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Dog Meets Dolphin
It's a training classic - come to life!
I love dogs.
I also love dolphins.
The two come together in the ground-breaking training manual "A Dog And A Dolphin" by the guru of positive-reinforcement training, Karen Pryor.
And so we decided, with a little help from all our friends at the Dolphin Research Center (DRC) in Grassy Key, Florida, to make it a reality!
Teddy, my now-four-year-old French Bulldog, met Kibby, who was an elder-statesman of the dolphin pod at DRC. Fran, my sister pictured in the photo, had known Kibby for many years - he was her favorite gray-faced friend at the Center. Unfortunately, Kibby died early this year from old age - he was well into his forties. Fortunately, we'll always have the memories of this and many other wonderful days to remember him.
Checking each other out
Click thumbnail to view full-size
We weren't sure how it would go
Animals do the darnedest things!
Dogs are familiar and welcome guests at DRC.
Visitors are encouraged to bring their dogs into the facility and not leave them in hot cars in the Florida weather.
Some dogs are fascinated by the dolphins, others pay no attention, and still others get a bit "freaked out." Of course no one really knows why any animal does what it does, but the speculation is that some dogs rely so heavily on their sense of smell that they don't know what to do about dolphins. Dolphins have no scent at all!
He likes him - hey Mikey!!
Our "dolphin encounter" with Teddy was under very controlled circumstances, with a dolphin we know very well and trainers all around. I know how special this opportunity was, and cherish the memory.
Dolphins in the wild should not be approached by either people or dogs. Beautiful, wild animals should be admired from a distance, and if they choose to come near, be extremely cautious in any interaction. These intelligent mammals are not generally aggressive, but they are large and powerful animals.
Many people, in drafting their "bucket lists," include meeting a dolphin as one of the things they'd love to do before they die. Everyone who wants to, should! There are facilities, like the Dolphin Research Center, that offer many opportunities to meet dolphins, from a simple "hand shake" to a full-immersion experience, complete with a dorsal-pull swim, a la Flipper!
The Dolphin Research Center has many programs, including working with handicapped and disabled children and veterans. Dolphins seem to know the limits and capabilities of the people and adjust their behavior accordingly. Once you've met a dolphin, "up close and personal," most people are forever impressed with their intelligence and beauty.
Teddy and Kibby
Click thumbnail to view full-size
All of the dolphins at the Dolphin Research Center were either born at the facility, retired from either the military or another facility, or were rescued and unable to be returned to the wild due to injury.
It is the original home of the "Flipper" dolphins and the dolphins live in natural lagoons in the Gulf of Mexico. It is a research facility and the studies being conducted with the dolphins include cognition (concepts such as "less," and "object permanence" (i.e. "where's the toy?)), behavior (how and when calves become independent from their mothers), and husbandry. All of the studies are non-invasive and research is conducted in full view of the public, who are welcome to observe and ask questions during most sessions.
Visit the Dolphin Research Center
Same training methods for very different animals!
With positive reinforcement training, you reward for behaviors you "like" and ignore the ones you're not interested in. There is no "punishment" or "correction."
There's really no other way to train dolphins - they can simply swim away if they're not interested! It would be impossible to "make" an animal that weighs over 400 pounds and lives in the water do anything.
The dolphins "perform" behaviors because they are rewarded for them - including behaviors that enable the trainers to perform medical check-ups and make sure the dolphins in the DRC family are healthy and happy.
We've adopted many similar methods for training our dogs and we practice all the time, on our own, as members of the North Shore Dog Training Club in Obedience and Rally competition, and in Agility as members of the All Fours Dog Training team.
Learn more about positive-reinforcement training!
Have you ever met a dolphin?
I wonder what they are thinking
So very sweet! I would love to interact with a dolphin!
very nice friendship! :-)
nice lens, both dog and dolphin are friendly with human, i just saw dolphin on TV
cute photos! )
My 2 most favorite animals in the world!! Dogs and Dolphins. Love the photos.
that is really cute, i liked the photos
Luv this lens because I love dogs and I love dolphins!!!
No, but I want to! Cool lens. Thanks for sharing.
love this relationships
I have seen dolphin before but didn't have the opportunity to play & pet them though... Would love to do that someday... :)
No, never met one, but I've seen them swimming in the ocean. They are maybe the most awesome wild animal I've ever seen.
it is said dolphin is more clever than any other animals.
Really enjoyed your lens, and LOVED the personal photos (and captions)! Pinned to my "Great Florida Finds" board. Congrats on Home Page honors!
Only at Sea World!
I love dolphins and dogs too, although I've never had the opportunity to introduce the two to each other. Happy to hear (and see) that it went well.
I haven't, but my daughter has and it was an amazing experience for her. Love your photos. Pinned.
Amazing! Great shots!
-SZ
Unfortunately, no. Thanks for sharing your experience : )
Not yet. But I'd love to meet one.
One of my favorite restaurants has a pod of dolphins that frequents the dock outside. I love it!
Great story - pictures add a lot.
Such a cute little story. Thanks for sharing this but sad to hear about Kibby's death
it's beautiful.So cute..
No not yet. These are the cutest photos!
Not yet! Would love to meet a dolphin.
