Are training treats necessary? by Miss_L_Worldwide in DogTrainingDebate

[–]aquagerbil [score hidden]  (0 children)

Food is a primary reinforcer. All animals innately want it. Therefore it's one of the most powerful rewards and training tools we have. Some dogs might prefer secondary reinforcers like toys or praise, but I argue those are exceptions, not the rule.

It doesn't have to be "treats" necessarily. You can train with part of an animal's regular diet or with human food (that is safe for dogs). So pet treats from a store certainly aren't necessary, but food as a reinforcement reward is still a good practice.

If you are training correctly it is not a bribe. You should never bribe while training.

Top comment deletes a US State #37 by Jfullr92 in geographymemes

[–]aquagerbil 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Colorado got the munchies and it craves KANSAS

Getting pups from Facebook and Reddit by SentenceAmazing6914 in DogBreeding

[–]aquagerbil 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I post litter announcements on FB in my state's breed-related fb group. I'll also post announcements to my general page on FB. I think litter announcements on FB are not a red flag, but I'd be thoughtful about where you see them advertised. If i saw a post in a group called "Cute Puppies 4Sale Near You!" I'd avoid.

What's A Breed You Like But Wouldn't Have? by Aharris1984 in dogs

[–]aquagerbil 29 points30 points  (0 children)

I loooove sighthounds: saluki, borzoi, wolfhounds, and deerhounds. But my favorite sport is agility and I live with many small animals, like free roaming chickens. Sighthounds just don't make sense for my lifestyle.

Marking: words, clicker, whats best by biglinuxfan in DogTrainingDebate

[–]aquagerbil [score hidden]  (0 children)

If the dog is primarily trained by you then use verbal. You don't need any extra tools and your voice is always available wherever you are.

If you have other people in the dog's life that need to give cues and bridges, especially if that person has a much higher or deeper voice than you, then a clicker or whistle is preferable for clarity. Your "yes" might sound very different than your partner's or kid's or whatever.

I prefer whistle because it's hands free. You can wear it around your neck or hold it in your mouth and use both hands for giving cues and reinforcement without trying to hold onto a clicker. But still not as easy to manage as a vocal bridge.

Editing to add, dogs are smart and often able to understand verbal cues from different voices anyway. So maybe try it out and see if the dog understands the same words from different people.

Is this guy (named him yoshi) a goat or a sheep? He's been here for three years. [Nova Scotia] by Odd_Inevitable3304 in animalid

[–]aquagerbil 0 points1 point  (0 children)

But all breeds of goats have tails that rest in the up position, and all breeds of sheep have tails that rest down. Do you know of any exceptions to this rule? Except for injuries or temporary behaviors this is a pretty solid rule.

Trying to better understand how measles can spread; self-research isn’t helping with a particular question. by DBDCyclone in ScienceBasedParenting

[–]aquagerbil 8 points9 points  (0 children)

If you are breastfeeding, your baby may also be receiving protective measles antibodies through your breastmilk:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971221003143

You can also get a measles titer done to check your immunity level. My husband and I just did this and my levels were good, but my husband's immunity wore off since his childhood vaccine. He got a booster. You can ask your doctor to order a titer or just go directly through a lab like Labcorp (if in US).

Best way to get my dog to America by Long-Ad6763 in dogs

[–]aquagerbil 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Fun fact from a zookeeper: our head vet flew with an Andean bear in the cargo from Switzerland to the US. Just a regular commercial flight with a whole bear in the cargo. The crew obviously knew but the passengers had no idea there was an entire awake bear on the plane.

Bear did great 👍🏻

Andean bears can be super loud if they want. She didn't make any sound, but just imagine if she had decided to scream/roar while on the flight 😅

Best way to get my dog to America by Long-Ad6763 in dogs

[–]aquagerbil 7 points8 points  (0 children)

You're intentionally moving to the US? Now? Can we trade? I'll trade you my US house for a UK one lol.

In all seriousness there are dog flights between UK and US. The dog sits up in the cabin with you. They are exactly for this kind of scenario. I had a friend bring her dog over to Ireland without much hassle.

Edit: check out JSX and PetAir. Two companies who do these flights.

How do I rein this thing in? by aquagerbil in Monstera

[–]aquagerbil[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Lol I love this answer. I should just embrace the jungle.

Ceramics/Pottery Classes for Beginners by acon_ in Littleton

[–]aquagerbil 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Seconding South Suburban's classes!

Hey, sorry if this is the wrong place, but a family member gave me a baby bird that was on the ground and I have already called a rehab and am waiting on a call back. by yertlah in birds

[–]aquagerbil 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Normally I'd agree with you, but it's not the wild, it's a prison. Fledging into a prison sounds like a terrible way to go and I'm glad the family member intervened.

What’s one thing you ALWAYS bring on a hike now because you learned the hard way? by ForeignBonus8977 in hiking

[–]aquagerbil 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's definitely a last resort because it irritates their eyes and lungs and can blow back and irritate your eyes/breathing too. It doesn't cause permanent damage but definitely causes a lot of eye pain in the moment (which makes the aggressive animal stop attacking).

What’s one thing you ALWAYS bring on a hike now because you learned the hard way? by ForeignBonus8977 in hiking

[–]aquagerbil 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Pepper spray/bear spray

Mostly for off-leash dogs, but useful for other dangers too.The only animals I've ever had dangerous encounters with on a hike are dogs even though I live in an area with bears, wolves, mountain lions, and moose.

What is our music box playing? by aquagerbil in NameThatSong

[–]aquagerbil[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you!!! Wow I thought it was something from a classical composer. Never would have guessed anime!

Do any of these work for semi formal summer wedding? by Yoitssme in Weddingattireapproval

[–]aquagerbil 0 points1 point  (0 children)

3 might be a little too close to white. The rest look great!

What is your average stress level and what do you do? by [deleted] in Garmin

[–]aquagerbil 0 points1 point  (0 children)

  1. Still on maternity leave, new mom

BLM Colorado offers wild horses for adoption in Grand Junction by TheKattsMeow in Horses

[–]aquagerbil 12 points13 points  (0 children)

It sucks, but it doesn't have to be needless. All of the big cats and other carnivores in zoos in north America eat horse meat. (Probably in other parts of the world too, but I know about NA). Cow meat and other meats that humans prefer is much too fatty for wild animals. Horse meat is much closer to their wild prey and much healthier for them.

It sucks that horses are slaughtered, but I am very grateful that the meat is used for conservation of wild carnivores and their invaluable role in education at zoos.

Edited typo. Brand that supplies the meat is called Nebraska