Why train?

The basic goal of training, simply put, is to improve the welfare of animals. This may not be the first goal that comes to mind - don't we train animals for our benefit? While we may indeed benefit from the training provided to animals, they also benefit from: Additional mental stimulation and enrichment Increased exercise and physical activity Improved safety for both the animal and handler, especially with wildlife Decreased stress, particularly that associated with medical procedures So what is training? Broadly put, training can be thought of as teaching. Every interaction we have with our animal can be a learning experience for that animal, allowing it to modify its behavior to better satisfy its needs. Whether we mean to or not, we are constantly shaping the behavior of our animal. The goal of good training is to make that teaching and behavioral modification intentional, unambigous, and positive for both trainer and animal. With companion animals, especially dogs, training often includes very elaborate and specific goals. Everyone is well aware of how dogs can be trained for shepherding, protection, various forms of service (such as seeing eye dogs), search and rescue, tracking, and a seemingly endless array of tasks. With wild animals, training can be much more fundamental, such as desensitizing animals to frightening stimuli, such as humans! Training with wildlife often emphasizes husbandry techniques, such as shifting animals on and off exhibit. The specific training goals will depend on the species, the individual, and the institution. What we emphasize in training and enrichment is a full knowledge of the species' natural history together with the individual animal's personal and medical history.