Saturday, February 15, 2025

The Animal Behavior Center Trains Exotics to do More than Sit and Stay

A wise man once said, “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.”

One of the flock

I am the youngest of three. Nearly 15 years ago, my parents decided to add an African Grey parrot to the family. Having chosen the breeder route, we spent weeks peering through the pane of a glass incubator at the breeder’s residence, waiting for the egg to hatch. It was truly an amazing moment witnessing the “miracle of life” during a rarely seen, up-close-and-personal egg hatching.

Once out of her protective shell, the little bundle of joy, Koko, greeted the world with her quills and dinosaur-like appearance. She was ready and prepared to be the newest member of our family, but now that we “adopted” this new hatchling, were we fully ready?

Whether it’s potty training a child, or teaching a dog to sit, training is tricky. How do you train exotic animals like lions, tigers and bears? Where do you take them when they get sick? Hopefully, before you step into the world of exotic fauna you are well-versed on the protocols, how-tos and whatnots.

Training is not an easy task— but, for local animal-guru Lara Joseph, training is a way of life.

Enter, The Whisperer

Forget Dr. Doolittle, or dog-behavior extraordinaire, Cesar Millan— when it comes to animal behavior, Lara Joseph is the woman to call.

Nearly 10 years ago, Joseph began training animals professionally. In February of 2013, she opened the Animal Behavior Center in a renovated greenhouse on Alexis, formerly The Oasis plant center. “I remember walking in here a long time ago and thinking, ‘Wow, this would be a beautiful place to [let birds] fly,’” Joseph said reminiscing.

The center includes a parrot area, a section to construct intricate toys for all types of animals, a room that is electronically-ready for broadcasting, and Joseph’s house— only 20-feet away. The best part of the center? A lush, grassy area with all sorts of animal enrichment props, like a patriotically-decorated hoop, a teeter-totter and various landing perches.

A luxury of the modern world, Joseph’s Animal Behavior Center does a majority of business online, so it is able to thrive in any city, like Toledo (where her husband was born, raised and currently works), or even from the middle of the Caribbean.

Interested in marine biology during her early college years, Joseph branched out into the world of animal behavior. Having received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Toledo in documentary filmmaking, and then taking several classes for a Master’s certification in Applied Behavior Analysis, a branch of psychology, Joseph teaches how to understand behavior, especially through animals.

The first personal touch to her training career began with Rocky, a Moluccan Cockatoo that exhibited unmanageable behavior, “He (Rocky) was going to be put down, and that pushed me to go back and pursue master’s classes in Applied Behavior Analysis. I needed to tell his story and let people know these behaviors can be changed,” Joseph noted.

A timeless approach

Applied Behavior Analysis became popular in the 70s and 80s and is now used primarily for children with an autism spectrum disorder. The theory implies that behavior can be modified by evaluating the relationship between an individuals behavior and their environment. Then, by using positive reinforcement, replacement behaviors swap out the undesired.

Captive animals should still have the privilege of choice— without the addition of fear or stress. While explaining, Joseph referred to circus days-past, “Force used to be a common practice. You have these animals in captivity and take away all their choices. If they are forced, serious repetitive abnormal behaviors [self-mutilation, erratic tendencies] can arise.” Animals are cognitive beings, able to make decisions based on what they desire, with positive reinforcement like treats, praise and special opportunities.

While sitting in the education room, Joseph relates her use of pro-animal-choice training in reference to Milo, a mini-pig, “He knows that I am never going to push him past his comfort level. If I have to, once in awhile I’ll manipulate his environment by taking away his favorite toys. I’ll put them in my pocket and slowly give them back to him when he does something good throughout the day,” Joseph said, as Milo scurried around the room, sniffing everything and oinking.

This type of training can be paralleled to when a parent takes away an unruly child’s favorite video game, and returns it once the child’s behavior improves. Joseph explained: “I won’t train with commands and corrections, shocks or prongs, because a command means, ‘Do it or else.’ A command means coercion,”— the complete opposite of choice. Like any good parent or guardian, when defiant behavior arises, Joseph takes mental note of what particular behavior needs attention.

A worldwide language

Offering different membership levels, the center allows the opportunity for animal trainers, shelters or animal companions worldwide, or to learn from Joseph and her applications of the globally-understood Behavior Analysis. This all-species-encompassing strategy is live-streamed from the educationally-landscaped greenhouse on Alexis Road.

The Animal Enrichment Show, a weekly live broadcast from the center, shows how to enrich, what enrichment is and why it needs to happen with animals. Each of these broadcasts, along with online classes and training sessions, allow the world to see how to properly train for a certain behavior.

