Archives for March 2011

Pet Training: Who is training who?

pet training

Are you training your pet or is your pet training you? Just who is training who?

In most cases, it is the pet that has succeeded in training the humans in the household to do their bidding.

The humans might have initially wanted to train their pet but in the end, it is the animal that dictates what happens around the house.

Why? Because most people do not remain diligent and think exceptions to a rule are okay. I am here to tell you that they are not.

In fact, a variable reinforcement schedule is usually more powerful that a consistent one. (Another post in the future.)

Don’t think so? Let me give you an example.

The dog learns how to “shake” when his or her pet parent teaches the behavior. But soon, this behavior becomes a tool used to get the human’s attention and get what the animal wants–usually attention, petting, or a request for something like a food or toy.

The “shake” becomes a paw scraping the human’s leg or a door. The human responds to the animal’s activity with attention (and gratification) and so reinforces that new variation of the behavior and so it escalates.

Nudging or rubbing, pawing, vocalizations and scratching are all ways dogs and cats manipulate their owners because animals are great at reading human behavior and quickly learn how to get what they want by modifying human behavior.

Most pet parents oblige them and they do so without thinking about it, so they do it over and over again.

Now this is different from the topic I wrote about not too long ago (Are you fulfilling your pet’s needs or yours?) and it is a problem because it contributes to the creation of misbehavior.

I jokingly refer to felonious felines and delinquent dogs but the reality is that they learn how to manipulate to get what they want (or need) and when humans comply, that behavior is reinforced.

Of course, they also overtly take advantage of any situation if they are allowed to.

Part of this is an adaptation to survival.

Even though pets have been bred to be compliant and respond to leadership, they still have roots back to the wild animals.

This means they have a predisposition to taking advantage of any resources or opportunities that they can.

So both wild and domestic animals will engage in behaviors that will benefit them. They adapt to the environment quickly and adjust. If something works, it is likely to occur again. This comes from the adaptation for survival.

In essence, animals graduate quickly into new behaviors that suit them but that might not suit the household.

If this is a problem in your household, take some time to watch how you actually interact with your pet(s) and see if you are being trained by your pet or are training them.

You might find that you are training them to train you by accident!

So, do tell. In your home, is your pet training you, are you training your pet, or do you take turns?

Photo Credit: Jessica Whittle Photography

Change Your Job & Change Your Life

Change Your Job & Change Your Life gives animal career seekers tips as to how to plot their course and learn that being an animal lover does not mean that one is suited for a career with animals.

I read a disgusted note from an “animal lover” who picked up an animal career book and didn’t like that she read about livestock production and management. She was so disgusted and threw the book aside.

Right, that solves everything.

Personally I think that is what is wrong with many of the applicants seeking animal jobs these days. There is no reality check on belief systems. Just because you want to believe something, or ignore something, does not make it true—or go away.

Sticking your head in the sand just because you don’t like reality is not the answer. Labels like “prima donna” or “snob” come to mind. Perhaps the person was too sensitive to be able to handle the truth. Either way the reaction was a poor one.

The reaction kind of reminds me of book censoring. In many cases, I’ve talked to people upset about a book title only to find out they had not read it!

People in animal careers (or who want a career with animals) do not have the luxury to avoid reality because it is their day-to-day existence. When you work with animals you also have to feed them and feeding a predator means feeding it with the flesh of other animals.

You know what? Some of those animals need freshly killed animals—not prepared diets.

Instead of putting your head under ground, the better idea is to get into a career with animals so you understand it and can find new ways of doing things or implementing change.

Early in my career, for instance, we had to kill animals to feed animals—especially birds of prey and reptiles. This remains true today for a variety of reasons BUT some prepared diets do exist and you can also purchase fresh frozen whole food for predators.

The big one for me was when I suggested implementing the training of captive species in zoos–people wanted to lynch me.

I actually was chastised for suggesting that training could make an animal’s life better. Hey, guess what—it does. Today (fast forward twenty-something years or so) it is a standard practice in zoos and captive animal collections across the nation AND it keeps pets out of places like the dog pound and animal shelters.

My take is that a successful animal person has a unique perspective, attitude, and drive that will revolutionize the industry and change things for the better. It is not all fun and glory—it is hard work.

Since I am heading in that direction, chance or luck has nothing to do with a successful animal career. Very few people get what they want by accident or luck.

Here is my take on the whole thing:

To get a career with animals…

  1. Define your objectives and set goals.
  2. Take personal responsibility for following your plans and implementing strategies to get the career with animals you seek.
  3. Readjust those plans by monitoring your progress and changing things when you are not progressing as planned.
  4. Persevere when you stumble or experience a setback.
  5. Keep an open mind.
  6. If you don’t like something–don’t complain, whine, or stick your head in the sand–find an alternative.

Diana L Guerrero is an animal career specialist and has extensive experience in many areas of the animal world. A well known animal expert, she has worked professionally with animals for over thirty years. Guerrero if the founder of the Animal Career Secrets coaching course which opens to new students a couple of times a year. Interested? Subscribe to her animal careers newsletter.

Photo Credit: David Reece