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<em>By
Angela Binney, Behavioral Husbandry Committee and Animal Keeper, Disney’s Animal Kingdom
and
Philip Sigler, Animal Keeper, Disney’s Animal Kingdom</em>

We are deep into the dog days of summer with record highs this year.  With heat waves into triple digits in many parts of the country, it is no wonder some of our animals have been a bit lackadaisical about their training sessions this season.  As you are counting the weeks until the arrival of cooler weather, consider beating the heat with these animal training tips for surviving the summer slump.

<strong>10.  Timing is everything:</strong> Train in the cooler part of the day (the earlier the better usually).  Gauge sessions around animals’ activity budgets (don’t train when they usually nap).  It’s already difficult to get cooperation from some animals during the uncomfortable temperatures of summer, so try to do it as the animals are just waking up, or when they shift in or out so that you are working with their schedule.  Don’t wait until they’ve had breakfast and they are just settling in for a long summer nap to start a training session.

<strong>9.  Made in the shade:</strong> Train in a cool place (shady areas, the barn, by a fan, etc.).  We all know what a big difference it makes to sit under an umbrella instead of lying right in the sun when we spend the day at the beach, so it stands to reason that our animals can tell the difference as well.  Train indoors or in shady areas, and if your training chute is out in the open then consider placing temporary cover over it to provide shade and make it more comfortable during the summer months.

<strong>8.  Frozen Fun!:</strong> Frozen treats are often used as fun enrichment for many animals, so try using it as a cool reinforcement option for training sessions as well.  Frozen items are refreshing and items frozen in a small cube of ice can also help to hydrate hot animals.  Take any coveted reward and try freezing it, either by itself (e.g. frozen grapes, a pinky mouse, etc) or in an ice cube.  Large frozen items, such as ice blocks or piles of ice, can be used as shift rewards or as a bonus after a productive session.

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<h5><strong>Ice blocks are a cool way to reinforce shifting behavior or to use as a jackpot at the end of a great session.</strong></h5>
<h6>(Photo courtesy of Disney’s Animal Kingdom)</h6><!--more-->
<strong>7.  Short and sweet:</strong> Avoid lengthy sessions that require a lot of attention and effort on extra hot days.  Animals tend to focus best at the start of a session, usually because that is when they are most motivated.  Their motivation may be less during hotter months due to the decrease in appetite that often accompanies this season.  Therefore, pursuing a lengthy session of high repetition or lengthy endurance may not prove as…………

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