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Maia Makes Guille’s Training Interesting

In her charming way, Maia is making training slightly more challenging by wanting to come and join in during Guille’s sessions. When Maia is there, it’s nearly impossible to get anything substantial done. Sometimes Scott will work a little with one elephant and then switch to the other; sometimes he just has to step back and evaluate the situation. It’s not necessarily bad to have distractions when first learning training behaviors because you can’t guarantee that there will be an ideal, perfectly calm environment when you’re working with elephants on a day-to-day basis. So, during those times when both elephants are there, we generally focus on easier things that they already know and keep it light. 

When the two of them are close to the barn together during a session, they mostly just want to give Scott their noses. Since that’s something they both know how to do well by now, the point is to get Guille to go a little bit further than just touch a caregiver’s hand. It’s something they both know well, but, in hopes of getting some sort of reward, they try to be as sweet and perfect as possible while doing it. When this happens, we’ve found that often the best thing to do is step back for a moment, as a sort of reset. Occasionally, when a caregiver is working with Guille, they’ll look over and see Maia with her foot on the rail as if to say, “See, I’m doing it now. Don’t you want to come back over here?” Both girls are wise to the fact that rewards come with things like foot trimming so, while it’s endearing that they try to get extra treats, it’s not a good behavior to reinforce. When we know they are both going to try and join in, two caregivers, one for each, end up being the most effective solution.

Photo og Maia

Comments(9)

  1. REPLY
    John says

    Those big troublemakers!

  2. REPLY
    Susan says

    I suspect they are playing you!

  3. REPLY
    Wim says

    Smart ladies carefully wrapping you around their trunks. Lovely picture btw.

  4. REPLY
    JoAnn Merriman-Eaton says

    Scott! You are an old softie……and these two girls know it!!😍🐘❤️

  5. REPLY
    Bonnie says

    So who’s the smart ones here just like little kids

  6. REPLY
    Carey says

    This made me giggle. It’s as if Guille is bringing out a real playful side of Maia, but just you let them know who’s boss Scott 😂

  7. REPLY
    Sonja Barton says

    I think it’s sweet really and had much rather see them getting along than not! At least it’s just one extra lady and not all of them, right?

  8. REPLY
    Patricia says

    Come on! Let them do it! 🤣😘🐘🥰😂

  9. REPLY
    SHEILA says

    MAKES ME LAUGH HOW SMART ❤MAIA IS. SHE JUST KNOWS THE TREAT BUCKET IS NEAR. I CAN IMAGINE HOW COMPETITIVE. THIS IS
    TO SCOTT IT PROVIDES A CHALLENGE ON WHAT HE WILL GET DONE TO EITHER OF THE LADIES.
    WELL I GUESS ALL HE CAN DO IS ROTATE AND JOKE WITH THE LADIES
    SEEMS MAIA .ENJOYS BEING WITH GUILLIE QUITE ABIT. THATS WONDERFUL🤩 WONDER IF SHE HAS TOLD GUILLIE, LETS BOTH GO AND GET FOOT WORK AND WE BOTH GET SNACKS😄😃😉

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