Because I don't have enough training going on with Nim, I have decided to clicker train Emile. One night when he came when called (after me tearing up the house looking for him) it dawned on me he might be trainable.
I don't actually know what I am doing with Emile, but according to what I could find online we seem to be on track. Basically right now I am getting him to look when his name is called, I click, then throw the cheese.
I remember my vet telling me I should throw Emile's food around to make him work for it and subsequently lose weight. Somehow I suspect the string cheese reward system is negating any caloric burn Emile gains running for it.
Leela feels the same way about the clicker that she feels about the scale. I think Leela came into this world set in her ways.
Anyway, the biggest problem right now is that the clicker is also a huge cue for Nim. So basically he is in a sustained down-stay while I work with Emile. Considering all the cheese I am throwing around I consider this pretty good training for Nim.
We were in the yard this afternoon for yard work, although I will confess I was actually just sitting out there and reading book five of the Stephanie Plum series (anyone else think that book 4 and so far book 5 were considerably better than the first 3?) when I noticed Nim pretty intent on one area of the yard.
I was able to locate the baby bunny that held Nim's complete attention so that was the end of his yard time for the day. I suspect Nim roughed up this little guy up a bit considering the damp fur on the back (I have seen the same hairdo on Leela).
Anyway, I couldn't find any visible injury, but hard to say how the baby will do. Ironically the bunnies are kind of a pain in my rear, and probably about to get more so with my planned vegetable garden but I still don't want my dogs killing them.
I had a little nest set up for him in one of the corners of the yard I notice is more the bunny area and after I checked on him later he was gone. Although he is so darn tiny he could have been close by and just sitting there. I hope he makes it and he has cleared the fenced area by tomorrow.
Sure looks like the baby bunny got snuffled by Nim. They are so cute, but yes they can be a pain too.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the kitty clicker training. Another blog I follow http://bighoneydog.com/honeys-blog/ is mostly about Honey the great Dane, but she has also blogged about clicker training their cat Museli. You should check it out.
Cindy
Thanks for the suggestion! I think I have seen Honey's blog, but not lately. I will run over there and see what she is doing. :)
DeleteUpdate! Turns out I don't know that blog and it is WAY too amazing and distracting. I have to put myself on restriction. :) It is such a training mecca and she does freestyle and writes. Amazing. Thanks for sending me that way!
DeleteYou'll have Emile trained in no time. Cats are smart, they just make it seem like they're in charge is all.
ReplyDeleteThe bunny is so cute. I'm sure it will be okay. At least Nim didn't do any real damage to the little one. He must be pretty gentle with them.
He was pretty gentle with baby bunny. Not sure if that will always be that way, but I think it helped that it wasn't running around crazy.
DeleteI didn't know you can clicker train cats!! That is awesome! I can't wait to hear more about that. I have been wanting a cat for ages, but with the hubby's allergies it is all but impossible.
ReplyDeleteThat bunny is too cute! I hope he makes it!
I know. You get to kind of vicariously own my cats OK? They are such funny animals. I kind of swore I was done with cats after they two are gone, but we will see. We do much better together now that they have adjusted to my working space being in the main living area.
DeleteI really think the guy might have made it. At a minimum I know he made it out of the fenced yard.