Vote for the best verboticism.

'Now be a good boy, and pick up your socks'

DEFINITION: v. To use animal training techniques to improve and direct the behavior of other people. n. A technique which uses the principles of animal training to solve a human behavioral riddle.

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Verboticisms

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You have two votes. Click on the words to read the details, then vote your favorite.

Pavloveboat

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: pav love boat

Sentence: When the USS LoveDogs pulled into San Diego Bay, many people came to welcome it. Not many knew that it was actually a PavLoveboat, whose human cargo were people who loved their dogs. Behaviorists used the on-ship experience to train the passengers and their pets to work better together. Poodles could paddle, Chihuahuas could Wow,Terriors could terrorize;Pinschers could pinch;a Beagle was now legal;A Dingo could play Bingo;a Jack Russell could Hustle;A Maltese could Tease;a Pekingnese could peak;and a Shepherd could be heard all over the Poop Deck.

Etymology: pavlov (Russian physiologist who observed conditioned salivary responses in dogs (1849-1936) & Love Boat (is an American television series set on a cruise ship, which aired on the ABC Television Network from 1977 until 1986.)

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COMMENTS:

Makes me drool just reading about it. - Mustang, 2009-06-30: 18:41:00

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Beaubedience

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: bōbēdēəns

Sentence: Jill believes in beaubedience. Her boyfriend knows how to behave because she has taught him well. Just last week when he spilled milk on the kitchen counter, she rubbed his nose in it and barked at him. At least she has given up smacking him with rolled-up newspaper.

Etymology: beau (a boyfriend or male admirer) + obedience (compliance with someone\'s wishes or orders or acknowledgment of their authority)

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Reinforceman

mrskellyscl

Created by: mrskellyscl

Pronunciation: re-in-force-man

Sentence: Lia found that Max responded well to positive reinforceman one day by accident when she came home and found the dishes were done. She fussed on him, grilled his favorite steak and bought him a six-pack. Max immediately got up after the meal and did the dishes. Later that night while watching Victoria Stilwell train a Rottweiler on "It's Me or the Dog" she had a revelation. Perhaps she could teach Max to put the toilet seat down if she used a really good reward. She decided to learn some training techniques from Victoria and immediately went to the mall to get a little treat for him from Victoria's Secret.

Etymology: reinforcement + man: in Operant Conditioning reinforcement occurs when an event following a response will increase the likelihood of that response happening again. Animals trained with reinforcement techniques are trained by using treats and praise instead of negative reinforcement. Victoria Stilwell is a dog trainer on Animal Planet who uses reinforcement on ill-mannered dogs.

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COMMENTS:

Clever word and story.... - mweinmann, 2009-06-30: 08:03:00

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Spousebreak

Created by: skeeterzirra

Pronunciation: rhymes with housebreak

Sentence: If all men are dogs, where's a man-whisperer to teach women how to spousebreak them?

Etymology: Housebreak

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Shamu

Verbotomy

Created by: Verbotomy

Pronunciation: Sham-moo

Sentence: Shamu the proper noun has become the all-purpose verb in our house. It's shorthand for using the principles of animal training to solve a behavioral riddle. We shamu friends, family, and neighbors. We shamu each other. "Did you just shamu me?" we will ask the other.

Etymology: Shamu is the stage name for the star Orcas (killer whales) at SeaWorld, that inspired the title of Amy Sutherland's book, "What Shamu Taught Me".

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COMMENTS:

Verbotomy The sentence is direct quote from Amy's book where she explains how she has adopted the word. ~ James - Verbotomy, 2008-05-19: 00:15:00

When this happens to me, I feel so Shamused. - Tigger, 2008-05-19: 02:54:00

Very shamutable! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-19: 06:38:00

Verbotomy Yes, if we apply shamu to creativity we get a shamutation. ~ James - Verbotomy, 2008-05-19: 15:46:00

I think it's time for as a serious stuff, what about the science, theory or study of shamu: "Shamulogy" - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-20: 22:26:00

Oops! I think it's time for the serious stuff, what about the science, theory or study of shamu: "Shamulogy" - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-20: 22:29:00

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Henneagram

Created by: galwaywegian

Pronunciation: hen eee aaa gram

Sentence: Her use of the henneagram was richickulous, one fowl idea after another in her so called pursuit of eggselence.

Etymology: enneagram, hen

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COMMENTS:

Another eggselent word, no yolks about it. Did you pullet out of the air or is it poultry in motion? - Nosila, 2008-05-19: 17:00:00

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Recwagnition

Created by: Rutilus

Pronunciation: rec-wag-nishun

Sentence: Phoebe loved Max. He was the human equivalent of a pet dog. He was loyal, forgiving and subservient. She could get him to do anything as long as she rewarded him, giving him treats and a little recwagnition for his trouble.

Etymology: recognition - noticing someone/something; wag - movement of dog's tail (associated with contentment)

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Treaser

Created by: josje

Pronunciation: treaser

Sentence: i am a perfect treaser

Etymology: trainer en teaser

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Pavlover

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: pav lov er

Sentence: In order to break her husband Ivan of his sock-dropping habits, Anna rewarded him with love in order to get him to respond. She was a pavlover and if he still didn't learn to pick up his socks, she had to become a pavtufflover. But enough about their socks life...

Etymology: Pavlov (Russian physiologist who observed conditioned salivary responses in dogs (1849-1936)) & Lover (a person who loves or is loved)

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Rollrover

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: rohl-roh-ver

Sentence: Jane's husband snores terribly if he sleeps on his back. She got tired of poking him in the ribs to get him to roll over onto his side. Watching him clicker-train their dog inspired her. That night, when the snoring started, she used the clicker. He immediately rolled onto his side. Her rollrover technique was a success. No more broken nails for her. No more sore ribs for him.

Etymology: roll over (a common trick dogs are trained to do) + Rover (a common dog name)

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-05-19: 00:01:00
Today's definition is inspired by Amy Sutherland's new book "What Shamu Taught me About Life, Love and Marriage". where she reminds us that "People are animals too!", and that "Any interaction is training". Now Amy has invented her own word for this and it's "Shamu", so I have added it today's list of verboticisms! Thanks Amy! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-06-29: 00:01:00
Today's definition is inspired by Amy Sutherland's book "What Shamu Taught me About Life, Love and Marriage", where she reminds us that "People are animals too!", and that "Any interaction is training". Of course, Amy has invented her own word for this -- "Shamu". Let's see what we come up with now... Thanks Amy! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-07-19: 00:41:00
Today's definition was suggested by amysutherland. Thank you amysutherland. ~ James