Merry Christmas from Nana and Kaiser

We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Stay tuned for more fun Nana & Kaiser videos and news.

Cat vs. Dog: A Trick Contest

A remake of one of our first videos.  With more tricks up their sleeves, Nana and her best buddy Kaiser are back competing in a contest to determine who does the best tricks.

The competition is fierce.... and close...... leaving the final decision up to you to decide: Who wins??

All tricks are taught using Positive Reinforcement and the clicker.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Kaiser!

Happy Birthday, Kaiser!  Kai just turned two years old on October 2nd, 2011.  He has come so far since the day I brought him home as a kitten; I am so proud of my boy.

Kaiser is truly a one-of-a-kind cat with the most unique personality.  Curious, bold, loyal, and energetic are only a few of the many words that describe this little ball of tireless energy, who loves nothing more than playing games; his favourites are fetch, chase, pounce, and tug-of-war.  He may appear to be in a deep sleep at one moment but upon pulling out one of his springs or his frog toy, Kaiser leaps into action.

Water has always been such a fascination to Kaiser.  If it is in a bowl, Kai will stare intently into it motionlessly, then at the perfect moment he will pounce the liquid and splash it everywhere.  When filling up the bathtub, Kaiser will gallop in the room with me and dive into the tub even before I have finished filling it completely.

No cat takes performing tricks more seriously than Kaiser, and he has no trouble letting me know when he wants to do them.  He will first perform tricks on his own to try to get my attention.  If "spin", "back up", and "beg" don't work, Kai knows just the trick that always does - the backstall.  Whatever I may be doing, at the moment Kaiser suddenly leaps onto my shoulders from behind I always know just what my little buddy wants to do.  (He has me completely trained.)

During the cold winter months, Kaiser can be found curled up near the register or on his favourite purple blanket.  His big sister, Nana, will sometimes join him to warm up on occasion.

Kaiser is simply the greatest cat I have ever met, and I am so happy and proud to have him in my life. 

Happy Birthday, Kaiser!

Dog Trick Tutorial - "In the Corner"

Above is a video tutorial demonstrating how Nana learned "In the Corner".  Whether pretending to count for a game of hide-and-go-seek, or acting like she thinks she's been a bad dog, this trick is sure to bring laughs and is always a great addition to any dog's repertoire.

Behaviour:  The dog finds a corner between two walls and stands with his nose placed in it until released.

Step 1:  Place a treat on a sticky note and click as your dog eats the treat.

Step 2:  Hover your hand over the sticky note without actually placing the treat on it.  Click and reward when your dog sniffs the sticky note.

Step 3:  Continue to click whenever your dog sniffs or touches the sticky note with his nose.  Do not click for anything other than nose touches.

Step 4:  Place the sticky note on your knee and continue practicing nose touches.  If your dog gets confused, try tapping the sticky note with your finger or go back to doing it on the floor before trying again.

Step 5:  Hold the sticky note up with your hand and practice.

Step 6:  Begin holding the sticky note closer to the wall, then eventually stick it on.

Step 7:  Move the sticky note to the corner of two walls and practice.

Step 8:  Begin clicking for duration of the trick.

Step 9:  Gradually add distance between your dog and the walls.

Step 10:  Remove the sticky note and continue practicing.

Step 11:  When your dog is performing the trick consistantly, add a verbal cue.

Tips:
- If your dog ever gets confused, go back a step to help refresh his memory.
- Jackpot your dog when he performs a behaviour exceptionally well.
- Always work at your dog's pace.  Never rush through the steps, as this can confuse your dog and be stressful for him.
- Always end sessions before your dog gets bored.
- Keep sessions short and as fun and exciting as possible.

Keep Training Paw-sitive!

Kaiser Featured in "Bengals Illustrated" Magazine

Kaiser has been featured in the latest issue of the Bengals Illustrated magazine!  They included so many pictures of him, and I am very happy with how our article came out. :)  I am so proud of my boy.

Amazing Funny Dog Tricks by Nana

Amazing Border Collie tricks performed by Nana. All of Nana's tricks are taught with positive reinforcement and the clicker.

Cat Tricks by Kaiser

Amazing cat tricks performed by Kaiser the Bengal cat.  All tricks are taught with the use of the clicker and Progressive Reinforcement.  You can find out more about this type of training here:

http://www.dogmantics.com/Dogmantics/Progressive_Reinforcement_Manifesto.html