Although I've long understood the principles of clicker training, I've never been diligent in using a clicker - mostly because I've never really needed to. With Olivia, though, I felt that a clicker would be the most appropriate technique for such an intelligent, but apprehensive, animal. Yesterday, my pack of clickers arrived late in the afternoon. I had already begun to accustom Olivia to the treats I'd be using - often, treats are an acquired taste, so I introduced them by adding them to her feed for a day or two. I chose Manna-Pro Peppermint Trail Size Bite Nuggets because peppermint has a strong enough aroma to be useful when training, they are small enough not to choke a burro, and they don't crumble readily in my pocket.
As soon as my clicker pack arrive, I was eager to begin, but I was running out of daylight. I spent a few minutes just clicking and rewarding as soon as Olivia gave me an interested look. Today, I gave her the first "real" training session with the clicker. Olivia has been wearing a halter since I brought her home, but has had no halter training. I chose that for today's lesson.
For clickers, I chose a four pack of Big Button Clickers with wristband. The last thing I want to do when training a wild burro is to tie up a hand holding a clicker, so the elastic wristband comes in handy. I stuffed peppermint treats in my pocket, slipped the clicker bracelet on, and took a lead loop and lead rope into the stall.
The loop-style lead is a handy thing. Similar to the loops or "tab" style leashes for dog-training, they're indispensable if you have goats or if you have occasion to need a quick "handle" in your pocket for handling horses. They're also ideal for initial halter training with a burro, as it turns out. I first showed the loop to Olivia and as soon as she extended her nose to sniff it, I clicked and rewarded. I snapped it onto her halter, clicked, rewarded. Then I began introducing the "give" to pressure she needs to learn as a basis for all future training. I gently applied lateral (sideways) pressure on the loop and the second she gave to it, I released pressure while clicking, then rewarded.
A few words on the "give": First of all, you don't need a "big" give. All the animal must do is stop resisting pressure for a second. Also, it's always easier to get livestock to move sideways than to move forward. Use that to your advantage. So often people get into tug-of-war battles by pulling forward. Burros, especially, will sit back and wait you out - they're far more patient than you are. For those first important "gives" and steps, I opt for lateral pressure.
At first, I just asked for Olivia to bend her neck towards the pressure for her reward. As soon as she was comfortable with that, I attached a regular lead rope, using the same sniff - click - reward followed by attach - click - reward method. From there, I began asking for first sideways gives and a couple of sideways steps. Within just one pocketful of treats, I had a burro who was quite willingly walking on the lead. I was astonished. Now it's possible I'm just an amazing trainer, or that I have a prodigy of a burro, but it's more likely these techniques really are ideally suited for a burro's mind. Olivia certainly took to the clicker work rapidly.
During today's session I also reapplied fly spray to Olivia's legs and face, using the clicker while doing so, and picked up her front feet. She's becoming quite comfortable having her forefeet handled; I always tap on them when I do so in order to simulate future trimming work.
While doing all of today's clicker work, I made sure I consistently spoke to Olivia and gave her verbal commands when asking for actions: "Olivia, come," "Olivia, walk on," Olivia, step up," "Olivia, pick up," and so forth. These will be the same commands I use in a variety of future training, from trailer training to driving. I will also, of course, be using the clicker.
One final note from today's clicker introduction: It's important that from this point forward, Olivia does not get hand-fed treats unless she works for them. I don't want to "train" her to be a big mooch. I have enough of those already.
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