Archives for April 2008

Interview with Karen Pryor

So this Thursday I’ll be interviewing Karen Pryor about her most recent projects and launch of the Karen Pryor Academy.

If you have not heard about the Karen Pryor training academy, or are interested in an animal training career, you should join me on the live call.

However, the catch is that I opened it only to my subscriber list and a couple of groups that I have a membership in.

Anyway, if you don’t know who Karen Pryor is, you should check out some of the links. Karen is one of the few people who has been around longer than I have (wince).

She is known primarily for her clicker training empire but I knew of her way before she hit the public popularity she has now–when I was training marine mammals.

At the time I networked and new just about everyone in the industry and when her book Don’t Shoot the Dog!was released, I didn’t hesitate to call her to chat.

That was in the mid-1980s and I think she lived in Washington. Today she resides on the other side of the USA and is one busy person.

Who would have known her little book would finally catch the eye of the domestic animal training world and launch an empire.

So, if you are interested in learning more about the academy, what she has in the works, and other tidbits–you have to sign up for the eNewsletter in the upper right corner of this blog.

I’d sing up now as I have two more call announcements going out for the call on April 10th and once those are out the opportunity is gone.

If you have not read any of Karen’s books, I’d highly suggest you do so. Below are a few of my favorites.

Irwins in the News Again

Now it has been along time since I’ve written anything regarding the Irwin family over at Australia Zoo. In the last month the Irwins have made headlines all around the globe.

The first hit when Bob Irwin (Steve Irwin’s father and founder of Australia Zoo) left allegedly over disagreements over the direction of Australia Zoo. Bob Irwin has purchased property elsewhere in Queensland and will be working on projects there.

In the meantime, reports are that Australia Zoo will be opening a safari park and is moving toward a model geared more toward entertainment including new projects including an onsite hotel and spa.

Last week announcements were that Australia Zoo and the Irwins were under probe by the Australian Tax Office. General manager Frank Muscillo spoke to the press indicating that they were cooperating fully.

Meanwhile, Bindi Irwin has her own empire brewing.

Bindi Irwin will turn 10 on July 24th and already has her own television show, Bindi the Jungle Girl, a line of clothing called Bindi Wear, and a look-a-like doll in her zoo toy line.

One claim to fame concerns Bindi’s first animal bite–at 18 months-of-age and Bob Irwin’s bite by a boa constrictor….well, at least he was a ripe old age of four!

Crikey! Does anyone else think there is anything wrong with that?

Yes, as a matter of fact people other than me have commented (mostly sarcastically) on the child celebrity noting that Bob Irwin is the only family member without his own doll .

The young gal’s life is not even close to normal–she lives in a zoo, is an international celebrity for starters–I’ve written about my concerns in the past but I wonder, just what is your opinion about all this Irwin news?