Karen Pryor

Karen Pryor is one of the most notable and influential authors in the field of animal behavior. She is the author of many books, including her seminal work “Don’t Shoot the Dog!” which was first published in 1984 and is considered one of the key works in the field of modern animal behavior science. Pryor’s writing is readable, concise, and packed with useful information for animal owners, trainers, and behaviorists.

Pryor was born in Massachusetts in 1932, and received her BA in animal behavior and psychology from Mount Holyoke College in 1955. She began her professional career as an animal behavior researcher while completing her PhD dissertation at Stanford University. She then moved on to a career in the private sector, where she worked as a trainer of dolphins, a business consultant, and a research associate. In 1976, her first book, Lads Before the Wind, was published.

Pryor’s writings have focused heavily on reinforcement, also known as positive reinforcement, which is a method of training animals that relies on rewarding desirable behavior with food, praise, or an object. She emphasizes that reinforcement training is much more humane than punishment-based training and it has proven to be effective for both humans and animals. Pryor has developed an entire theory of reinforcement and published numerous books exploring the topic.

Pryor’s most popular work, Don’t Shoot the Dog!, is cited as a fundamental work in animal behavior and reinforcement. As the book’s title suggests, it focuses on teaching readers how to use reinforcement-based training methods, rather than punishment, to effectively alter and reduce undesirable behavior. The book covers a wide range of topics, from how to construct a training plan for a particular animal to how to modify certain behaviors. Don’t Shoot the Dog! is now considered an essential book for all animal trainers and owners.

Karen Pryor has continued to remain an important figure in animal behavior and reinforcement with numerous subsequent works, including “Reef Fish Behavior”, “Clicker Training for Dogs”, “Clicker Training for Cats”, and “Nursing Your Puppy”, to name a few. Her books are highly readable and easy to understand, and have helped to shape the way we think about and interact with animals.

Pryor is a celebrated figure in the animal behavior community and has received many awards, including the prestigious 1992 Excellence in Education Award from the International Association of Applied Animal Behaviorists, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior Special Award in 2019, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from Nadace Prasata (Foundation of Pigs) in 2020.

Karen Pryor’s books are must-reads for anyone interested in animal behavior and training. Her works are well-researched and teach readers how to use reinforcement in a humane and effective manner. From her memoir “Lads Before the Wind” to her most well-known work “Don’t Shoot the Dog!”, Pryor’s books are timeless and indispensable for animal owners, trainers, and behaviorists alike.