Spodumena
Well-known member
I wondered if anyone has any tips on training chins to go into their pet carriers on their own accord.
I realize chins generally only do what they want to, when they want to, and training them like one would a dog is very unlikely. But I wondered if there were some techniques that people have tried that have worked?
We've invested in 2 carrier cages from John Hopewell (really great travel cages for those of you in the UK - much better than anything you can find in pet stores...). We've been working with the chins, holding the pet carrier up to the cage, encouraging them to explore, rewarding them when they go in, and then gradually closing the door, having them stay in for a few minutes or so at a stretch to get them acclimated, and rewarding them upon 'going home'. We've also been leaving the carriers out and open at playtime so that they get used to hopping in and out when they feel like it. So they've definitely gotten more used to them and don't seem to think of them as a bad thing, although one is definitely calmer than the other about being in a more confined space.
However, the problem is really when we need them to go into the carriers during the day when they'd rather being dozing. They're generally willing to come explore in the evening/night, but during the day, there was really no budging them.
Any tips on encouraging them?
I realize chins generally only do what they want to, when they want to, and training them like one would a dog is very unlikely. But I wondered if there were some techniques that people have tried that have worked?
We've invested in 2 carrier cages from John Hopewell (really great travel cages for those of you in the UK - much better than anything you can find in pet stores...). We've been working with the chins, holding the pet carrier up to the cage, encouraging them to explore, rewarding them when they go in, and then gradually closing the door, having them stay in for a few minutes or so at a stretch to get them acclimated, and rewarding them upon 'going home'. We've also been leaving the carriers out and open at playtime so that they get used to hopping in and out when they feel like it. So they've definitely gotten more used to them and don't seem to think of them as a bad thing, although one is definitely calmer than the other about being in a more confined space.
However, the problem is really when we need them to go into the carriers during the day when they'd rather being dozing. They're generally willing to come explore in the evening/night, but during the day, there was really no budging them.
Any tips on encouraging them?
