Train a Chicken!

People ask me all the time why you train a chicken.  Well... the idea is that training a chicken with a clicker and rewards, you learn a lot about the training and learning process.  It teaches you the power of a reward, even on a stupid animal like a chicken.  More importantly, it teaches you timing!  TIMING IS HUGE!  If you don't have good timing you're messing up your training and you don't even know it.  With dogs, it is harder to see because they are smart and often times are trying to figure you out so you may not see the mistake you've made until it is ingrained and a trained behavior. Then you have to do a lot of back tracking.  With a chicken, you can see the mistake you've made immediately because they're stupid enough that it happens right away.  So if your timing is off you see it and can fix it before it becomes a problem.

This chicken camp wasn't that long, only half a day, so we didn't get as much time with the chicken as I would have liked but man it was fun and very informative.  Meet my partner in crime!

This is Cindy, my chicken.  She was an older chicken and very smart.  We made great progress.  Since she was older she was probably anticipating me more than the others and was able to catch on to me better.  It is pretty humbling when a chicken is waiting on you and you're the one bumbling about.

First, we started with the chicken dance with Terry Ryan.  You think I didn't get up and dance?  Guess again!  Of course I did the chicken dance.  I jumped at the chance to dance a chicken dance with a major name in the dog training industry.  Duh, do you not know me at all?

Then we did some studying on the clicker.  I have to say that Angie teaches the clicker really well because I knew exactly what to do where a lot of people in the class had never done a clicker before.  So that made me pretty proud that I already had a great understanding of this training process.

Then we got to train the chickens.  First we were training them to peck a red disk.  In order to get them to peck you have to click and reward any behavior that could lead to a peck.  That's the hardest bit.  So the chicken leans down toward the dot, you click it and feed so that the chicken repeats that behavior.  That's where you see your mistakes.  If you clicked and rewarded the wrong thing you will see your chicken repeating a behavior that you didn't want.  The goal is: peck, click, reward.  I had my chicken pecking the red dot in no time.

Then we were going to train them to do something they've never done before.  We put a yellow disk down and only rewarded the chicken pecking the red one.  The chicken is normally rewarded for pecking a disk presented to them so they have to learn that the reward is only coming on the red one so they start targeting that.  Cindy was a star so we were able to move on quickly to pieces of paper in different shapes, teaching the chicken to click a specific shape.  That was something the chickens had NEVER done before so that was pretty cool to see that it didn't take long to teach an animal like a chicken to do something like that.  The power of a clicker and reward is very cool.

Terry Ryan!

Cindy and I, the chicken team!

This was an AWESOME experience and I am so sad that it was the last day of the conference.  Waiting to fly home now.

I am so lucky to have been able to do this.  I am so full of promise and excitement for what possibilities there are.  Please please please keep a hold of this.

APDT Conference

Well I've been at the Association of Professional Dog Trainers 2013 Conference here in Spokane for the past couple of days.  Let me tell you, this has been an in credible experience.  I am in awe of the people here with me.  It is incredible to be surrounded by and meet so many of the huge names in the dog training industry.  Also, I love the fact that there are SO many dog geeks here to rub shoulders with.

I've found that my brain is feeling less full during this conference than it has in the past but that's a good thing.  That means I'm learning and now it isn't so much about blowing my mind with information as fine tuning my skills.  That makes me feel better about this career.

Here's some pictures of it so far.  There is way too much information for me to post here.  Plus, you don't need me to dog geek out too much for you.  It's seeping out of my pores at the moment haha!

It has been lovely to share this experience with such lovely women!

Ken Ramirez, an incredible animal trainer.

Brian Hare, author of The Genius of Dogs.  Amazing book.

Ken McCort, who does amazing work with wolves and wolfdogs.

Best Friend's Sherry Woodard.

Dr. Ian Dunbar, the guru of dog training

These people are THE PEOPLE in the dog training world.  Amazing to have met them and heard them speak.  I need to go through my notes in the future to really process everything.

We also hit the Trade Show pretty hard.  If there is one thing dog trainers love, it is free stuff.  I am so overloaded with information and free treats that I have no idea how I am going to pack everything back up to take home.  One of the best things is that Astrid got $500 to spend at Tawzer, the main company that produces dog training videos.  We got quite a haul with that.

 Also there were more books than I could possibly read.  I can tell you it was hard to walk away from that table and I did spend some money there.

This has been a wonderful experience but I really should get to bed.  Tomorrow we are doing a chicken camp with Terry Ryan, which is a dream come true.  I can't wait for that and I have to be well rested!

Sable may have a home!

Sable is a dog in the rescue I work with.  She's a sweet sweet baby girl that has some quirks that has made her hard to adopt out.  Mostly she's dog aggressive and has the ability to do damage to another animal.  It doesn't help that she's a black pit bull type dog.  But, after two years with us, Sable may have found her forever home through the Best Friends network!  This would just be an incredible dream come true if she did.

