Shelley has been training dolphin, sea lions, and other animals since 1990. In 1994 she moved to Cancun Mexico where she played an intricate role in the development and opening of Dolphin Discovery. Her career with Dolphin Discovery has seen Shelley evolve from hands on animal trainer to her current position as Corporate Trainer Educator (CTE) for all Dolphin Discovery facilities. As CTE she is responsible for the development of curricula, courses, and guidelines used in Dolphin Discovery’s continuing trainer education program.
Shelley is also owner of ABC Training Systems a company dedicated to producing educational material about the humane training of animals. She is the author of ABC of Animal Training.
My name is Luis Arturo Hernandez Mendez and I might said that 1986 was theyear that I started my life as a Marine Mammal trainer in Mexico city.
Back in that time scanning was the must common way to train because we did not have that much idea how to make it happened there fore we train as the ideas popped up and because of that some behaviors never got done.
The most difficult part on that time was having trainers with experience and keeping the methods and ideas for them selves, no having a guide or some one
to trust or wants to teach you.
Was hard though!
>From 1986 to 1999 I got experience doing shows with sea lions, dolphins, others and even with Keiko, the famous Willy, which I keep in a special place in my life.
1999 I got a job in Dolphin Discovery and everything started to get easy and ABC of Animal Training hit my knowledge.
Since then I understand in a better way how to improve animals life, training and also how rewarding is share experiences with new generations.
Everything become easy.
Thank you very much.
Luis Arturo
I would love to get into this line of work, my love of all animals would be the most fulfilling job I could ever imagine, unfortunately I wasnt the most academic person when I was at school, but tried my very very best. The problem is that most positions like this require a high level of qualifications, I am desperate and would love some advice from someone like yourself as to how I could possibly go about this. You do an amazing job. I am willing to travel all over the world to fulfill my dream, please help. Yours Staz. x
Dear Stacy
Your right, a career in animal training is very rewarding. While academics certainly are important they are not the only factor employers look at. A career in animal training is highly competitive. The more experience you gain through workshops, internships and volunteering the more informed you will be to make better career decisions. Workshops, internships and volunteering will be an important aspect for your resume as well as the personal references that you will be able to compile due to your involvement in those areas. At the ABC Dolphin Trainer Basic Academy we discuss goal planning and career building along with indispensable hand on training experience. I can tell you that alumni from the Academy have had high success in job placements,internships, and college acceptance. A good source of information for you is http://www.facebook.com/dolphin.training and click on the walls and blocks sections for a few comments, photos, videos and more.
I hope you find this useful and you may always email me at [email protected].
Good luck!!
Shelley Wood