I love finding a variety of reinforcers for my animals. As I get to know the mini-donkeys, I find that they love a good brushing. This is not a formal training session, but what I refer to as unstructured social time. I am still shaping behavior, and I am selecting the animal to brush based on polite behavior. Notice that I change location from time to time to assess the mini-donkeys’ real interest.”

Toward the end of the video you will note that a few of the donkeys that did not want to compete for brushing decide to take a dust bath to satisfy their needs without my help. I know that participants of The Ranch courses will really enjoy these social opportunities.

Ken Ramirez is the Executive Vice President and Chief Training Officer at Karen Pryor Clicker Training (KPCT). A trainer and consultant for nearly 40 years, Ken most recently served as the Executive Vice President, Animal Care and Training, at Chicago’s world-famous Shedd Aquarium. He is the author of several books and DVDs, including ANIMAL TRAINING: Successful Animal Management Through Positive Reinforcement, which has become required reading for many trainers in the zoological field. Learn more about Ken Ramirez.