Therapy duck training!

[WafflesNTimmy]

Don't take any nay-Sayers. Ducks are extremely clever and affectionate. If you're planning on keeping one duck by itself (with you of course) the extra stimulation and friends that come with therapy animals can actually benefit the sweet little Duckie. Even if you did add another duck, only males typically become aggressive. When it comes down to it, the duck needs to be on a leash, friendly, clean, and quiet. Being a recipient of therapy animals myself, I can tell you ducks are one of the best options, especially for those with allergies. It's all your call, ducks aren't categorized by their species they each have their own personalities and temperaments. You may find it doesn't work out or you may find it does. And Odette sounds like a beautifully talented duck good luck! Keep me posted, I'd love to hear your training strategies.

 

[Virus]

Sorry for the delay of posting, I've been pretty busy with school and farm work. Odette's training has been going great though! I started by training him to school so he can get used to the noise and activity and he has been doing great. He lets complete strangers come up and pet him and he doesn't mind, one of my teachers children even came up to him and pulled his feathers and all he did was quack and waddled away which is what he needed to do.
We also bought him a dog stroller to make it easier to take him places and he loves it! When southern states was doing the pics with Santa we took him and there were dogs and children all over and Odette didn't even flinch, he even let kids pet and prod him. Another day we took him shopping with us to a bunch of different stores and he was loving it. He did quack really loud once when too many people were petting him at once but he didn't seem to upset.
Any time we were out and about I stayed close to him so he wouldn't be scared and I gave him meelworms while people touched him so he would associate touching and people with treats. The only thing he does that may be an issue is that he likes to nibble jewelry and he flaps his wings. He doesn't nibble it very hard he just likes that it's shiny and moves around when he bites it, and he lets my know when he's about to flap his wings. He gets really excited and wags his tail so I can warn people when he's about to do it.
He's making a lot of progress and I hope he'll be able to be named a therapy duck soon.

 

[Amykins]

Sorry for the delay of posting, I've been pretty busy with school and farm work. Odette's training has been going great though! I started by training him to school so he can get used to the noise and activity and he has been doing great. He lets complete strangers come up and pet him and he doesn't mind, one of my teachers children even came up to him and pulled his feathers and all he did was quack and waddled away which is what he needed to do.
We also bought him a dog stroller to make it easier to take him places and he loves it! When southern states was doing the pics with Santa we took him and there were dogs and children all over and Odette didn't even flinch, he even let kids pet and prod him. Another day we took him shopping with us to a bunch of different stores and he was loving it. He did quack really loud once when too many people were petting him at once but he didn't seem to upset.
Any time we were out and about I stayed close to him so he wouldn't be scared and I gave him meelworms while people touched him so he would associate touching and people with treats. The only thing he does that may be an issue is that he likes to nibble jewelry and he flaps his wings. He doesn't nibble it very hard he just likes that it's shiny and moves around when he bites it, and he lets my know when he's about to flap his wings. He gets really excited and wags his tail so I can warn people when he's about to do it.
He's making a lot of progress and I hope he'll be able to be named a therapy duck soon.

EEEEE that's so awesome! So how'd you do it? Just plunk him down in the middle of a crowd and keep feeding him treats nonstop?

 

[Virus]

Kind of. At school I sit in the hallway at lunch with him in my lap and people would crowd around and pet him and if he started to look uneasy I would either talk/pet him myself since I'm a mother to him or give him a treat. I also took him to all my classes and let him waddle around if my teacher didn't mind and most of mine don't, I bring him to school in a dog crate and I set it on the floor open and let him go in and out as he pleases. I didn't give him non stop treats that would be bad for him, just whenever he seemed scared or did something good like come when I called him. Any other place he'd either sit in his stroller or my lap or the ground and be petted and I'd do the same thing. He seems to like women petting him more then men, can't imagine why!

 

[WafflesNTimmy]

Wait how can you just bring him to school?

 

[Virus]

I go to an alternative school and he actually hatched there. My principal even asks me to bring him sometimes because he likes seeing the duck.

 

[WafflesNTimmy]

That's awesome! I wish I could experience the same!!!

 

[Smschiro]

I was thinking of having my ducks as therapy ducks, do you need to have them certified? Like dogs are?

 

[SusannasMom]

my duck susanna is very stressed out nowadays. anyway you can help?

 

[AliMcG]

Hi @Virus
Sorry to jump on such an old post, but I was wondering how it all panned out.
I have a running duck (3wk old) and I volunteer at an animal rescue that does animal therapy, so naturally wondered about training my lettuce (yes thats its name).
He was hatched by myself after some difficulties and it imprinted on me. Loves human attention, especially children, is being trained to a lead and has been introduced to a wide range on animals. All in the last week as he learnt how to escape and couldn't be left alone.