Book Review: Kicked, Bitten, and Scratched

I reviewed Amy Sutherland's "What Shamu Taught me about Life, Love, and Marriage" in a previous post.
An enjoyable, quick read - it was a no-brainer to add "Kicked, Bitten, and Scratched" to my reading list.

I love reading 'behind-the-scenes' articles and books. 

I'm fascinated by processes - always wanting to see a well-made "making-0f" documentary on a DVD.

"Kicked" is exactly that. 

Amy Sutherland spends a year at the Exotic Animal Training and Management (EATM) program in Southern California, where she tracks students and subjects through all the highs and lows you would expect in any school - but where the students are more passionate about learning than most of us were in college and the subjects can literally kill you.

Sutherland disappears, simply observing and reporting the events of the year. This is not her story, which is a great choice, as there are plenty of stories here to be told already.

It's been a long time since I picked up a book that I literally couldn't put down.

If you're interested in animals, interested in learning, or just like a good story: pick up "Kicked, Bitten, and Scratched".

Book Review: "What Shamu Taught Me about Life, Love and Marriage" by Amy Sutherland

I'm curious about learning theories and I've always been fascinated by animals, so when I heard that I could book a "trainer for a day program" at SeaWorld two years ago, I had to do it.

It was a great event. I learned a lot about dolphins, a lot about training, and... I got to ride a dolphin.

That's me in the photo below, and it's a heckuva ride!

Since that time, I've been looking for a good book about animal training.

Not a 'how-to', since I'm not looking to train animals, but a look at behavioral training applied to animals in comparison to human training, with some pointers.

I'm sure there's a very good book in this, but I haven't found it yet.

It certainly wasn't "Whale Done!" which - besides it's awful title - is too lightweight to be of any real interest.

So, I was intrigued when I saw "What Shamu Taught Me about Life, Love and Marriage" by Amy Sutherland. In this book, Amy discusses lessons she learned from animal trainers that she then tried to apply at home.

Title: " What Shamu Taught Me About Life Love And Marriage"

Author: Amy Sutherland

Genre(s): Self-help, Relationships, Behavioral Training, Animals

Summary: “Lessons for People from Animals and Their Trainers"

Favorite Quote: I'll give you five lessons from the book instead:

1. Consider what you are reinforcing - Any interaction is training. We're always teaching or reinforcing some behavior, so be clear what it is you want to reinforce.
2. Ignore what you don’t like - Negative feedback rarely works. Better to ignore and redirect.
3. Use incompatible behaviors - A dog can't chew on the coach and a tennis ball at the same time. An employee can't chitchat and clean up the stockroom at the same time. Substitute
4. Know your species - Know them really well. Know what makes them tick and what pisses them off. Know their patterns so you see when they're off. Know what you cannot change.
5. Don’t act like a prey animal around a predator - Don't be a victim...

Strengths: It's an engaging read. There are some interesting lessons. Amy Sutherland is a likable guide through this world of animal training.
Weaknesses: It’s written more as a memoir than as a ‘how-to’. If you’re looking to steal some training tips, this probably isn’t the best book.

Conclusion: My search continues. I like Amy Sutherland’s writing style and will be reading “Kicked, Bitten, and Scratched”, but I’ve also started reading Karen Pryor’s “Lads Before the Wind” as I continue my search for the book that gives me some clear tricks and tips.

Post-it Flags: 17 flags
* Each time I find an interesting quote, model, image, or idea in a book, I mark it with a Post-it flag. The more flags, the more value I found in the book.