How to become a dolphin trainer
The #1 Resource for Aspiring Animal Trainers!
By: Jacquelyn Orkiz Imagine walking to your college classes while hearing the chorus of lions roaring, coyotes howling, parrots squawking, and gibbons singing. For two years this was my reality; I went to school working towards a degree that was on the grounds of a real live zoo. It was two of the best and hardest years of my life. […]
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Hazel McBride has taken the needed step in sharing the truth surrounding the animal training community. She has recently written a book, I Still Believe – The Truth is Not as Black and White as it Seem. Current and past animal care professionals need to share their stories. Their stories of rescuing animals in need. Their stories of spending countless […]
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A wonderful friend and trainer once told me, “Kyle, we have the greatest job in the world, but it’s still a job.” Hearing this one sentence put the career I had wanted since I was three years old into perspective. Yes, working with and caring for these amazing animals, was a dream come true. I would have done it for […]
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Please read this latest announcement from Billy Hurley, the Executive Director of the International Marine Animal Trainers’ Association and TAKE ACTION! Details below… The last few days have brought good news! The “Cetacean Breeding Ban” that had been enacted by a ministerial decree in France a year ago, was stricken from the law. Likewise, in Florida, the “Orca Breeding Ban […]
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John Widick, marine care specialist at Clearwater Marine Aquarium, originally reviewed, Kyle Kittleson’s, Wear a Wetsuit at Work, in IMATA’s magazine, Soundings. (Was that enough commas for you in one sentence? ha!) You can now read that review below with permission from Mr. Widick. OFF THE SHELF Wear a Wetsuit to Work Reviewed by John Widick How often are animal […]
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Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior Differential Reinforcement of Other behavior (DRO) is a positive reinforcement training technique used to decrease an undesirable behavior. It is one of the more “complicated” training concepts we’ve discussed on this website. I put “complicated” in quotes, because animal training is not complicated. 😉 Before you dive in to DRO, make sure you understand the […]
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In my final interview with Dr. Grey Stafford, we discuss the public’s perception of zoos and aquariums and perhaps more importantly, what animal advocates can do to spread the truth surrounding accredited animal facilities. It was such an honor to sit down with Dr. Stafford and I would like to thank him for his time and his continued work to […]
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Last week, we discussed advancements in animal training with Dr. Grey Stafford. In this interview, I asked Dr. Stafford about SeaWorld’s decision to end the Orca breeding program. You may remember when I gave you my thoughts when I first heard that Governor Brown signed a bill into law that would ban Orca breeding in California and make killer whale […]
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To see my first interview with Dr. Grey Stafford, please click here. In this interview, Stafford discusses some of the advancements in animal training. As committed animal care professionals, it is our job to constantly improve the lives of the animals in our care. From training butterflies to fly from point A to point B, to teaching dolphins to decide […]
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Recently, I was fortunate enough to sit down with Dr. Grey Stafford, the new president of the International Marine Animal Trainers Association. He has almost 3 decades of experience in the animal welfare space and is the author of the book, Zoomility. This is part of one our four part series with Dr. Grey Stafford. We’ll be discussing advancements in the […]
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