Carrots and Sticks

Have you ever wondered how a sheepdog, police horse, leopard or octopus is trained? Carrots and Sticks brings behavioural science to life, explaining animal training techniques in the language of learning theory. The first sections on instinct and intelligence, rewards and punishers are richly infused with examples from current training practice, and establish the principles that are explored later in the unique case studies.

Drawing on interviews with leading animal trainers, Carrots and Sticks offers 50 case studies that explore the step-by-step training of a wide variety of companion, working and exotic animals. It reviews the preparation of animals prior to training and common pitfalls encountered.

The book's accessible style will challenge your preconceptions and simplify your approach to all animal-training challenges. This exciting text will prove invaluable to anyone with an interest, amateur or professional, in the general basics of animal training, as well as to students of psychology, veterinary medicine, agriculture and animal science.