enrichment Archives - Karen Pryor Academy https://karenpryoracademy.com/tag/enrichment/ Karen Pryor Academy Tue, 31 Jan 2023 19:29:24 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.1 Low-Cost Enrichment Through Shaping https://karenpryoracademy.com/low-cost-enrichment-through-shaping/ https://karenpryoracademy.com/low-cost-enrichment-through-shaping/#respond Tue, 31 Jan 2023 00:09:30 +0000 https://karenpryoracademy.com/?p=16100 Shelters can be a stressful environment for dogs. Fortunately, there are simple, low-cost enrichment activities that can be implemented to provide comfort, reduce stress-induced behaviors, increase confidence, and promote adoptability. Enrichment can also be used to teach shelter dogs how to interact with their environments in a way that delivers a positive outcome. One easy way to provide enrichment is with shaping, the process of gradually teaching an animal a new action or behavior by clicking and treating the animal during each step of the process.

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low-cost enrichment through shaping

Shelters can be a stressful environment for dogs. Fortunately, there are simple, low-cost enrichment activities that can be implemented to provide comfort, reduce stress-induced behaviors, increase confidence, and promote adoptability. Enrichment can also be used to teach shelter dogs how to interact with their environments in a way that delivers a positive outcome. One easy way to provide enrichment is with shaping, the process of gradually teaching an animal a new action or behavior by rewarding the animal during each step of the process.

An excellent way to get started with shaping—and a fun enrichment game—is to shape a dog to do something with an object. The object can be anything: a bucket, a target, even a simple cardboard box, as demonstrated in this video by KPA CTP Zach Ruth! At first, the dog will most likely want to investigate the novel object by glancing at it, sniffing it, even pawing it. Great! Click and treat for any interest in the object. Be sure to toss the treat a few feet away from the item to reset the behavior. After a few repetitions, the dog will begin to realize that interacting with the object results in more treats. The dog may begin to try other ways to interact with the box. This is a great sign! Keep clicking and treating for every interaction. If the dog interacts with the box in a way that you particularly like (perhaps getting into or onto the box), you can then capture that behavior by only rewarding for that particular interaction.

Congratulations—you just shaped a new behavior and helped your shelter dog make a good impression on potential adopters! For more low-cost, high-value enrichment ideas, as well as other tips to improve the lives of the cats in your care, check out KPA’s Shelter Training & Enrichment course!

BETTER BEHAVIOR, MORE ADOPTIONS

Enrich the lives of animals in your care and solve common behavior problems with our online course, Shelter Training & Enrichment.

Hurry, sale ends tonight at 11:59 pm (ET)

LEARN MORE

Save 20% during Train Your Dog Month!

Offer ends this Saturday, January 31, at 11:59 pm (ET).

Enrich the lives of animals in your care and solve common behavior problems with our online course, Shelter Training & Enrichment. Use coupon code TYD2026 and save $49!

Hurry, sale ends tonight at 11:59 pm (ET)

LEARN MORE

SAVE 20% DURING OUR BACK-TO-SCHOOL SALE!

The sale ends on Tuesday, September 30, at 11:59 pm (ET).

Enrich the lives of animals in your care and solve common behavior problems with our online course, Shelter Training & Enrichment. Use coupon code BTS2025 and save $49!

LEARN MORE

Celebrate With Us! Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog Month

Enrich the lives of animals in your care and solve common behavior problems with our online course, Shelter Training & Enrichment. Enroll in October and save $50 with  Coupon Code: STE2025 or apply for a Zoe scholarship.

LEARN MORE

Sale ends Tuesday, October 31, at 11:59 pm (ET).

SHELTER TRAINING & ENRICHMENT

Learn how to enrich the lives of animals in your care with our online course.
LEARN MORE

The post Low-Cost Enrichment Through Shaping appeared first on Karen Pryor Academy.

]]> https://karenpryoracademy.com/low-cost-enrichment-through-shaping/feed/ 0 DIY Puzzle Toys https://karenpryoracademy.com/diy-puzzle-toys/ Tue, 20 Jul 2021 19:52:05 +0000 https://karenpryoracademy.com/?p=16761 How to teach your dog to drop their toy on cue so you can keep the game going with them.

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]]> Shelter Enrichment for Cats: The Target Game https://karenpryoracademy.com/shelter-enrichment-for-cats-the-target-game/ https://karenpryoracademy.com/shelter-enrichment-for-cats-the-target-game/#respond Tue, 27 Oct 2020 18:18:00 +0000 https://karenpryoracademy.com/?p=9727 The shelter environment is stressful for dogs, and for the people who work there, but the environment is especially stressful for cats. In addition to losing all familiar contacts and past comforts, they are subjected to a constant barrage of alarming stimuli, including noise, strange smells, intrusions from unknown humans, close confinement, and the often-frightening sight and smell of other unfamiliar cats. While you can’t always change the physical environment, you can change the mental environment at a shelter by providing low-cost training and enrichment activities.

