Well, I AM here.

[memento1]

And alive. A quick summary: my last update (mid-August), I was thrilled because my internet had come back up at home. Well, not so much. The very next day it went down again and I only got it back about last week. So it's been the better part of a month without internet access. I'm trying to catch back up, and start reading my flist aain. It seems like so long!

Anyways, life has been going like normal here. Ups and downs. I switched over my animals - I miss Salsa every single day, and the camels turned out to be the most miserable part of this new semester (I got in an argument with a few of my co-trainers, and now I basically have no say in the baby's training, which was the entire reason I wanted them). At least Friday (the raccoon) is adorable, and training well. I'm training her to target to a laser pointer, and she picked up on it so quickly! AND, the new crop of students started taking over cleaning duties, so for the first time in over a year I'm getting sleep! I mean real sleep. SLEEPING IN sleep. And oh, just a week of sleeping in as late as I want has been heavenly, and done wonderful things to my mood.

But enough about sleep. What's up with the fangirl in me? ranee42 and imperviousness have been my crack dealers, sending me files of fannish importance ;) I can't thank you two enough. I've been skipping between fandoms lately but West Wing has won the latest round, and I've been re-reading my favorite WW fics (pix's Crash Into Me series and Jo and Ryo's A Winning Strategy series). Shipping is good for the soul ;)

Aaaaaand, that's about it. Oh! Comedy Central is starting Scrubs reruns next week. SCRUBS!! How I missed that show. You probably won't see that much of me around once that starts up ;)

Comments

[krisnreine.livejournal.com]

I'm nosey and you don't have to tell me anything but what was the fight about with the camels? A method kind of fight, or a goal kind of find or just regular bickering?

YAY FOR INTERNET, though.

[memento1.livejournal.com]

Oh, methods. It was the stupidest, idiotic thing, too. They saw our professor walking the baby holding the lead rope right on the clip, and I simply held the lead a foot farther back, giving him some slack when he walked well. Well, they all but accused me of being the cause of said baby's bad behavior on lead. One guy in particular made it his personal mission to prove I was wrong, when I saw little to no difference between our methods. Instead of prolonging the fight, I just shut up and let him do whatever the hell he wants. All over one foot of lead rope!

The funny thing is since he's taken control of the training, the baby has become a little demon on walks. I like to privately gloat about that ;) Anyways, it's all ridiculously stupid.

And yes, Yay for Internet!

[krisnreine.livejournal.com]

I've never trained anything more exotic t han Bonaparte, but it seems to me that the mechanics are the same. In order to teach an animal to walk quietly, the animal has to learn to walk quietly without being forced - ie, a loose lead. So if he was being good and walking beside you and you were reinforcing his good behavior, then what is the damage? Otherwise, if he feels "bound" all the time and held down, and he rebels, do you just tighten down your hold on the halter and manhandle him until he behaves? And that won't work forever, if baby is growing up. :-/

I guess that's the drawback of working with and around trainers - so many get stuck in a rut over methodology that they become completely incapable of seeing the other side. You only do your animals a disservice if you refuse to see hte big picture because despite tried and true methods and theories of learning, at the end of the day the animals are still individuals and every method has to be slightly altered to work the best.

*shuts up*

[memento1.livejournal.com]

Thank you! *L* That's exactly what I was trying to tell them, but as you said, they absolutely refuse to consider another way. He won't be a baby forever, and you can't force an adult camel to do anything. I just feel bad for the baby who's being raised so badly.

[krisnreine.livejournal.com]

I'm quite surprised - truly - that a training facility as such doesn't demand more positive methods. For the reason you outlined - you cannot force an adult camel to do anything, you cannot force an adult wild cat to do anything, so you have to motivate the animal to want to work for you. Which is tricky with animals such as domestic dogs who are bred to please humans. I can't imagine how difficult it must be with working with other animals, less bound by domestication. Difficult and rewarding, when you've created a relationship in which the animal *wants* to do what you ask because you've created a bond, not because they're afraid of what will happen if they don't. :-/ I'm not a trainer who can only subscribe to one be-all, end-all method of training. Certainly with Bonaparte, who will push and challenge and be a general brat I have used some negative methods. But I could never in a thousand years MAKE him do anything he simply did not want to do. He's too big and too stubborn anymore. Thankfully, he trusts me enough to do as I ask, even when he's unsure. THAT is the difference between training and physically dominating.

And now...I've bored you enough. ;)

[imperviousness.livejournal.com]

I've got more fangirl crack to deal. ;)

[memento1.livejournal.com]

Heeeeeee! Sorry I never replied about that. Took me a few weeks to actually finish the thing. Uggggh! It was painful to watch. Poor Josh! I just want to hug him and squeeze him and...okay, well, that's leads somewhere else quick. But anyways, it was saaaaaad! *sniffles*

But yes, crack ;)

[erries.livejournal.com]

Yay for Scrubs reruns! I recently bought the second season on DVD and have been working my way through. Sucks that we have to wait so long for new episodes. :\

[kira-iras.livejournal.com]

Welcome back :D