Check this out:

Sable's Best Friend's page

APDT Conference!- The goofiness!

So we're all settled into our hotel ready for the APDT Conference to start tomorrow.  This morning we all, myself and three other trainers from LDU, to Spokane and went to the conference center to check in early.

Honestly there was really just saying "Hey I'm here" and getting our information and such.  After that we had some time to kill so we walked around the Riverfront Park right behind the convention center.  That was a lot of fun being goofy.  Astrid and Shay already knew I was goofy but I'm sure Becky was a bit surprised.  Here are some of the goofy before we get going with the learning:

So we're walking around the park and we see a carousel.  So being mature and experienced adults, what did we do?  WE RODE THAT CAROUSEL!  That's right.  Dog trainers on a carousel, take one!

Got to love my dog people!

Seattle is a magical place

So I am attending the APDT Conference in Spokane WA this year.  Since I was going to be on this side of the country for that, I decided to come a few days early and visit my brother in Seattle.

He graduated from college in May and decided to stay here, which I think is very brave of him.  Riley has always been close to my heart.  He's freaking smart as anything and is brave enough to voice his opinions and be who he wants to be no matter who is around him.  I greatly admire that and miss him.  So it was great to spend a few days visiting him here.

Seattle is BEAUTIFUL!  I really love it here. I could see myself living here.  It is overcast, lovely and cool.  We have done a lot of walking around and getting coffee in cute little coffee shops.  It's been a wonderful visit and it has put it in my mind that someday I should move here.

I didn't get long to spend with Riley in Seattle.  Landed on the evening of the 19th and we stayed up late chatting.  Since I didn't have a bed (yes just like one of my brothers), I had to cobble together a little cocoon to sleep on.  It actually turned out to be pretty comfortable considering so I wasn't overly bothered by a bad back.

Then for the next two days, Riley and I went around Seattle seeing the sights and generally hanging out.  We went down to the Public Market and walked around.  I always love seeing fresh seafood and it makes me hungry.  It is a shame I live in Colorado because I do LOVE seafood and you just can't get very good seafood in a land locked state.  One thing I might skip at the Public Market was the gum wall though.  Yes, there is a wall in Seattle where people put their gum and it has become this thing.  It's pretty gross... but why not go see it?

We went to lots of cute cafe's and coffee shops.  The first one was this record shop/breakfast cafe that was pretty good.  Now I'm not a record person like my brother but it was this neat little place with so much charm.  That's another thing I love about Seattle, there is a lot of charm there.  Another coffee shop I really liked was this TINY coffee shop under the Public Market called Ghost Alley Expresso.  They have great coffee but also run ghost tours through the market, which I would have loved to do but couldn't fit it in.  Also had a wonderful apple cider with fireball whiskey.  Mmmm.  Seattle has great coffee.  That alone is a reason to move there.

A stop I made my brother make was the Troll under the bridge.  It's really called the Fremont Troll.  It is literally this cement troll under a bridge in this little neighborhood.  I wish people wouldn't do graffiti on things like this but it was still a cute little stop to see.  I laughed and was pretty tickled, don't know if Riley and his girlfriend were that much in love with it.

After hoofing it around Seattle for a while, we went down to the Sound and walked along the water skipping rocks and looking at the leaves.  Let me tell you, you think Colorado has a beautiful fall... Seattle's fall kicks our butt.  The colors in the leaves were so gorgeous.  The Sound was so grey and peaceful that for a while the only thing I wanted to do was stand there and watch it.  It was very pretty.

Although Seattle is a beautiful city, I must say that the Space Needle is much more impressive on TV than it is in person.  It isn't actually that big haha.  Still a cool city though.  I can't wait to come back soon!  Maybe I'll be here in a few years calling it home.

I am getting ready to head to the airport, by bus and train, to catch a flight to Spokane for the conference.  I'm meeting up with several of my training friends there for five days of dog geekiness!  I don't want to leave Seattle and I'll miss my brother but I can't wait for that!

Oh snap!

So for the past couple of weeks, a rubber band war has been raging at work.  Jeff, my nemesis, has gotten a few good snaps in.  I also have gotten some good snaps in.  He's better at shooting them than I am but I'm much sneaker and get up close for a good hard snap.  Today, the shit got real...

He rubber banded my cabinets shut.  Oh he has no idea the can of whoop ass I'm going to open now.  I have a saying, don't start it if you can't finish it.  I have a whole week and a half to think about how I'm going to get him back.

Beware...  Always beware...

Boy!

Okay I'm only going to post a little bit about this.  Mostly because if you want to know then you should ask me directly.  But I know some of you are just going to be so shocked you'll fall out of your chairs.  Be warned now, hold on to your chair!

I am dating.  I am dating a boy.  Yes he's real.

Meet Jake!

Shocked aren't you?  He's a boy so no, I'm not a lesbian.  I like boys.  I just generally don't find them amusing enough to take up my time.  He's amusing, makes me laugh and I like him.  So there!

Haunted House!

