How Can I Teach My Donkey To Pick Up His/Her Foot?
Most important first step to training any animal horse, donkey or mule is taming. Make sure your donkey trusts you and comes to you when called take your time during this process as you do not know how the donkey was treated before moving in with you. After the donkey comes running to see you each and every time you come into his/her space you can bet the taming is well on its way. If the donkey will not come up to you on his/her own continue working on taming the donkey and building trust.
How can I help my donkey relax and trust me?
1. Sit down and read a book use reverse psychology on your donkey ignore him/her
2. Clean the barn and do not go to the donkey let the donkey come to you
3. Sit down in the pasture on a log and wait for the donkey to come to you
4. Relax your mind and body focus on your breathing to be calm and enjoy this gift from GOD the donkey
5. Remember quality time with your donkey is the best so if you only have fifteen minutes two or three times a week make sure you are doing the right stuff. The wrong training is really difficult to fix in a donkey as donkeys never ever forget anything ever.
5. Feed/water your donkey on time each and every day
6. Never beat your donkey, or abuse your donkey and do not authorize a human or animal to hurt your donkey
7. Never over feed a donkey as laminitis, abscesses, fat cresty neck and eventually a slow death occur from over eating just like humans get sugar diabetes equine get laminitis
How would I want to be treated if I were the donkey?
Remember you brought the donkey into your life. The donkey cannot speak your human language in the beginning! All donkeys can learn verbal words i.e., foot, back-up, over, whoaa, NO (doing something naughty) gee (turn right), Haw (turn left), you can see the sky is the limit as donkeys are really smart, smarter than some humans. Most important word the donkey needs to learn is his/her name.
All wonderful relationships take time, do not be in a hurry with your donkey if you relax I promise your donkey will relax – Try it!
Next step is putting the rope halter on your donkey and touching his/her body all over while staying safe thus why I am a Parelli student and highly recommend learning Parelli, getting the rope halter, carrot stick and lead line. Additionally learn the Seven games taming is number one. The flat halter will not teach as well as the rope halter in my experience to stop pulling and dragging the human around.
Teach your donkey to stand tied and say whoaa – Eventually you will not need to tie your donkey he/she will stand without being tied and you can pick up the foot while your donkey is eating a meal. This is how honor donkeys get the hooves cleaned out (like an honor student in human form) takes time and patience to get here. You can do this!
Teach your donkey to understand the words you want him/her to learn Whoaa, walk-on, foot (picking up foot), back-up, gee (turn right) and Haw (turn left) used for pulling a cart, over, trot, cantor and my personal favorite “down” teach your donkey to lay down.
How To Teach The Donkey To Pick Up The Foot?
After you have tamed the donkey and taught the donkey how to be safe with you and learn to Whoa now you can start to teach to pick up the foot.
* Rub the donkey all over and stay relaxed massage his body start around the withers not in his face, work down the front leg wait for the back legs until you are sure your donkey is your buddy and the Donkey has Respect for you. Donkeys can kick forward, sideways, and backwards additionally donkeys can kick like an acrobat three legs on the ground and one is always landing where the donkey wants it to land.
* Start with the front feet and use your Parelli stick on the back feet gently massaging the legs to see if the donkey will kick, never put your head down where the donkey can kick you in the head.
* Safety is number one for you and the donkey – Never try to teach a donkey to pick up the foot until you have established a clear and safe relationship with the donkey, clear leadership is essential to becoming an outstanding human leader without abuse.
* Working with Donkeys, Horses and Mules can be dangerous so be sure you understand what you are doing to stay safe and keep your donkey safe.
* I use the Parelli rope halter, carrot stick and lead line for training the donkey and I never ever begin with the feet always begin with winning the donkey in trust and establishing clear leadership along with clean and fair boundaries for the safety of myself and the donkey. I am a home study student of Parelli, I am not authorized or trained to teach Parelli.
GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!
Long Life Cats and Dogs
February 8, 2013 at 5:13 pm
Very informative post. Thank you.
Donkey Whisperer Farm
February 8, 2013 at 5:46 pm
Hi Susan,
I hope it helps a donkey’s owner. The life of a domesticated donkey is grim if they cannot get the feet picked out, vet care and teeth, love all the animals in our world. Have a wonderful day!
runningonsober
March 9, 2013 at 5:19 pm
I really appreciate this Melody. The steps on getting your donkey to trust you are especially helpful. I like the reverse psychology idea! After one week, my girls already come running over at meal time and have even “followed” me on a walk (keeping their distance of course). They’ll come close to me, but not close enough for petting yet. We’re taking it very slowly and just making sure they know they’re safe and in a secure and peaceful environment. They’re such blessings. Enjoy your day!
Donkey Whisperer Farm
March 9, 2013 at 5:44 pm
Great job! Remember great relationships take time and you have no idea what the donkeys has experienced from a human before you. Working with a baby donkey who has never been abused in any way is much easier than a rescue from a violent past. Just 15 quality minutes of time with your donkey per day will give you some amazing results. Please keep me updated as to your progress and remember I provide free information and will give you professional trainer sites to get DVD’s etc., to keep moving to any level you may desire.
runningonsober
March 9, 2013 at 5:49 pm
You’re very kind, thank you!