Training Methods

If you share your life with an animal, you are an animal trainer!

“Training” is just another word for “teaching.”  Fur and Feather Works is primarily positive reinforcement training; the same method zoos, sanctuaries and trained animal shows use to teach basic care behaviors and tricks.  There is no force, coercion, pain or intimidation involved in positive reinforcement training (ever try to put a choke chain on an orca?)  – but, it is not magic!  I work hard to stay abreast of the latest research in the behavioral sciences for all species.

Keeping well behaved, happy pets requires a balance of proper nutrition, care, enrichment (or, mental stimulation), and training!  Something as simple, and seemingly frivolous, as trick training can have an astounding effect on an animal’s entire demeanor.

Anyone can learn to train an animal – to elicit desired behaviors and to modify or extinguish problem behaviors.  “Positive” does not  mean “permissive!”  Let me help you learn to be a better animal trainer.