I stepped into Carson's mew while listening to the hum of activity outside. A crowd had already gathered in the backyard for the raptor program and I had my fingers crossed that the hawk was willing to come out. She peacefully sat on the back perch with her foot tucked comfortably. That's a good sign, I thought. She's not too concerned about the noise outside. Then I lifted my glove to her feet, asking her to step up. She took one look at the glove and lightly hopped away to the other side of the mew.
I checked my watch and knew I didn't have enough time to lure Carson back. I had to accept that she said, "no" by hopping away. I would continue the program with Aldo the kestrel as the solo star.
I easily could have followed Carson and asked her to step up again. She likely would have hopped away again, and I would be left chasing her around the mew.
Instead, I practice choice-based training where I give her the option to say, "no." Giving animals a voice - or rather, listening to their existing one - is incredibly empowering. It builds their confidence and relationship with the trainer. It focuses on rewarding behaviors we want to see and avoiding punishment altogether.
Sometimes this means that Carson will not be a part of program. But because she knows she has the choice to participate, she actually chooses to cooperate more often than if I used coercive methods.
This philosophy requires a new state of mind for the trainer. I once might have entered the mew thinking, she needs to come out with me no matter what. But now I enter thinking, I wonder if Carson will choose to participate today. If she does step onto my glove, I continue the conversation with her, literally asking, "will you let me touch your equipment? Will you stay with me while we walk outside? Do you mind if we walk through this doorway?"
Nine times out of ten, her answer is, "yes."
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