>From: Rachel Zuckerman <[log in to unmask]> >It's been a while since I've posted, but now I have a question: how do >you call a ferret who can't hear you? Over the past half-year or so, >I've come to realize that my Lola is completely deaf. Would training her to respond to a vibration cue work? If ferrets can pick up vibrations, which is seems like they should since they're low to the ground, you can teach her to come when you stomp or tap a foot/hand on the floor. To give the stomp it's meaning, first power it up. Ex. *stomp* when she's right there and *TREAT* The treat should be super-duper would jump through flaming hoops to die for yummy. Pretty quick the association between stomps and treats appearing is formed. Then Lola will do whatever is necessary to make the silly human do that stomping thing so the really yummy treat appears. This is when you refine the process. The only thing that gets Lola what she wants (the stomps and subsequent treats!) is when she does what you want - in this case coming. Initially start off right near where she is with treats on hand. Whenever Lola moves in your direction, stomp and treat. She will probably figure out pretty quick that moving towards the hoomans makes the stomp/reward happen. Once she's got the idea you can make it tougher by the stomp/reward only happening when she comes right to you, fairly quickly. Once that behaviour is solid, you give it a name. In a hearing animal we'd introduce the voice cue "come"... with her we might try a bit of Morris Code. When she's figured out that coming makes the stomp/treat happen, wait till she's coming and *thump-pause-thump* and give the treat when she keeps coming. Not long after this we should see Miss Lola figure out that responding to *thump-pause-thump* makes the *stomp/treat* happen. Ahhhhh... bingo! Now she knows come! Go very slowly and make sure she is solid in knowing what each step means CLOSE to you before you start working with distances. Be sure to work in different rooms since animals (or at least dogs, which is what I was taught this training with) do not generalize well. This means that "come" in the kitchen doesn't necessarily mean "come" when you're in the bedroom, unless they're worked in various environments during the training process. Best of luck! Amanda & Kuma the little bear ferret [log in to unmask] now relocated to Charlotte, MI! http://www.geocities.com/throughacatseyes/kuma.html [Posted in FML issue 3525]