..........hey y'all....i'm the new kid w/ a small herd of kitties........i have been reading a dog training book on positive reinforcement & found something interesting i can apply w/ my kitties.....basically: the jist of it says that often times when we are guilty(as dog owners in the book, but i apply to my cats,too)of ignoring the behaviorthat we want......while we tewnd to focus are attention and emotion on the behaviors we DON'T want.....huh?......the book uses the ex: when a young dog laying quitely..usually ignored....but the minute he starts barking out the window or chewing on the furniture...he gets attention and emotional energy.....true dat.....so the book suggests to change the action from reactive to PROACTIVE....ex: go to dog when he is quietly laying on the floor....scratch his ear, rub his belly,if that is what he likes.......make eye contact & tell him how good he his being & that u like his behavior.......give him a treat...etc...basically: give him your attention, affection, & approval while he is still doing what u want PRIOR he does something udon't like.......sorry for the novel.....but i just found that so enlightening b/c it is a basic thing we tend to do (or at least i find myself sometimes doing...).....now i look around me more often when i've been watching tv, etc and realize how many of my kitties are playing "nicely" with one another or curled up next to me purring peacefully.....and i try to praise the situation then....whereas i admit i often have to break up a kitty brawl or scold my baby who snuck my food off my plate when i wasn't looking......the simplicity of it is what was so honest and interesting to me...i don't know just found it interesting in every day situations....but i ponder too much anyway....(that's either from the artist in me or those lifetime movies i get sucked into)
anyways it was nice sharing..i will have pics soon
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