Before I arrived, Joseph had just finished a livestream broadcast scale-training session with Willy, the vulture. “I pick a monthly topic, such as scale training [how to teach an animal to sit on a scale]. I start off each month with a podcast explaining the topic, covering the techniques in detail,” said Joseph, adding that, “…and this afternoon we will be scale training a deaf English bulldog, using the same techniques. Once I’m done training, I’ll release the animal and then explain why and what I did.”

Food or friend?

Joseph is currently training alligators and the zoo staff at Indian Creek Zoo, out of Lambertville, Michigan. She put together a training team in anticipation for the upcoming summer alligator exhibit. Zoogoers rarely think about the need to train animals for anything other than sheer entertainment, but there are serious factors that go into humanely and responsibly taking care of a captive animal. “You need to train the alligator [or any animal] to stay where you want it to stay, come when you call it… even how to get into a crate to prepare for veterinary exams. We need the primates to voluntarily offer their arm for [a medical] blood draw, so it isn’t a stressful and harmful, yet necessary, experience,” Joseph explained. This type of training helps keep both the animals and the humans safe. “I train a lot of wild animals, there’s a lot of danger there,” Joseph said excitably, but with a serious undertone.

When training, “In the beginning, I have to pair myself with an animal’s food because I have no value. Through consistency [delivering of food], the animal starts to learn that I’m the ‘Deliverer of Awesomeness,’ and that good things happen when I enter the room,” she stated, adding that, “In the end, it (training) is always for the animal and the relationship between the animal and the human— whether in a zoo, someone’s home or a shelter, because that human is going to set that dog [or animal] up for success or failure.”

All minds think alike

Animals use behavior to train and manipulate their caretakers to get what they desire, from attention to treats. This psychology “is the number one reason for shelters. People unknowingly reinforce undesirable behavior… We are primarily teaching the people [caretakers/owners],” said Joseph.

As Milo (the mini-pig) paces around the concrete floor, trying for Joseph’s attention in hopes of a possible treat ration, she ironically explains, “If an animal can see, hear or smell you— you’re training it whether you realize it or not. Training is a form of communication, both verbal and nonverbal.” As she takes note of Milo’s current manipulative bouts, trying to coerce her into delivering a yummy present.

The beauty of the analysis of behavior is that it can be related to any species, “With a pig, with a parrot, with a dog… the same technique [the Applied Behavior Analysis] can be used for all animals, for the same type of behavior modification.” Using this method allows Joseph the skills to train any animal found in the Jungle Book.

From paws to feathers

In October, the center hosts an annual event for anyone (and everyone) involved in the animal world. People from coast-to-coast attend, from veterinarians and vet techs to shelters, conservation agencies and other trainers. The best of the best and those wanting to learn more, share techniques, watch demonstrations and learn about the latest scientific research. This year’s event will be held for three days, as opposed to the usual two.

For attendees who are looking for a new approach to a particular behavior, or want a more intricate understanding of the Applied Behavior Analysis, Joseph urges “mammal-day” attendees to partake on bird day, “Most people don’t know how smart birds are, they are super complex. I can’t even compare them to a human because they think differently and process information differently. Trainers who want to take complexity to a new level should attend bird day.”

A personal approach

While walking around the indoor lawn, Joseph stresses that the center is not a shelter and she is selective with what animals she takes in, “I will take in an animal that is really unique to educate the public,” she said.

“I train a lot of animals with disabilities, like deaf dogs,” which Joseph explained is surprisingly common with particular breeds. Since many breeders and trainers don’t know where to begin with deaf-training, many of these “unable to be trained” dogs end up in shelters, most likely to be euthanized.

As the deaf English bulldog looks up at her with kind, blue eyes, Joseph points out, “Dog shelters are overflowing, but parrot shelters are overflowing ten-fold. There are 50 year old birds in shelters that aren’t even close to death.”

In recognition, Joseph organized and founded the Parrot Society of NW Ohio and the Parrot Society of New Orleans. “I consult with a lot of groups nationwide. It is all about education so they aren’t giving the parrots up [to shelters or bird sanctuaries]… I love working with birds because they are one of the most intelligent animals,” she says as parrots whistle in the other room.

Bringing the emotion full-circle from the scientific-based theory application of Joseph’s training, is Rocky, the very vocal, 18-year old Moluccan Cockatoo. Joseph tenderly reflects, “Rocky came to us eight years ago because he was going to be put down [for behavioral problems]. And now, he is pretty much the mascot behind the center. He is the reason the center exists. He is the one that put me onto lecturing, because everyone wanted to know how I changed his behavior. He was the reason I opened the center. Everybody has a story of their beginning, he’s mine.”

Visit the website for membership levels.
The Animal Behavior Center, 4917 W. Alexis Rd.,
P.O. Box 806, Sylvania | 419-360-1234

theanimalbehaviorcenter.com[email protected]

A wise man once said, “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.”

