The Art and Science of Animal Training: Where Are We Now? Where Are We Going?
Last Friday I had the pleasure of attending a one day seminar at the University of North Texas in Denton, featuring a panel of dynamic forces in the world of behavior and training.
Bob Bailey (who is an absolute ICON in the world of animal training and behavior) was to give the keynote address, but was recovering from quadruple bypass surgery only a week earlier, so he was unable to attend. I was SO looking forward to seeing him again, but am grateful that he is doing well. He is truly a remarkable man, and sent a very nice message to all of us at the conference.
So the lineup of speakers and topics were:
Alexandra Kurland - Going Micro:
The Evolution of Equine Clicker Training
She has been teaching and training horses since the 80’s and using clicker training with them since the early 90’s. She is a pioneer in the development of humane training methods. For more information on her, visit The Clicker Center .
Kay Laurence - Reinforcement Patterns, Reinforcement Styles
and How They Affect the Outcomes
Kay has been a professional trainer for nearly 30 years, and is one of the world’s top clicker trainers. She has authored several books, and videos, and is frequently a speaker at Karen Pryor’s Clicker Expo. I hadn’t ever heard her speak, and she was as entertaining as she was informative. She’s the kind of gal you’d like to take out for drinks and just listen to her stories for hours. You can check out her website at Wag More Bark Less
Ken Ramirez – Evolution of a Zoo Trainer: A Personal Perspective
Ken never disappoints as a lecturer. He’s knowledgeable and clever and always has plenty of video to amuse and enlighten us. This year he brought a really cool film of two dolphins and “handlers” in an underwater ballet. It was breathtaking.
He has worked with many species during his 30 years as a professional trainer, and is currently VP of Animal Collections and Training at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.
Steve Martin (not THAT Steve Martin) – The Art of Training
Steve has been a Master Falconer for over 40 years, and has lived with parrots since he was a child. Although he has worked with many different species, birds seem to be his specialty. He set up the first free-flight bird show at the San Diego Wild Animal Park in 1976. He spends over two-thirds of his year on the road consulting with zoos and aquariums on animal behavior issues or teaching people the art and science of animal behavior. You can read more about Steve at Natural Encounters
Steve White – Skinner and World Collide! Film at 11:00
Steve is a 30-year veteran of the Seattle Police Force – Canine Unit and is accredited as a Master Trainer by the Washington State Canine Association. He brings a unique perspective to dog training, specializing in behavior modification, tracking and scent work through the use of positive reinforcement based operant conditioning. He also has his own training business and you can get more info about him at i2i K9
The day was sponsored by ORCA - Organization for Reinforcement Contingencies with Animals, a group within UNT and was moderated by Jesus Rosales-Ruiz. Jesus is an Associate professor in the Dept. of Behavior Analysis and works very closely with many of the grad students there.
At the end of the day they took questions from the audience, and had a round table discussion with the whole panel of speakers. My one regret was that I forgot my camera at home, so the only pictures I could take were with my iphone. It’s a GREAT phone, but a really CRAPPY camera!!!
It’s been awhile since I’ve been to a seminar and it was really rewarding (no pun intended) to have my philosophy of dog training reinforced by some of the best behavior minds in the country. I always feel recharged and exhilarated when I come away from these events. It was a fabulous day topped off with Mexican and margaritas with friends. I can’t wait to see who they will have on the panel next time!
