Book review - 'Reaching the Animal Mind' by Karen Pryor - National animal training

Karen Pryor's new book rates 5 Stars!

Karen Pryor is the world's most beloved trainer.

Karen Pryor's highly anticipated new book, 'Reaching the Animal Mind: Clicker Training and What It Teaches Us About All Animals' is a masterpiece on so many levels!

First and foremost, it is a book about clicker training. Karen Pryor is the best-known name in clicker training because she is a very good teacher. She knows how to explain the concepts and the application of clicker training in simple terms that everyone can understand. As the book progresses, so does the information about the psychology behind clicker training. Like a clicker trainer, Karen builds on each chapter to introduce new learning in a way that never overwhelms the reader. She sets you up for success from the very first page!

Second, it's a book about Karen Pryor's career which began in the early 1960s when, through a series of unexpected events, she found herself training dolphins at her husband's Hawaii oceanarium, Sea Life Park. This compelling book recounts more than four decades of her remarkable life and career, told with humor and humility.

Third, this is a story book, filled with fascinating and surprising tales of Karen's experiences observing and training a wide variety of species from hermit crabs and fish, to dogs, horses, elephants, dolphins and whales. If you didn't already appreciate the intelligence, warmth and personality of animals, after reading this book you will. Near the end of the book, Karen tells you about new interest in using clicker training (called TagTeaching) with people! Even if you don't have any pets and don't care a lick for clicker training, you'll enjoy the fascinating fabric of stories that is this book, 'Reaching The Animal Mind'.

One thing you have to love about Karen is her willingness to admit when she messed up. There are numerous times in the book when she tells you what she did wrong in her training and how she was able to fix it. If you get something wrong, for example, when I clicked my horse Beau after he put his foot down instead of clicking while it was still in my hand, it's easy enough to correct in a single training session with no lasting negative effects. Flexibility is one of the most important features of clicker training. There are several different methods you can use to arrive at the result, for instance you may shape a behavior or use a target or mark to position an animal.

This flexibility is expressed in the book by Karen's innovative use of the Internet to help tell her stories and teach. We all learn differently. Some people learn best by watching a demonstration, others prefer to absorb new information by hearing it explained, some want 'to get it in writing' and others like to learn by doing. Throughout the book Karen will direct you to her website to view a video of what she just wrote about, along with links to more information and do-it-yourself exercises.

Even if you don't think you want to train animals, after reading Karen Pryor's book you may find yourself using her effective communication techniques to develop a deeper, more meaningful relationship with your pet. I rated this affordable and enjoyable book 5 Stars, and heartily recommend it to everyone who loves animals.

Photo credit: Karen Pryor / http://reachingtheanimalmind.com

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