What happens when you give learners the ability to direct the pace and progress of a procedure activity? You elevate the level of dialogue between animals and trainers, enhance the overall level of trust, and improve results. One of the ways to give animals control is to teach start button behaviors, through which the animal gets to control what the person is doing.

In this video, Eva Bertilsson demonstrates how her dog learns to knock down a pile of cans to make a toy appear – first through just looking at them (with a little help from Eva), later through knocking them down herself.

Learn more about working with start button behaviors by joining Eva and Emelie Johnson Vegh for their ClickerExpo LIVE Learning Lab, Animals in Control Extended. Watch Animal/Handler Spotlight teams practice exercises with Eva and Emelie’s coaching or participate with your own animal from home off-camera!