Welcome to the Cooperative Care Cat Nail Trim Project
Create a welcome video. Include things like, what to expect, best practices, train near food dishes, Better results on feeding schedule, talk about baseline and baseline probes quickly, Quick overview of datasheets / data collection. Training area set up? Camera and recording? Where to submit files? Go over basic Operational Definitions
Use this space to write a quick welcome message.
Phase 0: Pretraining
Phase 0 consists of a pretraining phase and a baseline phase. Pretraining preps the cat to be able to consent to engage in training and nail trims.
Build a video outlineing the steps for pretraining, overviewing the baseline and outlineing a baseline trrial
Step 0-1, Load Marker
Components:
1) Handler says marker word
2) After marker word is said, handler presents cat treat
Note: The goal here is to pair "yes," which is the marker word, with the delivery of
reinforcement. Order is important here. Make sure to concisely deliver the "yes" before making
any movement towards the treats. Also, it helps to keep the treats easily accessible, but not in a
bag that will make a lot of extra noise. Something like a fanny pack may be ideal, I used a bowl
out of view of the cat, within reach but just outside of the working area.
Step 0-2, Seated
Components:
1) Cat is in working area
2) Handler waits for cat to sit
3) If cat enters sitting position, handler says the marker word
4) If marker word is said, treat is delivered in a manner that causes the cat to break their sit
5) If cat does not sit within 2 minutes, reset
6) If cat leaves work area, reset
Note: Sit is defined as the cat's rearend lowered to the working surface with the rear legs
relaxed and the front legs straight. and the shoulders at a higher elevation than the hips
Step 0-3, Directing
Components:
1) Nail Clippers are on outskirt of work area
2) If the cat enters a seated position, the trial begins
3) During trial, if the cat directs to the handler, the handler says the marker word
4) If the handler says the marker word, a treat is delivered
5) If the cat does not attend to the handler in 30 seconds, reset
6) If the cat breaks the sit, reset
Note: The cat is directed to you when their eyes are oriented in your direction and you can be
reasonably sure that you are in their field of view and there isn't evidence that they are focused
on something else.
Step 0-4, Directing 1 Sec
Components:
1) Nail clippers are present on outskirt of the work area
2) If the cat enters a seated position the trial begins
3) The handlers right hand moves nail clippers to a location on the work surface about 2 feet
from the cat’s front paws
4) During the trial, if the cat directs to the handler for a period of 1 second, handler says
marker word
5) If marker word is said, the treat is delivered
6) If cat does not attend to handler for a period of 30 seconds, reset
7) If the cat directs to the handler for a period of less than 2 seconds 5 times, reset
8) If the cat breaks sit, reset
Step 0-5, Directing 2 Sec
Components:
1) Nail clippers are present on outskirt of the work area
2) If the cat enters a seated position, the trial begins
3) The handler’s right hand moves nail clippers to a location on the work surface about 2 feet
from the cat’s front paws
4) During the trial, if the cat directs to the handler for a period of 2 seconds, handler says
marker word
5) If marker word is said, a treat is delivered
6) If cat does not direct to handler for a period of 30 seconds, reset
7) If the cat directs to the handler for a period of less then 2 seconds 5 times, reset
8) If cat breaks sit, reset