From Think Dog! to Think Lemur!...rom Think Dog! to Think Lemur! Clare Hamilton talks about her...
Transcript of From Think Dog! to Think Lemur!...rom Think Dog! to Think Lemur! Clare Hamilton talks about her...
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.
F
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.