Aug 11 2008
Think you can’t train a cat? Think again - Renowned animal trainer Rick Parker shares his tips on training cats
Renowned animal trainer Rick Parker shares his tips on training cats
(NC)—Many people don’t realize that you can train a cat - did you know you can even teach your furry feline how to “sit”, “high five” and “shake a paw”.
Animal wrangler Rick Parker has spent the last 40 years training animals and says that it’s easy for the average cat owner to train their cat, all it takes is a little time and patience.
To get started, Rick recommends having a clicker, which is available at most pet stores, some low calorie treats, like Temptations, and a treat pouch so that your hands are free to cue the cat.
Once you’ve got all the necessary items, follow Rick’s tips below to get your cat showing off his shake in record time:
• Always work in a quiet room where the cat will not get distracted.
• Use treats as an incentive and reward for positive behaviour.
• You should always place the treat on the ground or surface rather than feeding from your fingers. This will avoid any innocent nips at fingertips.
• It is best to conduct training before meal time. This will ensure you have the cat’s full attention.
• Keep your sessions short, approximately 5 -10 minutes each. This will ensure your cat does not get bored and stays focused.
• Break the trick down into simple steps, and gradually build. Practice only one step per session, and as the cat masters the step, you can move on. Sometimes you may need to go back and relearn a previous step until the cat is fully confident.
• Have patience.
More tips on how to train your cats
and video demonstrations of Parker
in action are available online at www.temptations.ca.
- News Canada
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