Re: Automatic Pellet Dispenser

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

<AgilityNerd@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1172420011.565622.64210@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> On Feb 22, 7:45 pm, "Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > I'm looking for a cheap way to dispense a pellet of kibble into a dog
crate
> > upon receipt of an X-10 command.  Most automatic dog feeders mete out a
> > whole meal's worth and that's way too much.  When the pups are sitting
in
> > their crates, chewing their nylabones and not creating a ruckus at night
> > they need to be rewarded every now and then and the a good way would be
to
> > spit out a pellet of dog food whenever I chose to.
> -- snip --
> > As usual, I appreciate in advance any useful ideas or discussion.
> >
> > --
> > Bobby G.
>
> Hi Bobby,
>
> You can try to find a used "Treat and Train":
> http://www.nerdbook.com/sophia/treat&train/
> Last I heard the company that made them is looking for a new
> distributor,so there aren't any new ones to be had.

I found that site and made that discovery.  )-:  Fortunately, though, there
was more than enough information there to support my belief that positive
"quiet time" reinforcement does work.

> You can also try the Yahoo TreatNTrain group:
> http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/treatntrain/
> Sometimes there are folks looking to sell theirs on the list. Or you
> might be able to get some broken ones donated to you and then
> canibalize them.

That's a good idea.  I'll do that even though I am not terribly fond of
Yahoo's group interface.

> The Resner thesis link in this article (already sent in reply by
> someone else) on my website has schematics and diagrams for a
> dispenser:
> http://agilitynerd.com/index.cgi/dog/training/RoverAtHome.html

Great!  That will certainly be helpful.  It may turn out the motor noise
will wake the other dogs.  List discussions that I've read seem to indicate
that they're very attuned to the whirring noise.

Thanks for the inputs!

--
Bobby G.