Please forward & crosspost to anyone you think might be interested!

Hawks Hunt Farm & K-9 Krazy Play School happily announce:

BRIDGE & TARGET TRAINING seminar with KAYCE COVER
"Beyond Behavior Modification"
A Hands-On Working Seminar
April 9 & 10, 2005 (Private lessons available 4/11 by appointment)

To be held at Hawks Hunt Farm, St. Johnsville NY 13452
9-5 each day
Cost:  $230.00 ($250.00 after April 1), includes workbook, breakfast, lunch & snacks
Limited enrollment - please register early! 

We are really excited about this opportunity to learn from Kayce about these humane, positive training techniques.

Who is Kayce Cover?

Kayce Cover's resume reveals her amazing life experience in training and handling a wide variety of species, work with zoo & marine animals, primates, horses, dogs, farm animals both in the US and internationally.  She was recently the keynote speaker at the  AustralAsian Conference on Zoo Training and Conditioning in Sydney, Australia.  Far too many accomplishments to list here, but no question this is an exceptionally knowledgeable & talented trainer!  For more information about Kayce, please see:  http://www.synalia.com/resume.html

What is Bridge & Target training?

Bridge and Target is a way of communicating with animals that does not require spoken language, but which allows you to teach spoken words to your animals. It is based on bridges, which are signals which tell the animal that he has been successful, and on targets, which are contact points which we ask the animal to touch, in order to either move him or part of him, or to focus his attention to give him more information. Sometimes the targets even have information embedded in them.

Benefits:
Bridges - This training is unique because of its use of an intermediate bridge which signals the subject that s/he is on the right track but has not completed the trial yet (like the clue "getting warmer"). This has profound results! We can support the animal in every learning exercise­ convert failed trials to successes - and expand correct behavior in the face of challenges. The intermediate bridge is followed by the terminal bridge, signaling successful completion of the behavior.

Target - Teaching an animal to focus on a target helps it learn in a distraction-rich environment. In Bridge and Target training, the targeting is not related directly to food, but to being bridged. An animal that is focused on food is not necessarily open to learning. Animals learn to focus on targets as "markers" for their correct actions, rather than as places where food will appear. Targeting shows an animal exactly how to be successful. Trial and error is eliminated. Using a series of targets, we can define any motion or behavior. Targets can be used to describe even very specific, very complex behaviors, for virtually errorless learning.

Perception Modification - SATS, the third thing animals are taught is to relax on cue - a key step in preparing them for changing their attitudes about things. It is a means of giving animals coping skills and changing their perceptions of stressful or disliked events. Many animals need this particular aspect of the training to get the most out of the remaining training program as some are too excited to settle down in a strange environment. This is a very safe and incredibly useful technique.

Who Should Attend
If you are a ...
Animal caretaker
Owner
Researcher
Trainer
Animal Lover
Or... ANYONE who seeks the most humane and efficient training methods... this workshop is for you!

Going way past pure operant conditioning, Kayce Cover will teach us all how to engage in operant conversations.  Her respect for the animals, their ability to understand and communicate, and a "no limits to what's possible" philosophy will help you deepen your relationships, improve your training, and help you put a powerful new training approach in your tool box.  Highly recommended for anyone who wants more out of their training and relationships!

This is a hands-on working seminar, with a focus on dogs, but we will also work with other species here at the farm. A great opportunity to try your hand at working with one of our Scottish Highland cattle, horses, donkeys, maybe even a pig, a rat, a cat or a chicken!

For more information on Kayce Cover and her work, please visit her website:  http://www.synalia.com http://www.synalia.com/articles/beyondmodification.html

To register, please visit the Flying Dog Press website http://www.flyingdogpress.com/kayce.html Be sure to register early, as this is a strictly limited workshop.

Questions:  Please call Suzanne Clothier at 518-568-3325, or email clothier@telenet.net

Please forward & crosspost to anyone you think might be interested!  Looking forward to sharing this exciting weekend with you.

thanks,
Suzanne Clothier
Hawks Hunt Farm
http://www.flyingdogpress.com