Animal Training Fundamentals with Barbara Heidenreich

Latest Episodes:

24 - Veterinary Behavior with Dr Valli Parthasarathy Jan 18, 2021

Show notes

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 board certified and specially trained to advance behavioral health in many different ways. My special guest this episode is Dr. Valli Parthasarathy, PhD, DVM, DACVB. She is one of a handful of veterinary behaviorists improving animal welfare by focusing on their behavioral health. Dr Valli shares the many different disciplines involved in veterinary behavior, what types of problems she sees in practice, and some inspiring success stories. Learn what it takes to become a veterinary behaviorist and if this might be the career path for you.

23 - Improving Training with Evidence with Dr Erica Feuerbacher Jan 04, 2021

Show notes

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 been learned from studying dog behavior. We also discuss the questions that remain to be answered. We touch on belief systems that can cloud our thinking and help remind us why behavior science is such an invaluable tool for getting to the heart of why behavior is occurring. This episode is super educational, and Dr Erica makes the science accessible. You will definitely want to check out the episode webpage to read the articles mentioned and watch the Columban Simulation video clips. You will never look at your dog, a pigeon or maybe yourself in the same way again.

22 - Zoo Design with Behavior in Mind with Douglas Richardson Dec 17, 2020

Show notes

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 your needs or goals. Or you may have the opportunity to design something completely new! What would you want to know to be successful? I had the privilege, and I do mean, privilege of speaking with Douglas Richardson, an expert in many aspects of zoo management. In this episode I picked his brain specifically about the impact of behavior on exhibit design. Needless to say, it's pretty significant. Douglas has some powerful examples that showcase how important one's knowledge of ethology is to the decision-making process when it comes to creating habitats that provide a variety of desired outcomes. These include providing optimal animal welfare, encouraging species typical behavior, facilitating day to day care, and supporting conservation efforts. With amazing stories about polar bears, Amur and Arabian leopards, hoof stock and more, there is so much to learn for every animal care professional from this episode.

21- Elevating Elephant Programs with Gerry Creighton Dec 06, 2020

Show notes

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 and creating opportunities for elephants to learn from elephants. However implementing this requires a different approach to day-to-day care, herd structure and human interactions than may have been traditionally provided in past. The results of this work, numerous studies and the data are revealing tremendous positive impacts on animal welfare. Gerry's passion for elephants and animal welfare is infectious, and the Dublin Zoo's elephant program is an excellent example of what is possible. What an inspiring guest!

20 - Make Medical Care Fear Free for Your Birds Sep 25, 2020

Show notes

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 recommended, you will discover training is just one part of the strategy. Exotic animal veterinarian Dr Alicia McLaughlin and parrot behavior consultant Pamela Clark are my special guests. They along with Dr Anneliese Strunk and yours truly, are the co-authors of the recently released Fear Free Avian Medicine Certification Course. If you care for birds, this episode is definitely for you! We cover a lot of material you won't want to miss. Visit the episode webpage for video examples of what is possible.

19 - Manage the Environment to Get Behavior Aug 29, 2020

Show notes

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 manipulate the environment to make it more likely animals will easily give us behavior that we can reinforce. The environment can include objects with which we need the animal to engage. The environment can also include the space we are going to utilize to train the behavior. This may need to be modified to increase comfort and/or to facilitate creating desired actions. All of this requires a lot of creative thinking and attention to detail. Check out the podcast to learn more and get lots of real-life examples. Visit the episode webpage for photos, links, and video examples. - Barbara Heidenreich

18 Critical Thinking Skills with Dr Suzanne Hetts and Dr Dan Estep Jul 17, 2020

Show notes

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 to be supported by science. Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists Dr Suzanne Hetts and Dr Dan Estep give listeners insights into what it takes to be a critical thinker when evaluating resources related to animal training. Learn how to differentiate between types of publications. We also dissect how to think critically when evaluating references. You might also be surprised to discover some of the big hurdles that can prevent people from embracing the data. This episode is a great listen for the progressive animal trainer.

17 Gary Wilson: EATM The College for Animal Trainers Jun 02, 2020

Show notes

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. For those of you already in the field, you are going to enjoy getting to know the history on how the training industry has evolved, especially in southern California. I definitely discovered some stories relevant to my own journey! Hear what it's like to be an EATM student, what animals they get to train, learn about some famous alumni, get the details on a certain viral video featuring a jugular blood draw from a hyena and find out how you might have a chance to join this outstanding program. I also answer a follow up question on showing food when training a recall behavior and whether to use intermittent schedules of reinforcement. Visit the episode webpage for the hyena video and link to a live-stream mentioned in the podcast.

16 Henrik Futtrup: Training Individual Flocks to Recall in a Aviary May 19, 2020

Show notes

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 only shares the steps he took to train the behavior but also important details about antecedent arrangement, species specific considerations and how this behavior really paid off in an emergency. And in truth, this concept can be applied to any mixed species habitats…not just birds. I also answer one of your questions about how to train quick response to the cue when training for recall…. especially when there are lots of distractions.

15 When R+ is Coercive and R- is Not. Forget Hierarchies! Behavioral Procedures are Non Linear Apr 30, 2020

Show notes

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 approach to better understand behavior processes. Also discover what is really happening when we use systematic desensitization and counter conditioning in comparison to the more empowering constructional approach. Dr Layng shares how behaviors often described as "innate" were learned and can be influenced. And you will learn why phrases like "least intrusive, most positive" and "hierarchies of behavior change procedures" don't really apply to the science. This is a fantastic episode for those looking for a deeper dive into the science behind the practical application. I also answer your questions about harness training a coati.

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