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Shelter enrichment for cats: the target game

The shelter environment is stressful for dogs, and for the people who work there, but the environment is especially stressful for cats. In addition to losing all familiar contacts and past comforts, they are subjected to a constant barrage of alarming stimuli, including noise, strange smells, intrusions from unknown humans, close confinement, and the often-frightening sight and smell of other unfamiliar cats. While you can’t always change the physical environment, you can change the mental environment at a shelter by providing low-cost training and enrichment activities.

Simple games, like the Target Game, not only enrich cats’ lives in the shelter, but they also help make cats more friendly and adoptable by teaching them to interact appropriately with humans and decreasing the amount of time they spend at the back of the cage. The game is also rewarding for staff members and volunteers, as it gives them a sure-fire way to get positive responses from cats in their care—a highly rewarding experience for any animal lover!

Here’s how to teach the Target Game:

Equipment

  • A high-value food treat, such as wet cat food
  • Spoon
  • Clicker
  • Target stick that fits between bars or pencil or tongue depressor

Procedure

  • Approach the cat and offer it a small amount of food (the goal is to reward the cat, not to feed it a meal).
  • Wait for the cat to eat the food.
  • Hold the end of your target up to the cage front, near the cat. The cat will likely investigate it. Click the instant the cat’s nose touches the target. Treat. Wait for the cat to eat.
  • Repeat a few times and then move the target slightly, in various directions, clicking and treating for each touch.

The targeting game can be played in very short sessions, with one cat or several, and by one person or several people. Anyone who wants to try can share in the experience and appreciate the results, such as happier, more confident, less fearful animals.

For more low-cost, high-value enrichment ideas, as well as other tips to improve the lives of the cats in your care, check out KPA’s Shelter Training & Enrichment course!

For forever families looking for resources to train their cat at home, check out our Train Your Cat course.

    BETTER BEHAVIOR, MORE ADOPTIONS

    Enrich the lives of animals in your care and solve common behavior problems with our online course, Shelter Training & Enrichment.

    Hurry, sale ends tonight at 11:59 pm (ET)

    LEARN MORE

    Save 20% during Train Your Dog Month!

    Offer ends this Saturday, January 31, at 11:59 pm (ET).

    Enrich the lives of animals in your care and solve common behavior problems with our online course, Shelter Training & Enrichment. Use coupon code TYD2026 and save $49!

    Hurry, sale ends tonight at 11:59 pm (ET)

    LEARN MORE

    SAVE 20% DURING OUR BACK-TO-SCHOOL SALE!

    The sale ends on Tuesday, September 30, at 11:59 pm (ET).

    Enrich the lives of animals in your care and solve common behavior problems with our online course, Shelter Training & Enrichment. Use coupon code BTS2025 and save $49!

    LEARN MORE

    Celebrate With Us! Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog Month

    Enrich the lives of animals in your care and solve common behavior problems with our online course, Shelter Training & Enrichment. Enroll in October and save $50 with  Coupon Code: STE2025 or apply for a Zoe scholarship.

    LEARN MORE

    Sale ends Tuesday, October 31, at 11:59 pm (ET).

    LEARN MORE LOW-COST, HIGH-VALUE ENRICHMENT IDEAS!

    Enrich the lives of animals in your care with our online course, Shelter Training & Enrichment.
    LEARN MORE

    TRAINING DOESN'T NEED TO STOP AT THE SHELTER

    We've got resources for forever families looking to train their cat at home.

    LEARN MORE

    The post Shelter Enrichment for Cats: The Target Game appeared first on Karen Pryor Academy.

    ]]> https://karenpryoracademy.com/shelter-enrichment-for-cats-the-target-game/feed/ 0 Karen Pryor Academy Helps Raise Standards for Dog Training Professionals https://karenpryoracademy.com/karen-pryor-academy-helps-raise-standards-for-dog-training-professionals/ Mon, 16 Dec 2019 21:40:05 +0000 https://karenpryoracademy.com/?p=10018 Waltham, MA, December 16, 2019—Karen Pryor Academy (KPA) will be the first private education institution to join forces with three leading industry associations in the effort to raise professional standards for dog trainers. The standards require trainers to commit to comprehensive education and skill proficiency, prioritize positive training solutions, and follow clear ethical practices in all aspects of their client work.

