Clicker Training Your Cat with Julie Posluns, Cat School
Like many people who become professional pet trainers, Julie’s learning journey started with a “special” dog, who became her teacher. Tyson, a puggle, entered her life in 2004 and developed significant behavioral issues – lunging at children, biting skateboarders and fighting with other dogs. Each day, it became increasingly challenging to walk him their our busy downtown neighborhood. In a desperate search to find ways to burn his energy and improve his behavior, she stumbled upon clicker training, which she used to teach Tyson to be calm around his triggers.
Clicker training Tyson sparked Julie’s interest in a career in the pet industry, and she honed my skills by working as a professional dog walker and dog trainer at a local training school.
With a desire to further her academic education in behaviorology, she returned to school and earned her Master of Science in Cognitive and Behavioral Ecology at Memorial University in Newfoundland. Then, she became an Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (ACAAB).
In this episode of Hiss and Tell, host Kristiina Wilson interviews Julie Posluns, founder of Cat School and an applied animal behaviorist. They discuss clicker training for cats and its effectiveness in training various behaviors. Julie shares her background in dog training and how she discovered clicker training for cats. They explain the concept of clicker training and how it differs from other training methods. They also discuss the importance of consistency and timing in clicker training, as well as the use of food rewards. Julie provides examples of behaviors that can be trained using clicker training, such as sit, down, recall, tricks, leash walking, and cooperative care skills. They also touch on the importance of intellectual stimulation and food puzzles for cats. Clicker training can be used to improve cat behavior and provide intellectual stimulation. Cats enjoy the training process and are intellectually curious by nature. Verbal markers can be used instead of clickers for precise communication. Clicker training can also be effective in addressing behavioral issues like aggression and anxiety. The effectiveness of clicker training may vary depending on the complexity of the behavior being trained. Leash walking can be beneficial for cats, but the environment and safety considerations should be taken into account. A safe harness and leash setup is recommended, and tracking devices can be used for added safety. The conversation covers the dangers of letting cats outdoors and the importance of bringing them inside. The dangers include predators, cars, and poison. The hosts discuss the gradual process of transitioning outdoor cats to indoor cats, including providing a warm house and food for feral cats and introducing leash walking. They also address common cat behavior issues, such as cats following and biting after aggressive play, cats scratching all night long, and cats attacking their own tails. They emphasize the importance of understanding the context of these behaviors and seeking veterinary advice if necessary. The conversation concludes with information about clicker training and where to find resources.
Takeaways
Clicker training is an effective method for training cats and can be used to teach various behaviors.
Consistency and timing are important in clicker training, but cats have good memories and can remember skills even if training is not done every day.
Food rewards, such as dry kibble, can be used in clicker training, and it is recommended to feed cats a healthy diet to maintain their food motivation.
Clicker training can be used to train basic behaviors like sit, down, and recall, as well as tricks, leash walking, and cooperative care skills.
Intellectual stimulation and food puzzles are important for cats and can be used in conjunction with clicker training to provide mental enrichment. Cats enjoy clicker training and are intellectually curious animals.
Verbal markers can be used as an alternative to clickers for precise communication.
Clicker training can be effective in addressing behavioral issues like aggression and anxiety.
Leash walking can be beneficial for cats, but the environment and safety considerations should be taken into account.
A safe harness and leash setup is recommended for leash walking.
Tracking devices can provide added safety during outdoor activities. It is important to bring cats indoors to protect them from predators, cars, and poison.
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