Animal Training

Body language: Its importance for communication with horses

Body language is important for communication between individuals. Body language is based on the fact that the thought of performing a known action, alone, will activate the motor neurons used for the action, resulting in a slight contraction of the...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Animal Training, Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Ladewig, J. 2019. Body language: Its importance for communication with horses. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 29, 108-110.

Clicker training in horses; the importance of the time between click and reward

Timing of reward is very important when training horses. Incorrect timing can lead to confusion and deleterious behaviors and learning will be impaired. Clicker training can be used as an important tool in training. However, the optimal timing between the...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Animal TrainingAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Huisman, I., Van Iwaarden, S., Hughes, E. et al. 2019. Clicker training in horses; the importance of the time between click and reward. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 29, 148. (13th International Society of Equitation Science (ISES) Conference Abstract)

Body language: its importance for communication with horses

Body language is important for communication between individuals. Body language is based on the fact that the thought, alone of performing a known action will activate the motor neurons used for the action, resulting in a slight contraction of the...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Animal Training, Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Ladewig, J. 2019. Body language: its importance for communication with horses. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 29, 147-148. (13th International Society of Equitation Science (ISES) Conference Abstract)

Wistar rats do not show preference for either of two commonly used nutritionally sound food rewards in a T-maze

Food rewards are commonly used as positive reinforcement in rodent behavioral experiments. Bioserv dustless precision pellets and Noyes formula P precision pellets are both used for this purpose in behavioral experiments in multiple laboratories, as they are nutritionally consistent with...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Animal Training, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Leenaars, C. H. C., Pels, E. G. M., Joosten, R. N. J. M. A. et al. 2019. Wistar rats do not show preference for either of two commonly used nutritionally sound food rewards in a T-maze. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 31, 22-27.

Comparison of positive reinforcement training in cats: A pilot study

Positive reinforcement training with cats is a useful tool for improving the human-animal bond, treating behavior problems, and teaching novel tasks. In part 1 of this study, 3 cats were assessed for extinction to a conditioned stimulus; in part 2...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Animal TrainingAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Willson, E. K., Stratton, R. B., Bolwell, C. F. et al. 2017. Comparison of positive reinforcement training in cats: A pilot study. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 21, 64-70.

Survey of behavioral indices of welfare in research chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in the United States

Chimpanzees demand specialized housing and care and the highest degree of attention to animal welfare. The current project used a survey method to collate information on chimpanzee housing and behavioral indices of welfare across all 6 of the chimpanzee research...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Animal Training, Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Bloomsmith, M. A., Clay, A. W., Lambeth, S. P. et al. 2019. Survey of behavioral indices of welfare in research chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in the United States. JAALAS 58(2), 160-177.

Systematic assessment of food item preference and reinforcer effectiveness: Enhancements in training laboratory-housed rhesus macaques

The use of systematic preference assessments can enhance positive reinforcement training with captive animals. We found that the multiple stimulus without replacement (MSWO) technique identified food preferences in laboratory housed rhesus macaques, with raisins and grapes being ranked higher on...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Animal TrainingAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Martin, A. L., Franklin, A. N., Perlman, J. E. et al. 2018. Systematic assessment of food item preference and reinforcer effectiveness: Enhancements in training laboratory-housed rhesus macaques. Behavioural Processes 157, 445-452.

A protocol of human animal interaction to habituate young sheep and goats for behavioural studies

Animal habituation is key to obtain reliable data on behavioural studies but detailed procedures to achieve it are scarce. This study designed a set of actions to habituate sheep and goats to human observers. Pelibuey sheep (n = 15) and Criollo goats...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Animal Training, Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Goat, Sheep

Citation: González-Pech, P. G., Marín-Tun, C. G., Valladares-González, D.A. et al. 2018. A protocol of human animal interaction to habituate young sheep and goats for behavioural studies. Behavioural Processes 157, 632-637.

Return to home cage’ as a reward for maze learning in young and old genetically heterogeneous mice

Recent studies have shown that 'return to home cage' can serve as a reward for maze learning in adult male mice. The present study examined whether the same reward is an effective motivator of learning in young and old mice...

Year Published: 2006Topics: Animal TrainingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Blizard, D. A., Weinheimer, V. K, Klein, L. C. et al. 2006. 'Return to home cage' as a reward for maze learning in young and old genetically heterogeneous mice. Comparative Medicine 56(3), 196-201.

Returning to home cage serves as an effective reward for maze learning in rats

This study examined the effectiveness in rats of ‘returning to home cage' as a reward for learning a Lashley III maze. Rats could return to their home cage directly (Direct HC group) or they could be removed manually by an...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Animal TrainingAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Taniuchi, T., Ohgi, A., Nishikawa, M. 2019. Returning to home cage serves as an effective reward for maze learning in rats. Behavioural Processes 164, 175-177.