Enrichment for the Real World

Last week we heard from Lisa Clifton-Bumpass and one of the topics we discussed was agency and communication around medical handling. This week we’re going to dive further into what to do when agency can’t be an option and talk about implementation with the animals in your life.    In this implementation episode, Emily and Allie talk about:  How trust is like a bank account  Would you do the same...

In this week’s interview episode, we are joined by Lisa Clifton-Bumpass. Lisa is a training systems analyst specializing in the constructional approach. Lisa is known for her work with giraffes but has worked with 70 different species in her work with zoos, and domestic animals in a variety of capacities.  It’s not every day that you get to talk with someone who has made such incredible contributi...

Last week we heard from Ken Ramirez and one of the topics we discussed was troubleshooting your training. In this week’s implementation episode we’re going to dive further into problem-solving and talk about implementation with the animals in your life. In this implementation episode, Emily and Allie talk about: What to do when seeing with your eyes, not your ideas, is difficult Expanding the ante...

In this week’s interview episode, we are joined by Ken Ramirez. Ken Ramirez has been working in animal care and training for nearly 50 years and is the EVP and Chief Training Officer for Karen Pryor Clicker Training, and the author of ANIMAL TRAINING: Successful Animal Management through Positive Reinforcement and The Eye of the Trainer.  Ken is an amazing human being. He has done so much for the...

In this week’s implementation episode, Allie and Emily continue talking about food motivation. It’s a topic that is important for all of the animals in our care. In this episode Allie and Emily discuss:  How Food motivation is malleable Factors to take into account when changing the environment to make food more desirable The yellow flag Allie saw with Oso, her quote-unquote “good eater” when he d...

In this interview episode, we are joined by Kathy Sdao, an applied animal behaviorist to discuss an always popular topic, food motivation. Food motivation is a term that comes up a lot when folks are talking about training their pets. While all individuals are intrinsically motivated by food, because they have to eat to survive, it can get a little more complicated when we’re talking about the beh...

Last week we heard from Matt Beisner and one of the topics we discussed was being willing to continue learning. This week we’re going to dive further into cultivating a growth mindset and talk about implementation with the animals in your life. In this implementation episode, Emily and Allie talk about: Why a growth mindset is necessary to elevate your enrichment strategy Addressing the shame of s...

We are so excited to kick off Season 2 with this interview episode! This week, we are joined by Matt Beisner CPDT-KA, FDM. Matt is the founder of THE ZEN DOG, and host of the popular international show “Dog: Impossible” on Disney+.  One of the things that we see a lot, not only when it comes to folks learning more about enrichment, but in the field of animal behavior itself, is that it can be real...

We have a special mini-sode for y’all today! We get a ton of questions about flight training, so we wanted to put together a little episode to answer the biggest questions that we get in honor of our Flight Training for Professionals on-demand course coming out the day this episode airs! In this episode Emily and I talk about: What flight training is Why everyone should have this skill And a brief...

Last week we heard from Dr. Eduardo Fernandez and one of the topics we discussed was data tracking for enrichment. In this week's implementation episode, we’re going to dive further into data collection and talk about as painless as possible implementation with the animals in your life. In this implementation episode, Emily and Allie talk about: Why Allie doesn’t have a Master’s degree Why yo...

We always learn so much from Eddie and often find it really humbling to talk with him. He reminds us that there’s still so much to learn, there’s so much we don’t know, and that the learning journey is never complete. If you want a deep, deep dive into the science of behavior while getting to talk about penguins and get some laughs along the way, Eddie’s your man.  In this episode, you’re going to...

Last week we heard from Peter Amelia and one of the topics we discussed was where to start on your enrichment journey. This week we’re going to dive further into what that foundation looks like and talk about implementation with the animals in your life. In this implementation episode, Emily and Allie talk about: Why this episode should probably have happened much earlier Why we need to split hair...

In this week's interview episode, we are joined by Peter Amelia to discuss enrichment in a multi-species household. As you'll hear, Peter gets to share their home with a wide variety of species and does a wonderful job of meeting all their needs. We talking with Peter because they remind us that there are so many more species out there in people’s homes than the ones we typically work wi...

