Dogs as well as humans need a certain amount of activity. But it’s important to find a balance of activity and inactivity, so the dog does not get stressed by under- or over activity. Walking is a great activity, but dogs also need mental stimulation. All dogs need to use Read more…
If you haven’t heard of PORTL yet where have you been? At Zoospensefull we discovered this awesome learning tool only about a year or so ago. Since we received our copy we have used their games in almost every workshop to get more engagement and learning from our participants. We Read more…
Written By Susan G. Friedman, PH.D. Susan G. Friedman, Ph.D. is a professor emeritus in the Department of Psychology at Utah State University. Susan has co-authored chapters on behavior change in five veterinary texts, and her popular articles have been translated into 14 languages. She teaches a well-attended course on Read more…
Most zookeepers today do enrichment and animal training on a regular basis. Nowadays, they are seen as standard husbandry practice. Many facilities have well-thought out enrichment and training programs. These programs have a main goal to improve the welfare of animals under human care. As Peter already wrote: “Everything we Read more…
By Sabrina Brando – AnimalConcepts People often ask me how to become a professional and successful animal trainer. I’ve learnt a few essential building blocks that I would like to share with you. Optimal animal welfare is promoted with sensitivity to the individual, and with the realisation that learning happens. Read more…
Written by Cheridan Mathers – Zoo Curator at Hamilton Zoo, NZ If you were to ask a zookeeper what they struggled with most in their job – the answer is probably going to be time. Time, to get all the things done in a day that they’ve planned out. Daily cleans, Read more…
Part of our job as animal trainers and consultants is to support people on their way to become skilled trainers. Working with trainers of all levels and animals of various species for more than 15 years has allowed us to observe the development of positive reinforcement-based training, especially in Europe. While Read more…
Eduardo J. Fernandez, a behavioural psychologist, and I discuss the differences between capturing behaviours and superstitious behaviours. Capturing behaviour is when you spontaneously reinforce behaviour the animal you work with shows. For example if you want to teach the animal to make a vocal sound and there is a moment the Read more…
My name is Grant and I’ve been a zookeeper for little over 11 years. I was lucky enough to start my career at one of the oldest, most well-known zoos in the UK, ZSL London Zoo. I started off in the Herpetology Department, which was one of the best things Read more…
