28 - Improving Animal Welfare with Science with Eddie Fernandez and Rickey Kinley

Assent is a new buzzword in animal training. But what does it really mean? My special guests, Anna Linnehan and Awab Abdel-Jalil, help us understand. These experts in nonlinear contingency analysis and the constructional approach have collaborated, along with others, to publish two articles on assent. They share an overview of their articles. They explain how to evaluate assent to participate and how you can monitor assent throughout a training session. They dissect the difference between genuine assent and apparent assent. Animal trainers have long presumed positive reinforcement is associated with assent, but as we dive into this topic, we discover that procedures that appear “voluntary” can indeed be coercive. As we aim to be compassionate animal trainers, we can use assent to help us improve our procedures. But as my guests remind us, assent is only part of the equation. Enjoy this podcast interview to gain valuable insights into what genuine assent looks like and how it can provide information to improve your training program.

In this episode we explore how conferences help you unlock the power of connection. We discover how to maximize the conference experience by delving into networking strategies, hidden learning opportunities, staying healthy to go the distance, and the importance of professionalism. From navigating over stimulation to starting meaningful conversations, we explore the pivotal strategies and insider tips that transform the conference experience into an opportunity for personal and professional growth. Whether you're a seasoned attendee or a first-time conference-goer, this podcast aims to equip you with the tools to amplify your networking prowess and make conferences memorable milestones in your professional journey.

Amy Phelps is truly a pioneer in giraffe training. In this episode she shares the inspiring history of training giraffes. This is a rare opportunity to hear directly from someone who was there from the beginning, training behaviors for the very first time that have now become standard in the industry, such as training voluntary hoof care. You will get to hear the origin story of the firehose barrier so commonly used today, and its pros and cons. What is also significant is that Amy’s journey has progressed and continues to evolve. She shares exciting advances that have allowed her teams to expand far beyond a handful of behaviors. Amy also shares tactics to move past “doing things to giraffes while they stand there and tolerate it” and why this is so important to supporting assent-based training programs. This interview is packed with useful information for trainers of all species, not just giraffes. I am confident you will enjoy learning from Amy as much as I did.

Recommended Citation:

Heidenreich, B. (Producer/Writer). (2023, September 3). The History of Giraffe Training with Amy Phelps. [Audio Podcast] Animal Training Fundamentals with Barbara Heidenreich. https://animaltrainingfundamentals.com/podcasts/the-history-of-giraffe-training-with-amy-phelps/

The information I share is frequently inspired by the work done in real life creating behavior change. This episode is no exception.  During a recent zoo consultation data collection was essential to address a behavior challenge. Our observations revealed some very interesting results which led to refinements in our intervention. So much so, that we reached our goal in two minutes in our second training session! In this episode I cover reasons to consider collecting data for animal training. I also cover what information is helpful to collect, as well as how much information is beneficial. I provide options for how to take data, where to enter it for future reference, and several resources to help use the data to develop interventions and/or reach behavior goals. Listeners can find links to additional resources on the episode webpage.

Recommended Citation:

Heidenreich, B. (Producer/Writer). (2023, August 20). The Details are in the Data [Audio Podcast] Animal Training Fundamentals with Barbara Heidenreich. https://animaltrainingfundamentals.com/podcasts/the-details-are-in-the-data/

This episode was inspired by my own personal journey addressing some discomfort over a much-anticipated upcoming event. While helping myself become more relaxed, I was reminded of some parallels in my work with animals. The word uncomfortable can mean different things to different trainers. Therefore, I cover some common scenarios that trainers may describe as uncomfortable for animals. This might be cooperating in certain medical behaviors, or holding positions for duration, or doing behaviors in new environments.  This also requires describing observable measurable behaviors that can give trainers information that an animal might be uncomfortable. Most importantly, I cover some strategies to consider to prevent or address discomfort. I hope you enjoy listening to this episode and the real-life examples that illustrate the behavior science and its application.

Recommended Citation:

Heidenreich, B. (Producer/Writer). (2023, August 12). This is Uncomfortable...... [Audio Podcast] Animal Training Fundamentals with Barbara Heidenreich. https://animaltrainingfundamentals.com/podcasts/this-is-uncomfortable/

The recently published article Increasing Socially Significant Behaviors for Children with Autism Using Synchronous Reinforcement by Stordahl et al. (2023) has inspired this episode. Synchronous reinforcement, episodic reinforcement, conjugate reinforcement, and demand functions can all play a role in animal training. I explore these different reinforcement options and how they are applied, how they are different, and when one strategy or combination might be better than another. Listen to this episode to learn how these reinforcement tactics can help you achieve your training goals. 

Recommended Citation:

Heidenreich, B. (Producer/Writer). (2023, July 30). Reinforcement Tactics. Different Types, What They Look Like, and How You Can Use Them. [Audio Podcast] Animal Training Fundamentals with Barbara Heidenreich.https://animaltrainingfundamentals.com/podcasts/reinforcement-tactics-different-types-what-they-look-like-and-how-you-can-use-them/

When innovative ideas emerge in the animal training world it can spark conversation. For some it evokes behavior change, for others not just yet, and maybe not ever. When there is resistance to emerging ideas, it can be frustrating for those who have been reinforced by changing their behavior. But as we will examine, resistance can be a very rational response. In this episode we look at some of those barriers to new information in animal training. I also share various ways to address those challenges so that trainers can more easily access reinforcers that can be gained from embracing emerging views in animal training. And finally, I delve into many of my own personal “growing pains” and strategies I have used to facilitate learning new concepts and their application.

Are you convinced your animals love it when you talk to them? Or perhaps it is the opposite, maybe it seems like your words mean absolutely nothing. In some cases, it may feel like your voice is helpful and in other cases it may seem like talking to them only made things worse. How can this be? In this podcast I cover a variety of scenarios and explain how talking can impact training in desired and undesired ways. I explore the behavior science behind what we observe so you can decide what will best help you get desired results with the animals in your life.

Recommended Citation:

Heidenreich, B. (Producer/Writer). (2023, July 8.) Pros and Cons About Talking While Training [Audio Podcast] Animal Training Fundamentals with Barbara Heidenreich. https://animaltrainingfundamentals.com/podcasts/pros-and-cons-about-talking-while-training/

Do you have doubts about negative reinforcement? I understand! I sure did. That was until someone took the time to clear up some misunderstandings I had because of what I had been previously taught. That moment changed my life and how I am now able to help improve animal welfare. Many animals are unable to contact positive reinforcement due to competing negative reinforcement contingencies. Often these must be addressed first for positive reinforcement to be effective. Teaching trainers to recognize and address these negative reinforcement contingencies is essential to optimizing animal welfare. But the mythology surrounding negative reinforcement can hold trainers back which can result in delays to proper interventions for animals. In this podcast I go over 7 myths about negative reinforcement to help trainers learn more about this valuable procedure for optimizing animal welfare.

Have you been hearing the word “constructional” a lot lately? There is a reason for that! The animal training community is evolving, and it is extremely exciting. It has a lot to do with a different way of looking at behavior change that is known as "the constructional approach". My special guests this episode are Sean Will and Maasa Nishimuta from the Constructional Approach to Animal Welfare and Training, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free services to individuals and organizations that cannot afford them, with the goal of enhancing their lives through applications of the Constructional Approach. Sean and Maasa share the five elements that are essential to a constructional program. They also provide insights into the history of the constructional approach and how it differs from some of the programs currently popular in animal training. We also discuss what a constructional program can do to improve animal welfare and why this is such great news for the future of animal training. We also go over numerous resources to continue your exploration of this inspiring topic. The future of animal training looks very bright.....and constructional!