A Donkey Diary: Lead training with Siog

Monday, October 31, 2011

Lead training with Siog

Today was absolutely gorgeous, cool and sunny. Siog and I headed up the road and she walked willingly but her new "thing" is to pull her head away to the right. If you don't have a donkey's head in your control, you are not IN control! While this may be no big deal while walking with a mini, it's a VERY big deal with a larger animal!

So I have been asking Siog for a lateral flextion in her neck by sliding my left hand up the lead, gently towards the snap and asking her to soften and when she does I click and treat. This has been going on for awhile now though on our walks and she still pulls away. I don't want to create an unwanted training "loop" - this means that I might be inadvertently training Siog to pull her neck away from me while walking, then soften towards me and then get rewarded. She might interpret this as "first I pull away, then I soften, then I get a treat!"

So today I tried something new and it worked! I chose a tire tread line on the road and walked on it, keeping my own steps in a straight line. I held Siog's lead rope, giving her some length and keeping my two hands together at my stomach. I did not ask her to soften but just kept walking in a straight line.

Siog would pull away to the right and the lead rope would become taught but I just kept on going. Then she got the idea to release the pressure on her lead by softening towards me and - eureka! ... she got clicked and treated!

I had to make sure I stayed vigilant and rewarded her every single time she released the pressure on her own and came towards me - I tried not to look at her and kept a steady pace, even while rewarding her.
No big deal that you're doing the right thing, eh?

It was so interesting! An animal will learn faster if they put 2 + 2 together rather than you doing it for them and this was a great example. It took very little time for Siog to realize that if she released the pressure on her lead by moving towards me, she would get rewarded! I didn't have to do a thing except be kind, keep going and reward her when she earned it!

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A Few Great recipes: salves & soaks for hooves and sores, etc.

Homemade Bug Spray:
In a large bowl, mix 1 Cup water, 1 Cup white or apple cider vinegar, 1 Cup Avon Skin So Soft. Add a few drops each Citronella Oil and Eucaplyptus Oil. Mix and pour into a spray bottle. Spray your donkey's coat making sure NOT to get it near their eyes and avoid putting it on any sores as the vinegar makes it sting a bit. This can also be put on a cloth and wiped over the donkey if she hates the spray bottle but I have found that clicker training works well to encourage them to stand still!

Healing Salve:
Steep 1/4 tsp. of golden seal powder + 1 tsp. of calendula (any part) in 1 cup of hot water for 1 hour. Strain and mix the "tea" with 1/8 Cup of aloe vera. Use as a healing salve on scrapes or sores.

Healing Wash:
Steep 1 tsp. calendula (any part) + 1/4 tsp. golden seal + 1 tsp comfrey (any part) in 1 cup of very hot water. Strain "tea" and cool. Pour into glass container and keep in the fridge. Use on a compress or soak for any type of sore or abscess or flush gums with the cooled tea in a syringe. I warm the liquid before using.

Hoof Disinfectant:
Mix together in a large bottle: 1 litre Listerine Mouth Wash (the "original" one) + 10 ml Betadine (tamed iodine)+ 1 Tbs. golden seal powder + 1 Tbs. Gentain powder or root. Fill a squeeze bottle with some and apply to hooves after cleaning them first - white line area and frogs. You can use a toothbrush to work it in. Will cleanse, disinfect and encourage new tissue growth.

Rose

I fell in love with Rose in 2011 when I saw her photo on Asspen Grove Miniature Donkeys' web site. Some times it's just that simple ... smitten and who knows why? Rose's full name is White Star Red Roses.
She is a "big" mini, standing just under the regulation size at 35.25 inches at the withers. Her build is stocky and she has a lovely white blaze on her face! Sadly her tail was bitten during a fight with a horse when she was much younger and never grew back - I may have to get her a tail extension!

Rose was born in Alberta in 1997 and has been trained in halter class and driving. This donkey is without a doubt the kindest animal I have ever met ... not a pushy bone in her, just sweetness.
I feel very lucky to have her join our family!

Heather

Heather is a character! At nine years old, she has had two foals and is a sturdy donkey full of pep. She and Rose have known each other for eight years and traveled here together. They are good buddies. Heather is very sweet but can hold her own too, she is strong and has lovely conformation. She has a lovely broad head, like a sheep!

She is really fun to be with, keen and smart. She loves clicker training and always asks for more. At clinics she is everyone's favourite donkey. Heather and Siog have become buddies as they are just a year apart in age.

Siog

Siog arrived on Friday, November 5, 2010. Her Gaelic name means "young Fairy" and is pronounced "She-OH-g." She came from Pender Island and has the same father as Dorica. Ebony is just as his name suggests, jet black and Siog takes after him. Mom, Sidhe, is a sturdy pure white donkey and Siog's only genetic inheritance from her mom is a splash of white hair, like the milky way, on her forehead.

Siog has been here for two years now and a genuine character! She is very clicker savvy and VERY smart! She can be a bit of a prima dona, thinking the world turns just for her but with clicker training, I can usually change her mood. She LOVES clicker training!

Dorrie

Inis Eile Dorcha (we call her Dorica) was born on Pender Island on the summer solstice,1998. Her Gaelic name means "dark one." She's a Mediterranean miniature donkey, sometimes referred to as a "Sicilian" donkey. We bought her when she was 6 years old and so she has been here the longest and has known Annie, Ringo and Deenah ... a lot of comings and goings!

This little donkey has the sweetest disposition imaginable! She is curious and so willing. She is the donkey of my heart, although I adore all of the others, there's something magical about Dorrie!

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Monday, October 31, 2011

Lead training with Siog

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