EEEEEK!  It's October!  Which means fall.  Which means Halloween.  Which means HAUNTED HOUSES!

My bestest scare buddy Sean is out so of course I'm dragging Caitlin H, Kathleen and Jake to Denver to do the 13th Floor.  As far as haunted houses go, it's a good one.  I love love love being scared so it doesn't really matter, I'm going to scream.

We drove up there and of course it was awesome.  As always, I go first.  As always, Sean and I screamed our heads off.  One of his friends was into it too but the other people in our group just kinda walked along.  BORING!  At least I had my scare buddy!

Happy Birthday, Sister

There are few people in this world I trust completely.  There are also few people who's advice I value above others.  There are few people in this world I love more than my big sister, Caitlin.  Today is her birthday!

Happy birthday my lovely and wonderful sister!

You are so much to me and I wouldn't be who I am today without you.  Thank you!

Reconnecting with friends

Here's the thing about life, there is no last chance.  It seems like it sometimes but really, there's always another path to take.

In high school I had two best friends that I loved more than anything.  After high school things didn't turn out the way we all thought.  Falling out happens.  Mistakes happen.  A lot of growing up happened.

I've just reconnected with those friends almost ten years after high school.  We are different people but it's nice to have the relationships back that once meant so much to me.

Sarah moved back to the Springs after some time in Greeley.  She's got some stuff going on but I'm really glad she's back.  I have so many memories with her in them.  When we were teenagers, she was the most important person to me.  We've both grown up a lot and developed into different people but I'm glad she's back.  It looks like she'll be around for a while and I'm actually glad about that.  I think that she can do a lot of healing and growing here.  Plus I get to hang out with her again.  I'm excited about that.

Sean just got out of prison.  He was there for some stupid stupid mistakes that he made.  Obviously he's had some trials and tribulations in his life that have separated us.  However there is something about him I love.  He gets me.  I don't have to say much and he gets me.  Plus he's a whole hell of a lot of fun.  I'm a little bummed that he's living in Denver because it means I won't get to see him very often because I'm so busy.  But I think that is the place that he needs to be.  I really really hope he can get things under control so that he can stay in my life instead of going back to prison.

Two people that are in so many of my memories growing up are back.  They share in a lot of the moments that made me who I am.  I have learned a lot from them together and separate.  It just goes to show that you don't just walk a straight path all of the time.  We all have paths that weave together.  Just because our paths aren't together at the moment, doesn't mean that person won't come back into your life.

People change.  So do friendships.  That doesn't mean you count them out though.

Jonas, Over the Rainbow Bridge

Before Vallie, before Gerani, I had a CCI dog named Jonas. He was a gorgeous gentle giant of a black lab. I was a young girl looking for something and I found my path with Jonas and the dogs that followed him. Jonas was with me about a year before he was dropped from the program. I gave him to the vet student that operated on his hips (severe hip dysplasia). She moved to New Mexico and he went to work with her in her practice every day for 14 years. He was well loved by that family and I will never regret giving him to her. I received a letter today that my big black boy passed away. The last of my CCI dogs has crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Run free, Jonas. You were so loved and I'll cry for you.

When I am able, I'll send a card to Jessica, Jonas' mom.  I just find myself hurting and unable to do so at the moment.  This has been a hard couple of months for that.  Hearing this has brought up just how much I miss Gerani still.  I still wake up some mornings and call for her.  Maybe she's been visiting me in my sleep those nights.

Hopefully Vallie, Gerani and Jonas are all romping around in heaven having the time of their lives.  I hope they check in on me from time to time.

Halloween Cookies!

It's officially time for Halloween.  I got into the spirit at work!

Embarrassed Forefathers

So the government is shutting down today because the politicians in the government can't agree with each other.  I swear to God.  I am so sick of politics that I can hardly stand it.  When are we going to realized that the two party system DOES NOT WORK?!  When you start voting solely on party lines, you miss the whole point of a democratic society.  It shouldn't matter what party you identify with.  You should be voting on ISSUES, not POLITICAL LINES!

It drives me nuts.  Republicans hate Democrats.  Democrats hate Republicans.  Blah blah blah.  Too bad.  Do you realized that you have to work together anyway?  Obviously not because the government is shutting down.  How idiotic do you have to be for this to happen?  Our forefathers must be rolling around in their graves.

The politicians should be ashamed of themselves.  Starting today, government employees can not work.  They are not getting paid.  Are the politicians getting paid?  Yes they are.  That's such bullshit.  I think we should lock them all in a room and not let them out until they get to a decision and stop being such whiny little babies.  You are not 4 years old and this is not the school yard.  Put on your big boy pants and figure it out.

You know what I think we should do?  We should limit terms.  There should be NO MORE career politicians.  When they are worried about their careers they lose sight of the fact that they are supposed to be representing the American people as best they can.  I am so pissed off that they can't stop bickering long enough to remember that.

Idiots.  This had better not last long.  Get your act together, America!