I haven't. I would like to see one.
Mikey you are lucky.....
I have always wanted to go swimming with the dolphins.
so cute.. :)
I am trying to imagine a dog and a dolphin meeting each other. How interesting! Wonderful story.
so sweet. :)
A story that warmed my heart.
Yessss!!! And they are cute!!!
I like dolphin and dog ,they are so cute.
They are so cute :) I've only been to a show with dolphins, but unfortunately I couldn't meet them.
Never but I would love to!
I've watched them - but have never been up close & personal.
Yes, watched them many times but this is just beautiful.
Both are very sweet
No but my ultimate dream is to swim with dolphins and my fave programme is Flipper!!!!! :)
No, I've never met a dolphin before and I never saw a dog and a dolphin together. But they seem happy from the photos.
WOW they look good together
Yes! In the Florida Keys. They are such beautiful and intelligent creatures.
Only in an aquarium. I see them all the time from a distance; they swim the Gulf of Mexico and the Caloosahatchie River near where I live in South Florida, but I'd love to get up close and personal with one sometime.
Great Lens:)
I have never met a dolphin. :(
No. This lens is awesome.
Very nice lens and dog and dolphin images! : )
Thanks for sharing!
Great lens! Would love to meet a dolphin!
Yes. I knew dolphins were smart and powerful, but it was wonderful experiencing that up close.
These are some very cool pictures.
lovely
wow! wish i cud feed him a fish!
Yes - while in Florida. Love them.
Adorable!
Yes, I love dolphins. I had the opportunity to swim with a dolphin, pet and feed it. I also had adopted a dolphin at my local aquarium.
No but I LOVE Frenchies so I had to say hi!
A thoroughly enjoyable visit - thank you.
I like dolphin and dog ,they are so cute.
- Author
@Laurabpeterson: Yes! The Dolphin Research Center has many different programs for people to participate with the dolphins - from "meet and greet" programs to swims - whatever level you're comfortable with. You can check it all out at www.dolphins.org
oh, I love dolphins! And this is so amazing...I love seeing animals interact. And I didn't know that dolphins have no scent! Thanks for sharing the great pictures. Is this a place the general public can come and interact with the dolphins too?
Very nice and sweet lens
I've never been up close and personal with a dolphin, but it's on my to do list! I have watched our resident Irish dolphin, Fungi, at play in Dingle Bay and I've been lucky enough to see schools of dolphins playing in the Gibraltar Straits. Loved every minute of it.
This is so sweet. Thanks for sharing.
I have swam with dolphins! Both in the wild and in captivity. Dogs and dolphins are my two favorite animals!
Dolphins is miracle! I want much forward to meeting and take off your love!
I love dolphin and dog, pretty nice lens!
I would love to meet a dolphin!
I've never met one but I have great memories of fishing in the "flats" of the Florida Panhandle and watching them swim and play close by. They always seemed so smart and so friendly.
I love dogs and dolphines :) my dream is to swim with Dolphines. Great Lens I've really enjoyed this.
Not yet, I would love to have to opportunity. You are so lucky to have this experience.
Enjoyed your lens, and feel I learned a lot from it.
Love the photos. what a great experience for you and Teddy (he was really brave, I'd say). I enjoyed reading your story, thanks for sharing.
That's just too darn cute. Not sure our little shipoo would be as polite as your puppy was though.
No I have not, but it's definitely on my "to do" list. Great photos.
Wow! I'd love to meet a dolphin up close like that!
It must have been an amazing experience.
This is a very cute lens..
Yes! My husband and I got to hang out with two dolphins and swim with them while we were on our honeymoon. Unforgettable.
Not yet, but these photos are wonderful, well done!
Cute
No but I would like too, what cute pictures!
beautiful lens, well done; thanks for sharing
I have never met a dolphin and would the chance to see one someday!
No, but I would love to as I swim and love nearly all animals and the dolphins hold a particular attraction for me, but I have never lived in a country where they are common enough!
not yet but would really love to!
Yes and I would love for our pooch (the mild-mannered one) to meet a dolphin. I think this is so cool!
I wanted to be a marine biologist, but in my country there is no university for this specialization. So I became a vet in stead, but dolphins, seals, whales and sharks will always be no 1 for me. Maybe I will work at an aquarium someday!
Not yet but is on my list of things to do.
Well...I've seen some at the aquarium, on television and a couple every now and then at the park (Riverfront Park, N Charleston, SC)
No, but I would love to.
Yes, well kind of. One swam next to my kayak.
Not up close like Teddy - what a treat to see these pictures
Never met a dolphin, but I have to tell you this is one of the more unique story lenses in all of Squidoo. Great lens!! :)
Judging the pictures above, I think that you had fun!! I hope to have a close encounter with dolphins. Nice lens!
Sound like a great experience for all involved
I love dolfins but never was close to one of them. Great lens.
I had the chance to swim with dolphins a few years ago! I also love dogs (give me a dog over a cat any day!)
I've seen them, but so far I've not had the pleasure of meeting one up close. It looks like both Teddy and Kibby enjoyed the experience!
I've seen them in water parks and in the Moray Firth.
That is so adorable amazing!
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