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    Karen Pryor Academy helps raise standards for dog training professionals 

    Waltham, MA, December 16, 2019—Karen Pryor Academy (KPA) is the first private education institution to join forces with three leading industry associations in the effort to raise professional standards for dog trainers. The standards require trainers to commit to comprehensive education and skill proficiency, prioritize positive training solutions, and follow clear ethical practices in all aspects of their client work.

    Annie Chastain

    The standards are consistent with the very high bar of demonstrated training knowledge and  positive-reinforcement-based training skill proficiency already required for graduation and certification from KPA’s industry-leading Dog Trainer Professional education and certification program. The additional standards, referred to as the Joint Standards of Practice, have been recently incorporated into KPA’s professional training pledge, applicable to the organization’s 1,700+ alumni Certified Training Partners (CTPs) who commit to uphold KPA’s professional training and teaching standards in their work. 

    The Joint Standards of Practice are also endorsed by the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC), the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), and the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT).

    “Strong professional ethics, education, and expertise throughout our profession are crucial to the wellbeing of the animals and humans we serve,” said Ken Ramirez, Executive Vice President and Chief Training Officer at KPA. “As an independent organization, KPA requires even more stringent standards for graduates, but we support and endorse the Joint Standards as a minimum standard for the industry in general. Working with others who share these goals means that together we can represent a much larger swath of the training community that shares our approach and basic standards.”

    About KPA

    Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training & Behavior (KPA) offers positive-reinforcement-based courses for both experienced and aspiring trainers. KPA offers 11 all-online courses as well as its flagship Dog Trainer Professional program, a combination of online learning and hands-on workshops. KPA is advancing the field of force-free training by certifying and promoting the next generation of skilled animal trainers and teachers. To learn more about Karen Pryor Academy courses, visit www.karenpryoracademy.com. To view an international list of KPA Certified Training Partners, visit https://www.karenpryoracademy.com/find-a-trainer.

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    Find a Great Dog Trainer

    Discover why working with a Karen Pryor Academy (KPA) Certified Training Partner (CTP) is the right choice for you and your pet.

    Learn More

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    ]]> Karen Pryor Academy Announces 2019 Zoe Shelter Scholarship Recipients https://karenpryoracademy.com/karen-pryor-academy-announces-2019-zoe-shelter-scholarship-recipients/ Fri, 01 Nov 2019 15:53:52 +0000 https://karenpryoracademy.com/?p=9756 Waltham, MA, October 31, 2019—Karen Pryor Academy (KPA) and Lisa White, DVM, founder of Veterinary Behavior Management Solutions in Cincinnati, Ohio, are pleased to announce and congratulate the winners of the 2019 Zoe Shelter Scholarships to KPA’s Shelter Training & Enrichment course.

    The post Karen Pryor Academy Announces 2019 Zoe Shelter Scholarship Recipients appeared first on Karen Pryor Academy.

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    Karen Pryor Announces 2019 shelter scholarship recipients 

    Waltham, MA, November 1, 2019—Karen Pryor Academy (KPA) and Lisa White, DVM, founder of Veterinary Behavior Management Solutions in Cincinnati, Ohio, are pleased to announce and congratulate the winners of the 2019 Zoe Shelter Scholarships to KPA’s Shelter Training & Enrichment course.

    Annie Chastain

    Made possible by Dr. Lisa White and her husband Brody in remembrance of their dog Zoe, the annual scholarship program debuted in October 2014 in honor of the ASPCA’s Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog-Month. The program is designed to assist shelters as they implement training and enrichment programs that both enrich the lives of the animals in their care and help the animals find their forever homes. This year, six scholarship recipients were selected from dozens of applications representing shelters and rescue organizations throughout the world.

    “It is wonderful to see so many shelter and rescue organizations with the desire to implement or improve enrichment programs,” said KPA Associate Director Gretchen Carey. “We look forward to seeing how the six recipients will use the knowledge gained from the Shelter Training & Enrichment course to make life in the shelter better for the animals and for shelter staff members.”

    The 2019 Zoe Shelter Scholarship recipients are:

    • Jason Rae, Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center, Riverside, CA
    • Haley LaFond, South Suburban Humane Society, Chicago Heights, IL
    • Carlee Fiddes, Beatrice Humane Society, Beatrice, NE
    • Nancy Haynes, Mohawk Hudson Humane Society, Menands, NY
    • Stephanie Flower, Cleveland Animal Protective League, Cleveland, OH
    • Tamara Lightner, Marshall County Animal Shelter, Moundsville, WV

    Learn more about the 2019 Zoe Scholarship Winners.

