How to train an animal NOT to do something : Motoring Non-motoring forum

Non-motoring > How to train an animal NOT to do something	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: smokie	Replies: 9

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Sun 19 May 24 20:28

How to train an animal NOT to do something - smokie

I have read of clicker training to reward good behaviours but if a young animal has a bad behaviour (e.g. over-enthusiastic greeting including gentle - and sometimes not so gentle - biting) resulting in a degree of injury how would one train it to stop?

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Sun 19 May 24 20:40

How to train an animal NOT to do something - Zero

It takes good handling, by which I mean a good understanding of the dogs body language when it is going to do the unwanted actions.

Essentially you "divert"

That is, say visitor comes to door, open door, dog indicates it is going to do the behaviour, you click and divert the attention to the handler. This soon imprints to the dog and the divert behaviour becomes ingrained. Good trick is to train the dog to go for a toy to give or show to visitor/person you meet.

You need of course to train the dog to the clicker first. A clicker is not needed, you can have a voice command, like "Pip" "beep" tick"

Pups bite or mouth, it's what they do, your timing needs to be spot on, too slow and you can actually train the unwanted behaviour in!!!! The same thing will be needed to stop and enthusiastic pup jumping up at people

Last edited by: Zero on Sun 19 May 24 at 20:44

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Sun 19 May 24 20:52

How to train an animal NOT to do something - smokie

That's genuinely useful, thanks. He does have toys which he likes to bring to people.

Problem is, it's the daughter's cat.

She is fairly covered in scratches where he jumps up and tries to climb up her, using claws. He was here for a week a bit back and didn't try it on us. He will run and cling onto her leg while she's just standing there. I really think he loves her a lot rather than the opposite. He is a "house cat" which might not help.

I bought the clicker for her after reading that people have managed to train cats to do stuff with one - but no-one had said how to use them to stop them doing stuff!!

He's being castrated this week so hoping that might effect it but not sure why it would. Serve him right though :-)

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Sun 19 May 24 21:03

How to train an animal NOT to do something - Zero

Went on a residential clicker training course for a week, where were given a chicken on Monday morning, live with it for the week, and to get your certificate had to demonstrate the trick you had taught it on Friday afternoon.

You can clicker train nearly every animal, but there is a very good reason we were not given a cat.

You are on your own there mate, n o support from me on this one.

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Sun 19 May 24 21:21

How to train an animal NOT to do something - smokie

I might have guessed :-)

Well if anyone has any ideas please feel free!!

She is reaching the end of her tether with it yet she loves it. And it's a nice cat, as they go.

What trick did you get the chicken to do? Go pluck itself? :-)

Last edited by: smokie on Sun 19 May 24 at 21:22

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Sun 19 May 24 21:54

How to train an animal NOT to do something - Zero

>> What trick did you get the chicken to do? Go pluck itself? :-)

Go fetch a pencil and bring it back to me.

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Sun 19 May 24 22:18

How to train an animal NOT to do something - bathtub tom

Water spray. Worked with every cat I've known. Looked after Daughter's while they were away, damn thing would jump on the table at every mealtime. A quick squirt soon resolved it.
You do have to maintain it though and not listen to anyone saying 'that's cruel'.

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Sun 19 May 24 23:36

How to train an animal NOT to do something - zippy

We were not very good trainers and despite being "gorgeous" pooch Z is not the brightest of animals.

She can do the sit, roll over, present a paw - sort of things after asking several times.

If she doesn't understand she lies down and buries her head in her paws.

One habit we wish we could break is if we go out and leave her at home, she will refuse to eat or drink until we return. This puts her under some stress.

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Mon 20 May 24 17:44

How to train an animal NOT to do something - martin aston

Another vote for water spray. You could try accompanying this with an audible brief hiss which is what their cat mother would do. You should find that you will soon just need the hiss as carrying a water sprayer is hardly convenient.

Our cat stopped climbing our legs within a couple of days using this approach. Afterwards the hiss worked as an effective general “no” request. I say request as cats don’t really take instructions.

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Mon 20 May 24 18:05

How to train an animal NOT to do something - smokie

Thanks, I'm passing all this info on and will come back with outcome.

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