun experience for the cat.

Next read "Walk Your Pet Month: How To Train A Cat To Walk On A Leash" here.

Do you have any cat harness training tips to share?

January is Walk Your Pet Month and while the Cascadian Nomads love events like this to raise awareness of pet health and safety, we think pets should get a walk every day!

Share this post:

Typist: Bethany
Most hobbies are expensive, requiring an investment in equipment and a budget to sustain. Yet all that is needed for positive reinforcement pet training is a pet, a voice and a hand. I can train anywhere, anytime, for free! Too often we pet people and animal trainers get caught up in doing everything perfectly, like on TV, or we just don't bother. Training a pet, though, especially using positive reinforcement training methods, doesn't require lavish tools, luxury locations or celebrity instruction. Any pet (yes, any) can be trained simply by using the fun, positive method that the trainer and the animal both enjoy. The simplicity of positive reinforcement dog, cat and parrot training as a hobby does not diminish it's rewards. In return for my positive training time, I get an incomparable bond with each of my pets as well as pets that I can take anywhere. We trust each other in any situation. We have enough positivity to share, here in our three simple ways to train using positive reinforcement training:

1) Attitude is Everything
Wilhelm, Brychwyn, Huxley, Leo, Amelia, and I were hanging out near the beach a few months ago watching a perfect Puget Sound Sunset. I saw another sunset watcher approach us and prepared the pets to greet her politely. Instead of asking to pet the dogs and cat or asking me about an adventuring cockatoo she neared us and simply stated, " your family is so special. I just love how you talk to them. It's so nice." I thanked her, and as I promptly praised the dogs for remaining quiet I realized how right she was. I do speak nicely to my pets. Shouldn't everyone? In transitioning from a formerly negative trainer to a positive one, the way that I talk to my dogs has indeed been the biggest change. I tell them "yes, good job" instead of "no, don't do that." Through more positive language, my attitude is better. With my better attitude, the pets are happier. Because the pets are happier, people extend positive comments. Positivity is contagious. And it is so simple to start the infectious positive chain reaction. Just say "yes!"

2) The Best Thing To Do With A Pet
Back when I taught dog training classes, I heard the "there is no way I could handle the dog, treats, and a clicker" excuse daily. But positive reinforcement training does not require the use of a clicker. Instead of using a clicker to mark, or identify, correct behavior, choose a short, one syllable marker word like "yes," "good," or even say "click." Then praise the pets success with a special, exciting word or phrase like "hooray," "awesome work," or "you're the best" accompanied by a celebratory scratch, rub, or game. Being a positive trainer does not require the use of treats. A reward to a pet is as simple as a pet! The key is simply being positive. My training plan has never been teaching my pets a behavior in record time so even though studies have shown that marking behaviors exactly and having the perfect training rewards mean that pets learn faster, I just stay positive even without a click and food reward. The dogs, cat, cockatoo and I don't currently have competitive goals or learning deadlines. I simply want well behaved pets that are active, mentally stimulated, living fulfilled and happy lives. We train casually and simply, positively and fun. And anyone can do it!

3) Let The Games Begin
Training should be fun. Always. Every time. If I find myself getting bored with training, I know it is time to evaluate what I am doing. I can't be the best, positive trainer that my pets deserve, if I am bored. Most importantly, if I am bored, the dogs, cat and parrot will be too. So how do I keep training fun? The number one way is to always be aware of how much my pets love it. The excitement of each pet when I give them a cue or get out a training toy, brings me such joy. If we try something they don't love, I review my journal and go back to something they enjoyed. And if my pets are happy, I am happy. Yeah. I am that easy to please! Another way to ensure training stays fun is to keep seeking new training games to play, behaviors to learn, and positive reinforcement training methods. Books, workshops, classes, videos, articles, and online events like National Dog Training Month and Positive Reinforcement Pet Training Week are constant positive pet training inspiration resources. Simply being present with my pets, observing even the smallest positive change in their behavior when we train, helps me remember to keep training pleasant. Plus I work to put their personality traits, good or bad, to work in making our training positive, effective and always, always fun.

Share this post: