Reaching the animal mind

by Karen Pryor

After thirty years of training creatures both tame and wild, Karen Pryor, pioneer in the field of no-punishment animal training, presents what she knows about teaching animals and what they in turn have taught her. Pryor's clicker-training system is a safe, effective way to modify and shape behavior. Karen can teach anyone to train animals with a cheap, plastic, handheld clicker, rewarding wanted behaviors and ignoring the unwanted. No leash-jerking. No pushing. No smacking. Animals quickly learn that one behavior gets them a reinforcing click and a bit of food, while undesirable behaviors get them nothing. Given the choice, animals quickly focus on what works and abandon what doesn't. Pryor explains the science behind her system, how it works and why it works, and its applications for teaching humans as well.--From publisher description.