Something we’ve been working on lately is using positive reinforcement training to try and help alleviate tension in the Jamie’s group during meals. Jamie, on occasion, tries to prevent a couple of the low ranking girls in her group from getting high value food items, like fruit. Because of this, we have been working on cooperative feeding with the group by stationing Jamie during meals. Stationing means we put an item in front of Jamie, in this case a frisbee hung on the mesh, and ask her to stay at this station during meals while others in the group receive their food. This allows caregivers to move around to serve others, especially low-ranking ladies Annie and Foxie, while Jamie remains at her station and allows them to receive their servings of food. Jamie receives her food throughout the meal, as well as sugar free juice that is just for her as a reward for a job well done.
Today’s video follows the process!
Jamie at her station:
Receiving juice for stationing so well!
I like that you’re taking the page from Willy B’s training and teaching the old dogs some new tricks. She’s gotten away with it for so long, I wonder if it will take longer than with Willy B.
I am glad to see The Tiny One and Annie getting their share!
But I saw Missy also touching and wondering, “what the heck!? Where’s mine!?”, much like Frans’ capuchins in his TedTalk “Monkeys protest unequal pay”
I was thinking the exact same thing, Linda!! So funny.
😉
I like Missy – I’m touching, I would also like some juice. It always amazes me that they can hold the cup through the mesh without dropping it. It doesn’t look at that easy to balance it.
I watched the video before I read the blog. I had difficulty watching because I was viewing with my human heart, felt the tension, the desire, the nearly clamoring. The rapid nodding of “yes.” Having read the blog, it makes much more sense, but there it is. And good for Jamie for staying put, and good for the others for not running away in fear of the boss.
Missy definitely thinks The Boss’s #1 loyal lieutenant should get some juice, too!
Foxie getting all excited for her smoothie is just the absolute cutest thing!!!
I think it might have been beakfast, when we’re all at our hungriest.
this was just fascinating! never in a million years would I have thought that there would be any type of aggressive or bullying behavior around food when these guys are obviously so well fed. what a great system to teach Miss Jamie that not every banana is hers. thanks for teaching me something today!
Burrito and Missy became soooo excited the instant you hung the frisbee. Not sure I’ve seen Missy that excited before! And there was Jamie, so nonchalant. But Jamie did an excellent job thanks to your training techniques. You had the group under your spell, even during the serving of the prized bananas. Must be satisfying to have everyone enjoying their meals together. Thanks for the video. So proud of Jamie.