Welcome to Part 3 of our captivating podcast series, “Freeing the Crabs from the Bucket. Reaching Our Potential by Recognizing Others,” from the Global Online Animal Training Series. In Part 1, we uncovered the concept of plagiarism and its benefits to the animal training industry. Part 2 revealed the industry's fallout from plagiarism. And now, in…

Welcome to Part 2 of our podcast series, “Freeing the Crabs from the Bucket. Reaching Our Potential by Recognizing Others,” from the Global Online Animal Training Series. In Part 1, we explored the concept of plagiarism and its benefits to the animal training industry. Part 2 delves into the repercussions of plagiarism on the industry and the chall…

Are you a fan of multitasking? I certainly am, and that's why I love audiobooks. They allow me to absorb knowledge while walking my dog or preparing animal diets. In this podcast series, I'm your guide through “Freeing the Crabs from the Bucket. Reaching Our Potential by Recognizing Others.” This 24-page article, which I've been working on for near…

Assent is a new buzzword in animal training. But what does it really mean? My special guests, Anna Linnehan and Awab Abdel-Jalil, help us understand. These experts in nonlinear contingency analysis and the constructional approach have collaborated, along with others, to publish two articles on assent. They share an overview of their articles. They …

In this episode we explore how conferences help you unlock the power of connection. We discover how to maximize the conference experience by delving into networking strategies, hidden learning opportunities, staying healthy to go the distance, and the importance of professionalism. From navigating over stimulation to starting meaningful conversatio…

Amy Phelps is truly a pioneer in giraffe training. In this episode she shares the inspiring history of training giraffes. This is a rare opportunity to hear directly from someone who was there from the beginning, training behaviors for the very first time that have now become standard in the industry, such as training voluntary hoof care. You will …

The information I share is frequently inspired by the work done in real life creating behavior change. This episode is no exception. During a recent zoo consultation data collection was essential to address a behavior challenge. Our observations revealed some very interesting results which led to refinements in our intervention. So much so, that we…

This episode was inspired by my own personal journey addressing some discomfort over a much-anticipated upcoming event. While helping myself become more relaxed, I was reminded of some parallels in my work with animals. The word uncomfortable can mean different things to different trainers. Therefore, I cover some common scenarios that trainers may…

The recently published article Increasing Socially Significant Behaviors for Children with Autism Using Synchronous Reinforcement by Stordahl et al. (2023) has inspired this episode. Synchronous reinforcement, episodic reinforcement, conjugate reinforcement, and demand functions can all play a role in animal training. I explore these different rein…

When innovative ideas emerge in the animal training world it can spark conversation. For some it evokes behavior change, for others not just yet, and maybe not ever. When there is resistance to emerging ideas, it can be frustrating for those who have been reinforced by changing their behavior. But as we will examine, resistance can be a very ration…

Are you convinced your animals love it when you talk to them? Or perhaps it is the opposite, maybe it seems like your words mean absolutely nothing. In some cases, it may feel like your voice is helpful and in other cases it may seem like talking to them only made things worse. How can this be? In this podcast I cover a variety of scenarios and exp…

Do you have doubts about negative reinforcement? I understand! I sure did. That was until someone took the time to clear up some misunderstandings I had because of what I had been previously taught. That moment changed my life and how I am now able to help improve animal welfare. Many animals are unable to contact positive reinforcement due to comp…

Have you been hearing the word “constructional” a lot lately? There is a reason for that! The animal training community is evolving, and it is extremely exciting. It has a lot to do with a different way of looking at behavior change that is known as "the constructional approach". My special guests this episode are Sean Will and Maasa Nishimuta from…

My special guests this episode are Dr Jesus Rosales-Ruiz and Mary Hunter. As hosts of the Art and Science of Animal Training Conference, they bring together behavior scientists and animal trainers to inspire both communities and elevate the conversation. The theme of the most recent conference was negative reinforcement. In this podcast we revisit …

Constructional Aggression Treatment, also known as CAT, first debuted in the animal training community in 2007 when Kellie Snider made the procedure the focus of her thesis. Since then it has been fine tuned, practiced, applied and successfully replicated countless of times with a wide variety of species. Kellie and I discuss what inspired her stud…

Do you have a feeling something you are doing or would like to do could improve animal welfare? Have you thought about collecting data, evaluating your results, and publishing it so others can benefit? My guests in this episode are Dr Eddie Fernandez and Rickey Kinley. They share how zoos can participate in scientific studies to improve animal welf…

Working with marine mammals is often identified as the dream job for many pursuing a career in animal training. Although I personally went a different direction to learn about training, I have had a number of good friends gain their training chops working with marine mammals. My guests in this episode are colleagues from my early days in the zoolog…

Whether you work with great apes or not you have to listen to this episode! Here is why. This episode is all about making a difference. It is also a great reminder that everyone has the power to make changes that can have a tremendous impact on animal welfare. As you listen to this episode, I encourage you to think about the similarities to trainin…

I am often reminded of all the incredible things animals and training brings to the world. My guest this episode is the perfect example. You are going to love this fascinating interview with zoologist and engineer Dr David Lentink. David has merged his passion for nature and technology to study flight. He runs the Bio-Inspired Research and Design (…

Many animal caregivers seek veterinary advice when their animal is showing undesired behavior. In some cases underlying health issues can be contributing to behavior problems that need to be addressed. However there may be other factors to consider that require the services of a veterinarian who specializes in behavior. Veterinary behaviorists are …

