SUCCESS STORIES

Many pets are rescued or adopted. Sometimes we know their background story and sometimes we do not. Recognizing that history shapes our pet's personality is important as it will affect their behavior and sometimes contribute to behavioral issues. These stories can inform us how to move forward with managing our pets and by respecting their stories, we can make better progress through positive reinforcement training.

This part of the Sea Dog Animal Training website is dedicated to sharing success achieved through positive reinforcement training. Check back to see more success stories as owners like you achieve positive results with the help of Sea Dog Animal Training services.

Boz is a green cheek conure that was very slow to trust, which is not uncommon for birds of any species. Boz was hand reared, but not handled for several weeks prior to his adoption, which resulted in him reverting to a more "wild" type demeanor. After beginning a relationship building plan, Boz transformed from a territorial and aggressive bird to a trusting companion that affectionately became known by his bird sitter as a "velcro bird."

Boz learned several important behaviors that helped keep him safe and also made him a valued family member. Key behaviors included a recall, voluntary nail and beak trims, and potty training.

Do you have a parrot that could benefit from learning some of these skills? Sea Dog Animal Training can help!

Boz

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Birdley

Birdley is a 32 year old Orange-winged Amazon. I adopted Birdley at the age of 27. I am Birdley's fourth owner. Birdley lived the first couple years of his life in a pet shop, before he was adopted by a loving owner. He spent his first nine years with his owner until she passed away. The owner's daughter took over Birdley's care for the next 15 years. He lived a very enriched life, but in all his years, he was handled very little. He delighted in singing songs with his owner, looking out the window, and wandering around the house every Sunday, but he was very untrusting and he certainly was not a bird anyone could handle regularly.

I adopted Birdley shortly after Boz passed away. I worked slowly and carefully to develop trust with Birdley. After only a few short weeks, I was able to gain enough trust that Birdley would allow me to touch him. We operated under an idea that is often described as "Choice and Control." Soon, these head scratches became very positive to Birdley and he even began to seek out head scratches on his own. Birdley learned valuable skills through positive reinforcement training. Some of his behaviors include stepping up onto a stick, crating, voluntary nail and beak trims, and allowing strangers to give him scratches. Birdley delights in taking showers and listening to music.

Do you have or know someone with a parrot that sounds like Birdley? Sea Dog Animal Training has a plan for you!

Rumble

Rumble is a 1.5 year old miniature pig. We are unsure of his complete background, but it seems that he was dumped near Galveston, TX when he was just five months old or so. My husband and I were excited to bring Rumble home. The first two days went great. He was loving and cuddly and we couldn't fathom why someone would have left him to fend for himself.

Day 3 revealed how Rumble might have ended up in his predicament. Rumble was not neutered and he became aggressive and started chasing me around the house and bossing me around. Rumble was neutered later that day. With his hormones now in check, Rumble was ready to start a training program. He seemed to have some bad habits like bullying people, head swiping when he did not get what he wanted, and screaming for attention.

These are the types of undesirable behaviors that, when not managed properly, result in a bad situation for all involved. Often times, it results in animals being surrendered or re-homed. A consistent training program built on positive reinforcement training resulted in Rumble being a valued member of the household. And yes, he is a 100% indoor pig (by his own choice) who only goes outside to play and forage.

Rumble participates in many voluntary behaviors that contribute to his overall welfare and care, which includes hoof trims, teeth brushing, ear cleaning, crate, temperature, plus a lot of other fun behaviors that help keep him engaged and enriched.

Do you know a mini pig (or any other type of pet) that could benefit from the same type of training Rumble received? Let Sea Dog Animal Training help achieve your goals today!

Follow Rumble and his training adventures on his Facebook Page