The animals at TOP HOGS, DOGS & PARROTS are some of the world's top performing animals due to both their intelligence and a state of the art training method developed by their trainers. The training process begins by first building a strong relationship with the animal, creating a true friendship. The training is based on communication, and only by working with the animal can you begin to learn how to talk to them and how to listen to what they are telling you. The training is the opposite of what we have been traditionally taught for years. The training does NOT use choke chains, yelling, forcing, or intimidation. All animals are trained by shaping behavior with positive reinforcement, or technically, operant conditioning. Zoos and marine mammal parks often use similar training methods. The animals are rewarded for doing the right behavior and are not punished for doing other behaviors. They're allowed to think on their own and are encouraged to learn. Animals learn more rapidly when they are allowed to try things on their own. Shaping a behavior through positive reinforcement makes for a happy, high-energy animal. Often the animals figure out a faster or easier method to perform the behavior when allowed to think on their own. Sometimes the animals even invent a new behavior that was totally unexpected and is better than the original goal. The animals at TOP HOGS, DOGS & PARROTS love to train and perform. It challenges them mentally as well as giving them some much desired attention and exercise, after all they are spending time with their friends.

To teach a new behavior, we start with something that the animal already does naturally, and then shape that behavior into the desired result. Each time the animal accomplishes the required step it is rewarded. The next time the behavior is asked for, the criteria is raised. Raising the criteria of a behavior is done in small steps so the animal always has a realistic chance of succeeding. When the animal responds incorrectly the trainer gives no response for three to five seconds. This lets the animal know the response was incorrect. No punishment needs to be given to the animal. Punishment greatly impedes the learning process and the animal may quit trying. The animals always begin by learning simple behaviors before proceeding to more complex behavior chains. Using this training method, the animals are capable of learning an average of one new behavior a week.

It is only by working with animals through positive reinforcement and communication plus allowing them to demonstrate their abilities, that one can truly appreciate the animal's intelligence. Animals are much smarter and more clever than most people ever imagine.

At TOP HOGS, DOGS & PARROTS the animals are much more than performers, more than pets, they are friends.

Credits | Show Details | Performance Dates | Autographs
How The Animals Live | How The Animals Are Trained | Potbellied Pig Training Videos
Bacon & Porkchop Show | Super Pork Show | The Thunderbirds Show | Super Pets Show