One of the flock

I am the youngest of three. Nearly 15 years ago, my parents decided to add an African Grey parrot to the family. Having chosen the breeder route, we spent weeks peering through the pane of a glass incubator at the breeder’s residence, waiting for the egg to hatch. It was truly an amazing moment witnessing the “miracle of life” during a rarely seen, up-close-and-personal egg hatching.

Once out of her protective shell, the little bundle of joy, Koko, greeted the world with her quills and dinosaur-like appearance. She was ready and prepared to be the newest member of our family, but now that we “adopted” this new hatchling, were we fully ready?

Whether it’s potty training a child, or teaching a dog to sit, training is tricky. How do you train exotic animals like lions, tigers and bears? Where do you take them when they get sick? Hopefully, before you step into the world of exotic fauna you are well-versed on the protocols, how-tos and whatnots.

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Training is not an easy task— but, for local animal-guru Lara Joseph, training is a way of life.

Enter, The Whisperer

Forget Dr. Doolittle, or dog-behavior extraordinaire, Cesar Millan— when it comes to animal behavior, Lara Joseph is the woman to call.

Nearly 10 years ago, Joseph began training animals professionally. In February of 2013, she opened the Animal Behavior Center in a renovated greenhouse on Alexis, formerly The Oasis plant center. “I remember walking in here a long time ago and thinking, ‘Wow, this would be a beautiful place to [let birds] fly,’” Joseph said reminiscing.

The center includes a parrot area, a section to construct intricate toys for all types of animals, a room that is electronically-ready for broadcasting, and Joseph’s house— only 20-feet away. The best part of the center? A lush, grassy area with all sorts of animal enrichment props, like a patriotically-decorated hoop, a teeter-totter and various landing perches.

A luxury of the modern world, Joseph’s Animal Behavior Center does a majority of business online, so it is able to thrive in any city, like Toledo (where her husband was born, raised and currently works), or even from the middle of the Caribbean.

Interested in marine biology during her early college years, Joseph branched out into the world of animal behavior. Having received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Toledo in documentary filmmaking, and then taking several classes for a Master’s certification in Applied Behavior Analysis, a branch of psychology, Joseph teaches how to understand behavior, especially through animals.

The first personal touch to her training career began with Rocky, a Moluccan Cockatoo that exhibited unmanageable behavior, “He (Rocky) was going to be put down, and that pushed me to go back and pursue master’s classes in Applied Behavior Analysis. I needed to tell his story and let people know these behaviors can be changed,” Joseph noted.

A timeless approach

Applied Behavior Analysis became popular in the 70s and 80s and is now used primarily for children with an autism spectrum disorder. The theory implies that behavior can be modified by evaluating the relationship between an individuals behavior and their environment. Then, by using positive reinforcement, replacement behaviors swap out the undesired.

Captive animals should still have the privilege of choice— without the addition of fear or stress. While explaining, Joseph referred to circus days-past, “Force used to be a common practice. You have these animals in captivity and take away all their choices. If they are forced, serious repetitive abnormal behaviors [self-mutilation, erratic tendencies] can arise.” Animals are cognitive beings, able to make decisions based on what they desire, with positive reinforcement like treats, praise and special opportunities.

While sitting in the education room, Joseph relates her use of pro-animal-choice training in reference to Milo, a mini-pig, “He knows that I am never going to push him past his comfort level. If I have to, once in awhile I’ll manipulate his environment by taking away his favorite toys. I’ll put them in my pocket and slowly give them back to him when he does something good throughout the day,” Joseph said, as Milo scurried around the room, sniffing everything and oinking.

This type of training can be paralleled to when a parent takes away an unruly child’s favorite video game, and returns it once the child’s behavior improves. Joseph explained: “I won’t train with commands and corrections, shocks or prongs, because a command means, ‘Do it or else.’ A command means coercion,”— the complete opposite of choice. Like any good parent or guardian, when defiant behavior arises, Joseph takes mental note of what particular behavior needs attention.

A worldwide language

Offering different membership levels, the center allows the opportunity for animal trainers, shelters or animal companions worldwide, or to learn from Joseph and her applications of the globally-understood Behavior Analysis. This all-species-encompassing strategy is live-streamed from the educationally-landscaped greenhouse on Alexis Road.

The Animal Enrichment Show, a weekly live broadcast from the center, shows how to enrich, what enrichment is and why it needs to happen with animals. Each of these broadcasts, along with online classes and training sessions, allow the world to see how to properly train for a certain behavior.

