Carrier Training- help!

[MagpieDragon]

I have been trying to carrier train Nedd recently- he's getting pretty good a stepping on it with one foot, but after that, he won't follow the target any further.

Any suggestions?

It is a large dog carrier
He isn't scaredof it
I use sunflower seeds as rienforcers
The training is force-free

 

[TikiMyn]

Can you leave the carrier in his aviary(or is he inside now?)? I would leave it in there and put his favorite food in it, in a place where he can easily see it. For example leave his pellets, and put a bit of seed or fruit in a cup and place it in the dooropening. Then place the bowl a bit more to the back when he 'gets' it. Also, if he gets it you could just make that the permanent place for his regular food dish too. Then you can try closing the door gradually, then completely closing it for a second, then open it again. Leave it closed a little longer each day etc.

 

[MagpieDragon]

Thanks

Yes, he is still outside sadly, as I would like to carrier train him for going inside
It's a bit tricky to manouver into his aviary, but I probably could if i tried hard enough, i would just be worrier that he'd chew on it.
Again, thanks, and i will try the food bowl idea

 

[Begone]

Remove all the good things that he love from his food bowl and place them first outside the carrier in a bowl.
And when he is comfortable with the carrier place the bowl inside the carrier.
You don't need to train him, let the food do the job for you.
And then give him time and let him decide when he wants to go in.

When he later is inside the carrier and feels comfortable with it, you can train him to go in and out on command.

 

[MagpieDragon]

thanks again @Eloy

 

[Monica]

Can you... take the carrier apart? Say, if the carrier has a top and bottom, can you remove the top and place it in the aviary so he can at least get used to that? Then later on put the top on, but not the door? Then later put the door on but left open?

 

[MagpieDragon]

Yes, I probably could, I would just have to unscrew it.

 

[BirdManDan]

Have you tried some of the techniques discussed in some of the video links I sent you? Try a different treat say a small chunk of almond or a pine nut. I have found that the best way which I was taught by professional bird rainers is to put out several small piles of different treats around in a circle like a clock. Pine nuts at 12, almonds at 1' hulled sunflower seeds at 2 and so on then put your bird in the middle see what it eats 1st, 2nd & 3rd those would be your training treats. I'm not saying you need 12 piles but several anyways. Make sure they are not a part of his regular diet except for training. Make sure your rewards are random (in other words when your bird does something really well give him a jackpot reward to always keep your bird wondering what's coming and thus more motivated to train.

 

[Icey]

I have no problem with Frankie going into his carrier. For Bebe, I put her favorite towel in there and she will go in to play with it. Altogether it takes about 2 minutes, and Frankie shuts the door for her.
I uploaded the video on another thread already when I was taking my two into the vets a couple of weeks ago