# Trick Training a mini donkey



## minimom1 (Aug 30, 2009)

I have one mini donk gelding that is one year old, he is a companion to my

mini horses. He adores me and I spend a lot of time with him.

I have taught horses tricks but they say donkeys are smarter.

Has anyone ever trick trained a donkey ? How did it go ?

What kind of tricks did you teach them ?


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## Peggy Hogan (Aug 31, 2009)

The mini donkey I trained was with me because she tried to wipe out anyone who came near her feet. Having said that, I did teach her several behaviors (using the click/treat method) before tackling the "hot topic" of her feet. This made her more trusting of the process and the training went more easily.

I thought she was VERY bright. I also thought it was more like playing "chess" than "checkers" with her LOL.

A few tricks she learned in her short time with me.

targeting, stationing on her mat, liberty walking, putting her head in the halter, backing for 20 feet with no ropes or wands cues, opening her mouth real wide so I could drop a treat in her mouth...(this was too funny)

best of luck


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## MeadowRidge Farm (Aug 31, 2009)

I never did any trick training with my donkeys. But, I did work with manners and training with my zedonk, and hinnies, and most of that training was done thru trick training. I had to outsmart them someway.




Zedonks are very intelligent plus I was working with a "undomesticated" side of him. we worked thru the reward system. He did learn trust and patience first, then we went on to whoa, left, right, walk, trot, yes, no, shake, follow at a walk or trot, no lead (all on command)

Your right, donkeys are much smarter then horses are and can easily outsmart there trainers. But once a donkey learns something he will never forget it, which is why you always want to make sure your training session ends on a positive note, and you dont lose your patience while training....or you will be going back more steps then forward.

Corinne


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## minimom1 (Sep 1, 2009)

Thanks for the replies. I just love him and he is naturally inquisitive and likes to pick

stuff up and carry it around so I am hoping he will pick it up. I will keep you posted.


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## Chico (Sep 1, 2009)

My husband has taught our donkeys several tricks. We also have horses. My husband feels the donkeys learn much quicker than horses. He does feel that they need to "understand" what the trick will "do" for them. He never treats with food but attention. Scratches and happy dance "woo hooing". They do have short attention spans in his opinion and thus training is short and sweet. Some of the tricks he has taught; giving a hug, nose to hand touching to open their stall door, pushing a ball on command and letting their face be kissed-goodnight, stopping and going on command. Try =-) Make the experience fun for you and your new bud. Some days things will go great and others not. Be happy with the good and don't sweat the "bad". In our experience donkeys get "stubborn" when pushed too long or don't understand what "you" want.

chico


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