The #1 Resource for Aspiring Animal Trainers!
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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I asked Peter Giljam, of zoospensefull.com, to share his experience working with animals abroad. Many of you have expressed interest in working outside the US while others desire to come to the United States to work with animals. While we provide plenty organizations and associations for aspiring animal care professionals, it is often more beneficial to learn from someone who […]
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I “met” Blaine through LinkedIn and loved the articles he was creating. I asked him to share his knowledge with all of you! This is a must-read article for aspiring trainers! Yes, it is not directly about how to become a marine mammal trainer – but it does give you valuable insight on the process of entering the competitive field of […]
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