Are you absolutely convinced your dog loves it when you talk to him? My special guest is behavior analyst Dr Erica Feuerbacher. She explores questions like this and more. Her research has looked at whether dogs prefer petting over praise and what consequences function best as reinforcers. In this fun interview we discuss the many things that have b…

No matter what your role is when it comes to animal care, at some point you will likely encounter a situation that will cause you to examine the space in which the animal lives. It may be a behavior problem. It may be the opportunity to redesign an enclosure. It may be changes to your animal collection. It may be that your space is not addressing y…

Elephants have captured the hearts of mankind for centuries, including the heart of Gerry Creighton, Operations Manager for Dublin Zoo and Elephant Care Consultant. As a consultant, Gerry has traveled the world bringing innovation, backed by science to create elephant programs that thrive. Gerry looks to the ethology of the species for inspiration …

Discover how veterinary professionals, trainers and animal caregivers are working together to make fear free medicine a reality for avian patients. Every detail from what you can do at home, to how the patient is welcomed into the clinic, as well as what happens in the exam room is taken into consideration. While training in advance is certainly re…

In this episode I get into one of my favorite subjects. It's not so much about knowing scientific terminology, but it does require some specialized skill sets. I do think every trainer needs to be a little bit of an engineer, a physicist, an artist and most definitely an ethologist. All these skills combine to help trainers see ways in which we can…

Are you one of those trainers who gobbles up as much information about training as you possibly can? Do you ever question that information, or do you immediately accept it as valid? It can be challenging to know how to evaluate resources, especially if you are new to the field or when the information is presented in a manner that can make it appear…

Have you ever asked the question………”How can I become a professional animal trainer?” My special guest Gary Wilson is here to help. Not only is Gary a professor at the Exotic Animal Training and Management (EATM) Program at Moorpark College, he is a graduate of the program and has been deeply involved in its growth and development over the years. Fo…

What is your dream behavior to train? I have a feeling for many bird keepers it just might be this one! Imagine having a mixed species aviary in which each flock of birds recalls to a different sound and shifts into their own holding area. This dream is reality for Henrik Futtrup a keeper and trainer at the Copenhagen Zoo. In this podcast he not on…

​​This is an episode you will want to bookmark, reference and listen to several times over. Dr Joe Layng gives insights that might surprise you into how behavior analytic principles influence behavior. Learn how degrees of freedom and critical consequences can cause positive reinforcement to be coercive. Explore the super fascinating non-linear app…

My favorite kind of animal trainers are those who break the rules!! What I mean by that is that they are the ones who question everything in the name of doing it better. That is why this episode is entitled “Progressive Bird Training.” My special guest Hillary Hankey is one of those trainers who spends every day analyzing, studying and practicing t…

Join me for Part 2 of my fascinating interview with animal training pioneer Al Kordowski. Although the basis of our conversation is falconry with Harris’s hawks, Al’s background brings us to some of the early days of marine mammal training. He shares his experiences from working with a wide variety of species, including killer whales, when the anim…

Happy New Year! It's time for resolutions relevant to animal trainers. Barbara has made these for several years running now. This is the first time she is sharing them in a podcast! Barbara gives you some great ideas to inspire you and launch your 2020 animal training adventures. Visit the episode webpage for links to previous resolution lists and …

​Fluency may seem intuitive ….on the surface. In behavior terms it is currently defined as the fluid combination of accuracy and speed that characterizes competent performance, in other words doing the right thing without hesitation. However doing the right thing in real life application can involve many different measures. In this podcast Barbara …

Not all repetitive behavior is stereotypic. Many times it is the result of reinforcement. Determining why an animal is presenting repetitive behavior requires asking our selves a series of questions that can reveal triggers and consequences that maintain the undesired behavior. This can then help us develop a strategy to address the problem. In thi…

Special guest Animal Training Coordinator of the Copenhagen Zoo, Annette Pedersen shares how transitioning from riding horses using traditional training techniques to training for agility with positive reinforcement has made a tremendous difference in animal welfare. Learn about the easy to make apparatus the zoo uses to give horses the opportunity…

People often think of target training as a basic behavior. But a deeper dive often helps us see this basic behavior has many details to consider that take it from basic to complex very quickly. This podcast will help you fine tune your target training skills. Get ideas on how to get targeting started with an animal showing a fear response. Learn wh…

Food can be a great reinforcer for training exotic animals. But anything your animal seeks to acquire or engage in, and can be delivered contingently, has the potential to reinforce behavior. Host Barbara Heidenreich has seven examples of different creative non-food reinforcers. And shares lots of real-life applications of how these unique strategi…

​Open mouth can sometimes be tough to train! Often the most difficult challenge is getting the action started. Barbara goes over her favorite ways to start this behavior with wide variety of species. She also covers the methods she finds less successful and why. Also covered is the pesky problem of getting duration. And how the heck should you use …

Where did all those cool ideas for training tigers to cooperate in medical care come from? I know a lot of my inspiration came from some fantastic training I saw years ago at Copenhagen Zoo. Since then, their training has gone viral with video clips of urination on cue, using sleeves for injection training and tail blood draws. Training coordinator…

In this episode special guest Annette Pedersen shares ​a story zoo professionals hope never to experience. What would you do if a guest climbed into an enclosure with a dangerous animal? If your team has not prepared for this type of emergency, two lives are at stake, human and animal. Listen to how the Copenhagen Zoo ​handled the situation when th…