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rom Think Dog! to Think Lemur! ClareHamiltontalksaboutherexperiencesandinspiration..IhavealwaysbeenfascinatedbyhowanimalslearnandIenjoyworkingdirectlywiththemonaone‐on‐onebasis.
DuringmyyearsstudyingforaBA(Hons)in,‘AnimalBehaviouralManagement’IwasluckyenoughtogainworkexperienceassistingSarahWhiteheadattheCleverDogCompanydogtrainingclasses.WhilstgainingasmuchhandsonexperienceasIcould,Iusedmynewlyacquiredskillsformyfirstdissertation,comparingthelearningabilitiesandculturalstatusofKuneKunepigletsversuspuppies.Iwashookedonclickertrainingandthepositiveresultsthatcamewithit.Itaughtthepigstowalkwithaharness,sitandstandoncommandandeventojumphurdles!Subsequentlytheybecameeasiertohandleandhealthcheckandtheirachievementsgainedmuchmediaattention.AssoonasIbecameamemberoftheAPDT,Ibeganco‐runningabranchofclassesfortheCleverDogCompany.Thisincludedpuppy,beginners,agilityandadvancedclasses;Ialsobeganvisitingclients’petsonaone‐to‐onebasis.IwasstillhungrytolearnmoreabouttrainingandbehaviourandIundertooknumerouscourseswithAlphaEducation,readasmanybooksasIcouldgetmyhandsonandattendedasmanyworkshopsandMasterclassesasmybankaccountwouldallow.DuringmysparetimeIwasvolunteeringatawildlifepark,asIhadpreviousexperiencewithzooanimalsfrommystudentdays,workingwiththecollege’sanimalcollectionandsupervisinghighereducationstudentsinanimalhandlingandmanagement.Iwasluckyenoughtobeofferedajobatthewildlifeparkandwasresponsibleforarangeofsmallmammals,ungulates,birdsandprimates.OnceagainIputmytrainingexperiencetogooduseandwasabletotrainavarietyofanimalstoeasehandlingandmovement,aswellasprovidingenvironmentalenrichment.Examplesinclude:
Trainingourhand‐rearedAxisDeer‘Maggie’nottojumpupand‘mug’visitors. TargettrainingourBerkshireSowpigtowalktoheelwithme,soIcouldtakeherformorning
walksaroundtheparkbeforeitopenedtothepublic.Thishelpedtomaintainherbodyweight,whichsignificantlyhelpedherarthritis.
TrainingtheSquirrelMonkeystoplaycatch.ThiskeptthembusywhilstIscatteredtheirfoodandpreventedthemfromstealingmypenfrommypocket(theirpartytrick),whichtheylovedtohideandsubsequentlydismantle.
TargettrainingourRing‐TailedLemurssoIcouldmovethemwhileminimisingstresslevels.
Stilleagertolearnmore,Icompletedatwoyearcourseinmysparetimein‘AdvancedZooAnimalManagement’.I’mnowalsoanexperiencedandqualifiedzookeeperandhavebeenluckyenoughtoworkwithbigcatsandtrainsealionsaswellasatutorforAlphaEducationindogbehaviourandtraining.
Idon’tthinkthatIshalleverstopwantingtolearnandexperiencemoreandhopethatmyworkwithAlphaEducationhelpstoinspireandencourageotherstoexplorethisfascinatingsubject.
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Enrol on a course? Would like to chat? www.thinkdog.org or call 01753 856 780 Copyright, Sarah Whitehead, 2011. Alpha Education, PO Box 372, Windsor, SL4 4WH.