Even with a framework in place, a training program will not be successful without a skilled staff to implement the program. There is a plethora of written material about learning theory and many organizations and volumes of written materials describe species-specific training plans and discuss the training of specific behaviors. However, reading, attending conferences, and watching videos on how to train may not provide animal care staff with all the tools they need to be successful trainers. Animal training is a technical skill that requires opportunities to practice and access to skilled coaching and feedback on progress. If done poorly, animal training can be detrimental to an animal’s well-being.

Leaders should not direct inexperienced staff to train animals without proper instruction and support. New trainers need an open learning environment that encourages them to continue to improve their skills and to have a positive attitude towards the animal’s success in being trained. Even in an established training program, a process for integrating new trainers into a team is critical for the program’s integrity over time. Care needs to be taken to transfer information about training plans to new staff members so that the “institutional memory” will not be lost. A consistent team leads to consistent animal responses and behavior, which in turn result in consistency in the animal’s training performance.

Many zoos and aquariums contract with consultants to facilitate integration of training into their institutions. The training framework presented above can be a useful tool to assist directors in determining where their programs are in most need of assistance. The framework can serve as a “needs assessment” to make the best use of a consultant’s expertise. For example, with a framework in place, the consultant may be directed to focus not only on a particular training project and the animal’s progress to the training goal, but also on the development of the staff and their knowledge and skills in regard to training techniques. Most importantly, the framework provides a foundation within which a consultant can work to assure that the consultant’s efforts will be sustained over time and that the cost of the consultant is of value to the institution (Sevenich MacPhee and Mellen 2000).