This book is an account of Karen Pryor's experiences learning about operant conditioning in order to train porpoises and whales at the newly opened Sea Life Park in Hawaii. The historical account is fascinating all on its own, but I treasure this book because of its discussion of training not just porpoises, but truly any animal, with positive reinforcement. I loved the way she and her colleagues freely borrowed from their experiences with one species to apply them to others -- the sections on training Trainers and training Otters are not only hilarious, but also terribly insightful into how 'animals' of all species learn.

I work with horses, and have found the philosophies I learned from this book have helped me enormously with not only horses, but also dogs and even people. This is a classic reference for anyone who works with any species of animal.


Excellent reference, and extremely enjoyable   April 8, 1999
 5 out of 5 found this review helpful

A fantastic explanation of the process of Operant Conditioning, told with the structure of a story. Not only is it incredibly informative on the subject, it is a lot of fun to read! This book is still recommended reading for trainers at Sea World, and animal trainers in general. If you enjoy dolphins, and might be interested in behavior research, or might train ANY animal, this book is for you.


Required reading for any serious trainer.   December 4, 1998
 10 out of 10 found this review helpful

I read *Lads* through the first time like a novel, glued to every word. The second time, I underlined it and wrote in the margins. Now I refer to it all the time, dipping in and out. It's one of my favorite dog training books -- and it's not even about dogs! A must-read for anyone who thinks they know it all about training -- and for those who know they don't!