As a zoo keeper, the author finds that animal enrichment can be an effective animal training tool. Remember, animal enrichment is any toy or object that changes the environment. In this case, the enrichment will be a favorite food, a very positive thing the animal wants.
Goal: Using a favorite food to get a primate to stand up on command. This can be accomplished by the following steps.
1. Determine what the favorite food treat is for the primate. (The treat is the enrichment).
2. Reach up with the treat in hand and tell the primate "up".
- Technically, you are playing a game with the primate by showing his favorite treat up high. The primate wants to get the treat, but can only accomplish this by standing up. As the primate reaches for the treat, you are starting to train the up behavior by saying "up" as he reaches for the treat.
This is only one example of how enrichment plays an important role in training. The secret is to train a behavior by initiating it in a playful game. If you are having trouble training a new behavior, make a game out of it. You'll have better luck in accomplishing the task at hand.
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