Management Oversight of the Primate Training Program

1. Management Oversight of the Primate Training Program

2. Review: What is Positive Reinforcement? An animal is rewarded with something he likes for performing a desired behavior or action. • Examples of rewards include food, praise, play, a favorite toy or access to a favored location. • It relies on the voluntary cooperation of the animal. The purpose of positive reinforcement is to increase the likelihood that the behavior will occur again.

3. Training Program Goals • Train staff on how to use positive reinforcement. • Point out wherever negative reinforcement is currently being used, and discuss how positive reinforcement might work as an alternative in those situations. • Reduce the overall use of negative reinforcement, and increase the use of positive reinforcement methods At least one individual in management must be able to assist with any caregiver training issues.

4. Who Should Do the Training? One member of the management team should be trained along with the designated caregiver(s). That person will: • Have an understanding of the perspectives of the staff trainers as well as the primates being trained • Be able to assist the caregivers when they have trouble • Train new employees • Retain knowledge of training skills when there is turnover of caregiver staff

5. Who Should Do the Training? It is recommended that 1 to 3 members of the animal care staff (depending on number of primates at the sanctuary) be trained in addition to the member of the management team. Ideally, these should be senior members of the staff (head keepers or area supervisors). This will: • Ensure compliance with new positive reinforcement methods from subordinate staff members (critical for consistency). • Benefit training time investment in these individuals, who will be more likely to stay at the sanctuary long-term. • Over time, allow them to train selected staff members on how to train the primates using positive reinforcement, thereby expanding the training program.

6. Training Program Approach Once caregivers have been effectively trained on the use of positive reinforcement: • They should report to management any unwillingness on the part of the primates to cooperate with routine procedures. • The caregiver will create a training plan for each primate that fails to cooperate, and the manager must approve it before the caregiver begins the training. • At that time, all use of negative reinforcement with that primate must be stopped in order for the shaping plan to succeed. • Any observation of the use of negative reinforcement from that point forward should be appropriately reprimanded.

7. Training Records (Data Collection) Good documentation is essentialto a training program. • It allows the trainer to look back at previous training sessions to keep track of the primate(s) progress • Difficult to keep track of when the primate has learned multiple behaviors. • Good for tracking progress of multiple primates (e.g. during group shift training). • If a primate experiences regression, it can be helpful to review previous steps that were taken, and at what step it might be good to go back to and resume the training. • It can be helpful to look back at the length of time it took for individual primates to learn certain behaviors, and their compliance with / mastery of them. Check training records frequently to ensure trainer compliance and correct any recording errors.

8. Training Meetings Staff members participating in the primate training program should meet regularly; frequently, at first (e.g. once per week) and less frequently after trainers have gained some experience (e.g. twice per month). At these meetings: • Discuss training challenges and brainstorm about possible solutions. Even experienced trainers seek advice from their colleagues, as they offer fresh ideas and different perspectives. • Share your successes (small and large)! • If there is not much to discuss, play the Training Game to keep your training skills sharp.

9. Staff Meetings Have the entire staff play the Training Game occasionally during staff meetings. • It will give them an understanding of what the trainers are doing (and what the clickers are for). • It might get them excited about the training, and they might take interest in observing their trainer colleagues at work. • It can be effective in broadening the perspectives of the staff towards the primates. • It will lay a foundation for those staff members who become trainers in the future.

10. Special Considerations • Make sure trainers are responsible for safeguarding their training tools/supplies when not in use. Accessibility to replacement items will be limited. • You might choose to store them in one central location (that can be locked). • A better option would be for the caregivers to keep their own training supplies so that they have them available when unanticipated opportunities for training arise. • Any staff members who are not trainers should never use any of the training tools (especially the clicker) without the permission of the management. Incorrect use could cause confusion for the primates being trained and hinder their training progress.

11. Training Program “Certification” • Recommend instituting a certification program for those staff members participating in the training. Potential benefits include: • Providing positive reinforcement for the staff (Recognition) • Increased motivation to participate and improve skills • Offering a unique skill, an additional type of educational self-improvement • Assist with staff retention

12. Final Thoughts • Limit primate training to those few individuals who are trained to do so. • Training is a complex skill that can take years to master. • Poor training can do more harm than good.

13. References Animal Training: successful animal management through positive reinforcement By Ken Ramirez Don’t Shoot the Dog: the new art of teaching and training (revised edition) By Karen Pryor

14. Thank you! PASAprimates.org facebook.com/PASAprimates

15. The PASA Primate Care Training Program is made possible by a generous grant from Fondation Brigitte Bardot.