This episode Amy Schilz, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo & International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffes, provides some great learning and advice for creating a three way dialogue when training with multiple trainers. This podcast is a companion to Amy’s presentation at the 2026 ABMA-IAATE annual conference titled “Three Way Communication: Creating Clear Contingencies for Learners Working with Multiple Trainers”. Amy starts the episode by discussing the three way dialogue when training with multiple trainers and how each party is providing cues. The discussion continues with information on how to give control to the animal to start, stop, and continue and the adjustments that we can, and should be making, after an animal says “no”. Finally, Amy explains advice for keeping criterion consistent and effectively planning and discussing all of the various considerations when training with multiple trainers. Stay tuned in for Amy’s "Training Tale" about the success of one of the newer trainers at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.! For questions or suggestions about the podcast email abc@theabma.org and to reach Amy email giraffe@cmzoo.org.
For more information on the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffes visit these links:
Workshops:https://giraffecenter.cmzoo.org/Workshops
Conferences:https://giraffecenter.cmzoo.org/Conferences
"How To" video shorts:https://giraffecenter.cmzoo.org/Video-Shorts
3:00 Introduction to Amy Schilz
8:00 International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffes
14:50 Three Way Communication when training with multiple trainers
18:40 Advice for starting to train with multiple trainers
21:00 How are each party providing cues
30:00 Adjusting what we are doing after an animal says “no”
33:25 Advice for effectively navigating between schedules of reinforcement in a session
37:00 How to keep criterion consistent
44:10 How to give control to the animal and discuss amongst all trainers
51:35 Advice for making a plan with all of the considerations
53:45 “Training Tales”