Before I arrived, Joseph had just finished a livestream broadcast scale-training session with Willy, the vulture. “I pick a monthly topic, such as scale training [how to teach an animal to sit on a scale]. I start off each month with a podcast explaining the topic, covering the techniques in detail,” said Joseph, adding that, “…and this afternoon we will be scale training a deaf English bulldog, using the same techniques. Once I’m done training, I’ll release the animal and then explain why and what I did.”

Food or friend?

Joseph is currently training alligators and the zoo staff at Indian Creek Zoo, out of Lambertville, Michigan. She put together a training team in anticipation for the upcoming summer alligator exhibit. Zoogoers rarely think about the need to train animals for anything other than sheer entertainment, but there are serious factors that go into humanely and responsibly taking care of a captive animal. “You need to train the alligator [or any animal] to stay where you want it to stay, come when you call it… even how to get into a crate to prepare for veterinary exams. We need the primates to voluntarily offer their arm for [a medical] blood draw, so it isn’t a stressful and harmful, yet necessary, experience,” Joseph explained. This type of training helps keep both the animals and the humans safe. “I train a lot of wild animals, there’s a lot of danger there,” Joseph said excitably, but with a serious undertone.

When training, “In the beginning, I have to pair myself with an animal’s food because I have no value. Through consistency [delivering of food], the animal starts to learn that I’m the ‘Deliverer of Awesomeness,’ and that good things happen when I enter the room,” she stated, adding that, “In the end, it (training) is always for the animal and the relationship between the animal and the human— whether in a zoo, someone’s home or a shelter, because that human is going to set that dog [or animal] up for success or failure.”

All minds think alike

Animals use behavior to train and manipulate their caretakers to get what they desire, from attention to treats. This psychology “is the number one reason for shelters. People unknowingly reinforce undesirable behavior… We are primarily teaching the people [caretakers/owners],” said Joseph.

As Milo (the mini-pig) paces around the concrete floor, trying for Joseph’s attention in hopes of a possible treat ration, she ironically explains, “If an animal can see, hear or smell you— you’re training it whether you realize it or not. Training is a form of communication, both verbal and nonverbal.” As she takes note of Milo’s current manipulative bouts, trying to coerce her into delivering a yummy present.

The beauty of the analysis of behavior is that it can be related to any species, “With a pig, with a parrot, with a dog… the same technique [the Applied Behavior Analysis] can be used for all animals, for the same type of behavior modification.” Using this method allows Joseph the skills to train any animal found in the Jungle Book.

From paws to feathers

In October, the center hosts an annual event for anyone (and everyone) involved in the animal world. People from coast-to-coast attend, from veterinarians and vet techs to shelters, conservation agencies and other trainers. The best of the best and those wanting to learn more, share techniques, watch demonstrations and learn about the latest scientific research. This year’s event will be held for three days, as opposed to the usual two.

For attendees who are looking for a new approach to a particular behavior, or want a more intricate understanding of the Applied Behavior Analysis, Joseph urges “mammal-day” attendees to partake on bird day, “Most people don’t know how smart birds are, they are super complex. I can’t even compare them to a human because they think differently and process information differently. Trainers who want to take complexity to a new level should attend bird day.”

A personal approach

While walking around the indoor lawn, Joseph stresses that the center is not a shelter and she is selective with what animals she takes in, “I will take in an animal that is really unique to educate the public,” she said.

“I train a lot of animals with disabilities, like deaf dogs,” which Joseph explained is surprisingly common with particular breeds. Since many breeders and trainers don’t know where to begin with deaf-training, many of these “unable to be trained” dogs end up in shelters, most likely to be euthanized.

As the deaf English bulldog looks up at her with kind, blue eyes, Joseph points out, “Dog shelters are overflowing, but parrot shelters are overflowing ten-fold. There are 50 year old birds in shelters that aren’t even close to death.”

In recognition, Joseph organized and founded the Parrot Society of NW Ohio and the Parrot Society of New Orleans. “I consult with a lot of groups nationwide. It is all about education so they aren’t giving the parrots up [to shelters or bird sanctuaries]… I love working with birds because they are one of the most intelligent animals,” she says as parrots whistle in the other room.

Bringing the emotion full-circle from the scientific-based theory application of Joseph’s training, is Rocky, the very vocal, 18-year old Moluccan Cockatoo. Joseph tenderly reflects, “Rocky came to us eight years ago because he was going to be put down [for behavioral problems]. And now, he is pretty much the mascot behind the center. He is the reason the center exists. He is the one that put me onto lecturing, because everyone wanted to know how I changed his behavior. He was the reason I opened the center. Everybody has a story of their beginning, he’s mine.”

Visit the website for membership levels.
The Animal Behavior Center, 4917 W. Alexis Rd.,
P.O. Box 806, Sylvania | 419-360-1234

theanimalbehaviorcenter.com[email protected]

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