Last week we heard from Michael Shikashio and one of the topics we discussed was having Plans B, C, D, etc. when you can’t do Plan A. This week we’re going to dive further into what to do if things go sideways and talk about implementation with the animals in your life. In this implementation episode, Emily and I talk about: A logical fallacy that’s holding you back An African Grey who thought an...

In this week’s interview episode, we are joined by Michael Shikashio, CDBC, the founder of AggressiveDog.com. Through his work as an educator and fellow behavior consultant, Michael has inspired us, and other members of the industry while focusing on empathy and compassion for all learners, including our human learners. In this episode, you’re going to hear Emily and Mike talk about: Important fou...

Last week we heard from Helen Dishaw and one of the topics we discussed was letting animals be animals. This week we’re going to dive further into letting animals be themselves and talk about implementation with the animals in your life. In this implementation episode, Emily and Allie talk about: Should we treat animals like mini humans? Dealing with those annoying species-typical behaviors What E...

In this week’s interview episode, we are joined by Helen Dishaw, Curator of Bird Programs at Tracy Aviary and Vice President of The International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators.  In this episode, you’re going to hear Emily and Helen talk about: Why birds make great teachers Who’s training who? Owl socialization How budgies stumped Emily You can find the full show notes here . You don&...

Last week we heard from Mara Velez and one of the topics we discussed was agency in relation to dog-dog play. This week, we're going to dive further into agency in relation to social interactions, not just dog-dog play, and talk about implementation with the animals in your life. Emily and Allie talk about: Opting into social engagements Teaching disengagement  How Allie has officially crosse...

In this podcast, we are joined by Mara Velez, the Executive Director of the Shelter Playgroup Alliance and a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, to dive into the topics of shelter playgroups and enrichment.  In this episode, you’re going to hear Emily and Mara talk about: Mara’s added layer of what should be involved in enrichment, in addition to healthy, safe, and appropriate Not asking our dogs...

In this week’s implementation episode, Allie and Emily dive further into relaxation and talk about implementing this often undervalued category of enrichment with the animals in your life in practical and meaningful ways.  In this episode we discuss:  The difference between “shutdown” and “relaxation”  Why Stay is not relevant to your relaxation protocol  And a little Pom with real big feels  You...

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Chris Pachel,  a board-certified veterinary behaviorist and the owner and lead clinician at the Animal Behavior Clinic in Portland, Oregon. We talk about meeting human needs in order to meet pet needs, meeting your pet for the first time, fulfilling your pet's need for rest, and of course, behavioral medication for pets.  You can find the full show notes...

Welcome to Enrichment for the Real World, the podcast devoted to improving the quality of life of pets and their people through enrichment. Last week we heard from Nathan Andrews and one of the topics we discussed was agency. This week we’re going to dive further into what that can look like in your home and how to make sure your pet has agency.  In this implementation episode, we talk about: 3 st...

Welcome to Enrichment for the Real World,  the podcast devoted to improving the quality of life of pets and their people through enrichment. In our first interview episode, we are joined by Nathan Andrews, a Senior Zookeeper at Happy Hollow Zoo and Park to discuss the utilization of enrichment in the zoological setting, how that applies to your pets at home, creating effective enrichment plans, an...

Welcome to Enrichment for the Real World,  the podcast devoted to improving the quality of life of pets and their people through enrichment. Join us this week for Enrichment 101! In this episode, we cover all the enrichment foundations so that you can get the most out of this podcast when we go live with our first guest, Nathan Andrews on March 7, 2022. You can find the full show notes here .  You...

That’s right! The authors of Canine Enrichment for the Real World created a podcast! We hope that you are as excited as we are about what’s in store. If you’re ready to geek out about enrichment, behavior, and meeting needs, you’re in the right place. We are going to be interviewing guests from a variety of fields who have expertise in a wide range of topics related to enrichment; then in the foll...