Dolphin Discovery takes great pride in having the best marine animal trainers in the world and in our continuing education programs for our training personnel. Having knowledgeable and passionate staff is vital in order to give our guests the ultimate experience and keep our dolphins and marine animals happy and healthy. Animal training guru Shelley Wood brings her ABC Animal Training Workshops to Dolphin Discovery and works closely with our staff to ensure the highest possible standards and to teach the next generation of trainers. I sat down with Shelley and did a little Q & A session (questions and answers) with her to find out exactly what the ABC Animal Training Workshop is about.
1. What is the ABC workshop? Who can join?
The ABC Dolphin Trainer Academy is a unique, one of a kind, hands-on, get in the water, totally fun workshop with marine mammals. The workshop is for anyone interested in learning about how we communicate to animals using Operant Conditioning. Registration for the Basic course is open to anyone over the age of 18 who is willing to get close and personal and learn about dolphins, sea lions and manatees. The Advanced course registration is for students who have successfully completed the Basic course and have 1 year’s professional animal experience.
2. What are the goals of the workshop and the benefits to the participants? Will this help get a job in the animal training field? Just for fun? Both?
The goals are for the students to walk away from both the workshops with not only practical understanding of animal- human communication using Operant Conditioning but have also had extensive experience with applying this knowledge. The students become empowered with their own ability to quickly learn and successfully demonstrate this by handling their own dolphins, sea lions and manatees. Along with this empowerment realization the students create personal, long lasting relationships with other training professionals and with the other students. These bonds are great support systems to encourage the students to live and follow their dreams. This is why our placement rate for Academy graduates in finding their dream job is high. Oh and yes, of course, it’s a lot of fun!
3. What’s a typical day/week like for the participants?
Typical day is about half time classroom and half time in water working with the animals. In addition to learning Operant Conditioning Basic students learn life skills, things like teamwork, resumes, interviews and more. The Advanced students really hone their skills with advanced training techniques. Husbandry training and Animal Care are common elements in both courses. Oh and did I mention fun?
4. Who is Shelley Wood?
I have extensive training experience with marine mammals and teaching trainers. My passion is teaching people how to kindly and efficiently train all animals living under human care to have the best quality of life, both mentally and physically. All animals deserve our utmost respect and we can demonstrate this respect for them by not only keeping them physically fit but keeping them mentally stimulated as well. I’m the owner and primary instructor for the ABC Dolphin Trainer Academy and I have created and produced the ABC Animal Training DVD and study guide for anyone to easily and quickly learn the science of Operant Conditioning to train any species of animal
Shelley Wood as “The Sea Lion”
5. Tell me about your products, what’s on the DVD?
ABC of Animal Training is a 2 DVD set and study guide that teaches the science of Operant Conditioning. Students learn best using all their senses. The DVDs provide great visual examples and the study guide gives the student the opportunity to read about what they have just seen in the videos and it is complete with worksheets and action items that follow each chapter. By using the ABC of Animal Training students learn by seeing, reading, writing and by doing. The DVDs also have some wonderful Training Time segments that were produced and written by my husband. He has been in the training business since 1972 and this long history along with his humor provides great video material. My favorite Training Time is Grunge E. Backwater. Check him out!
6. What’s your favourite part of the workshops? Any funny experiences?
Without a doubt the favorite part of the workshops are the light bulb moments when the students become so empowered with their abilities that they begin to believe in the power of themselves; that their own dreams are a reality. I have seen this not only with the young students but with the older students, working professionals and retirees as well. Funny experiences? Its all fun, every single moment.
7. What are your animal training philosophies?
We talk about philosophies in both workshops; in fact it’s a thread we weave throughout the entire workshop so its difficult to squeeze into a few sentences. Basically my philosophy is to teach people to be the best trainers they can be, trainers who think not only about the entire learning experience of the animals living under human care but also about their teammates as well. We do not live nor work in isolated environments so we need to always work on positive relationships with our bosses and coworkers. All of these factors definitely can influence the animals who we are working for.
8. Most important aspect of being a trainer? Who makes a good trainer?
The question is not what makes a good trainer but what makes an excellent trainer. There are key elements to excellence and it’s woven into the philosophy that we briefly were talking about. It’s also woven onto all aspects of our lives and all our relationships. It’s not only mastering the science of Operant Conditioning but the Art of it as well. Take the workshops and you will begin to understand this process.
9. Have you met an animal you couldn’t train? Which animals are hardest/easiest to train? What behaviours are the easiest/hardest to implement in an animal?
All animals can be trained but I have personally met some difficult animals who have challenged my abilities. I am a better trainer because of these experiences. The ease or difficultness of training depends on the trainers skills set, experience and willingness to seek advise. Im glad you didn’t ask me about the human species…….
10. What do you see as the future of ABC workshops?
Dolphin Discovery has many locations both in Mexico and the Caribbean and they all provide unique opportunities for the Academy students. We would like to organize workshops at all facilities and to do workshops at many different times throughout the year. We are open to bringing the Academy to other institutions as well. For the 2011 schedule go to www.abcanimaltraining.com for more information.
BIG thanks to Shelley for taking the time to answer my questions. (And making me smile, Shelley is not only a guru with animals, but a fantastic “people person” too!) For more information check out the ABC Animal Training Workshop webpage or join the community on the ABC Animal Training Facebook page.