    About Karen Pryor Academy

    Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training & Behavior (KPA) offers positive-reinforcement-based courses for both experienced and aspiring trainers. KPA offers 11 all-online courses (Dog Trainer Foundations, Dog Trainer Comprehensive, Puppy Start Right for Instructors, Dog Sports Essentials, Shelter Training & Enrichment, Canine Freestyle, Smart Reinforcement, Better Veterinary Visits, Train Your Cat!, Concept Training: Let’s Get Started, and Concept Training: Modifier Cues). The KPA flagship Dog Trainer Professional program is a combination of online learning and hands-on workshops. KPA is advancing the field of force-free training by certifying and promoting the next generation of skilled animal trainers and teachers. To learn more about Karen Pryor Academy courses, visit www.karenpryoracademy.com. To see an international list of KPA Certified Training Partners, visit https://www.karenpryoracademy.com/find-a-trainer.

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    SHELTER TRAINING & ENRICHMENT

    Learn how to enrich the lives of animals in your care with our online course!

    Learn More

    The post Karen Pryor Academy Announces 2019 Zoe Shelter Scholarship Recipients appeared first on Karen Pryor Academy.

    ]]> Low-Cost Enrichment Ideas for Shelters https://karenpryoracademy.com/low-cost-enrichment-ideas-for-shelters/ https://karenpryoracademy.com/low-cost-enrichment-ideas-for-shelters/#respond Wed, 23 Oct 2019 17:57:03 +0000 https://karenpryoracademy.com/?p=9605 Life in a shelter is stressful for dogs—even at the most humane shelters. A variety of enrichment activities can enhance the quality of dogs’ lives while they are at the shelter by reducing stress and anxiety and, in turn, promoting adoptability.

    The post Low-Cost Enrichment Ideas for Shelters appeared first on Karen Pryor Academy.

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    low-cost enrichment ideas for shelters

    Life in a shelter is stressful for dogs, even at the most humane shelters. A variety of enrichment activities can enhance the quality of dogs’ lives while they are at the shelter. Enrichment reduces stress and anxiety and, in turn, promotes adoptability.

    Fortunately, providing daily enrichment doesn’t require a lot of money or resources. As you’ll see in this video, everyday recyclable items such as egg cartons and drink cartons can be transformed into fun and engaging food puzzles that provide hours of fun!

    shelter-enrichment-promo from Karen Pryor Clicker Training on Vimeo.

    For more low-cost, high-value enrichment ideas, as well as other tips to improve the lives of the dogs in your care, check out KPA’s Shelter Training & Enrichment course!

    BETTER BEHAVIOR, MORE ADOPTIONS

    Enrich the lives of animals in your care and solve common behavior problems with our online course, Shelter Training & Enrichment.

    Hurry, sale ends tonight at 11:59 pm (ET)

    LEARN MORE

    Save 20% during Train Your Dog Month!

    Offer ends this Saturday, January 31, at 11:59 pm (ET).

    Enrich the lives of animals in your care and solve common behavior problems with our online course, Shelter Training & Enrichment. Use coupon code TYD2026 and save $49!

    Hurry, sale ends tonight at 11:59 pm (ET)

    LEARN MORE

    SAVE 20% DURING OUR BACK-TO-SCHOOL SALE!

    The sale ends on Tuesday, September 30, at 11:59 pm (ET).

    Enrich the lives of animals in your care and solve common behavior problems with our online course, Shelter Training & Enrichment. Use coupon code BTS2025 and save $49!

    LEARN MORE

    Celebrate With Us! Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog Month

    Enrich the lives of animals in your care and solve common behavior problems with our online course, Shelter Training & Enrichment. Enroll in October and save $50 with  Coupon Code: STE2025 or apply for a Zoe scholarship.

    LEARN MORE

    Sale ends Tuesday, October 31, at 11:59 pm (ET).

    SHELTER TRAINING & ENRICHMENT

    Learn how to enrich the lives of animals in your care with our online course.

    LEARN MORE

    Save 20% During Train Your Dog Month!

    Learn how to enrich the lives of animals in your care with our Shelter Training & Enrichment online course.
    LEARN MORE

    The post Low-Cost Enrichment Ideas for Shelters appeared first on Karen Pryor Academy.

    ]]>     https://karenpryoracademy.com/low-cost-enrichment-ideas-for-shelters/feed/ 0     Brain Games for Dogs- Mental Enrichment https://karenpryoracademy.com/brain-games-for-dogs-mental-enrichment/ Fri, 30 Aug 2019 00:19:46 +0000 https://karenpryoracademy.com/?p=8903 Just like people, dogs like and need to exercise their brains every day.

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    The following content is accessible to KPA CTP Members only. Please sign-in or return to the KPA Homepage.

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