I would like to take this opportunity to say 'Thank You' to Carolyn and Pete Christian for giving me the opportunity to train and show Ticker Tape for them, and also having the faith in my abilities. Good Luck with your gorgeous boy!


About me:

For as long as I can remember, I have had animals in my life. I have a genuine passion for animals, and love to learn and acquire new knowledge. One important thing I have learned is integrity, and believe it is so important when working with people and animals.

I trained and showed horses in California for 9 years, specializing with colts and problem animals because of my light hands. I moved to Texas in 1979 with a private organization and began working with exotic birds, cats, bears, and elephants, practicing operant conditioning through positive reinforcement, along with owning and managing a dog training facility. In 1987 I took a job at the Tyler Zoo, working with many different types of animals from birds, reptiles, fish, to both small and large mammals, and soon became the Mammal Curator for the zoo. Being such a firm believer in positive reinforcement and operant conditioning, we accomplished some amazing things, especially with the larger animals like the elephant, rhino, and giraffe. It became possible to change undesirable behaviors and to perform routine husbandry, medical procedures, and reproductive tests.

I truly believe in positive reinforcement and operant conditioning, and practice this theory with every animal I work with. When I left the zoo, I began training my own donkeys for halter and performance classes. With my love for showing and a passion for animals, I decided to start my own business training miniature donkeys for other people who didn't have the time, knowledge, or desire to do it themselves. I have acquired some invaluable experience throughout my life, and love to share it with others.

I do beginning and advanced training. The beginning training is setting the foundation. They learn good manners and respect for the halter, are socialized, and are taught what they need to know to show in a halter class or be a well mannered pet. Advanced training goes into working trail obstacles, learning to side pass, back, and bend around obstacles. They are also taught maneuvers for showmanship classes. Advanced training may also include learning to pull a cart in harness. The training I do is through positive reinforcement. I believe that an animal should enjoy doing what they are asked to do otherwise they become bored and you won't get the best out of them. You have to work with their attention span and develop it. Every donkey is different and a good trainer needs to know his donkey. The foundation work takes approximately 1 month, although some may require more time. This will teach them the basics. Once that point is reached, you can continue on with their socialization, repetition of already learned behaviors, and training they will need in order to excel in the show ring or become the loving pet you want. If you want more advanced training I will be happy to continue this for you depending on what you want from your donkey. Some trainers do not like to share their training secrets with their clients. My opinion is different. I feel as though my job is to serve my clients, therefore when you pick up your donkey, you are schooled in how to reinforce the behavior the donkey has learned. In doing this, you will be comfortable with your donkey, your donkey will be a pleasure to you, and your money will not have been wasted.

Types of training available:

These fees include feed and board, unless a special feed is required. With the exception of Pre-Show Fine Tunes, there is a one month minimum for training unless other arrangements have been made.