If you follow animal training advice online, you’ve probably seen them: quick memes, short videos, and punchy rules that simplify complex training concepts. As attention spans on social media get shorter, the drive to share bite-sized tips or sound-bite solutions has grown. I applaud those efforts and don’t necessarily suggest that we stop, but I do think we need to talk about the confusion these shortcuts can create, and what we can do about it.
Whenever I share information on the internet or even in brief articles like this one, I remind people that this brief information is not a substitute for doing your own research or investigating the topic further. When speaking with the public, I remind them to still consult a professional trainer. Short advice like this is simply an overview or a summary, not the definitive word on a topic.
When Sound Bites Get Taken Out of Context
Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, people often distill what we say into a hard-and-fast rule, even when that was never the intent. As a teacher, I regularly hear statements like:
- “I thought you weren’t allowed to use a target when shaping!”
- “I was told to always reinforce for position!”
- “But the ‘click ends the behavior,’ right?”
- “Doesn’t the click always have to be followed by food?”
- “You should never use a lure more than 3 times for a behavior!”
- “I thought we were supposed to always end sessions on a positive note?”
These are all great questions or statements, and I fully understand where they come from, but those short statements don’t tell the full story. The excellent trainers who first made those statements did so as part of a broader explanation. They were never meant to stand alone as universal rules.
They were never meant to stand alone as universal rules.
Don’t Be Too Quick to Judge
This is also a reminder to those of us who are professionals not to be too quick to judge another trainer when someone quotes them out of context. Well, so-and-so said that it should be done this way. My response is never to say, “Well, that trainer clearly doesn’t know what they’re talking about.” Instead, my response is, “Well, I wonder what the context for that statement was? I’m sure they probably have a good reason for suggesting that approach.” I try to give the trainer being quoted the benefit of the doubt, then explain my approach or perspective, being careful not to criticize or negate the other trainer. I simply assume that the person asking me the question is taking it out of context.
Watch Out for “Always” and “Never”
Another common pattern is front-loading those out-of-context statements with words like “always” or “never.” “You should always do things this way.” Or “You should never use this approach.” The more experience I gain, the less I use those words. There are often exceptions or further explanations required to make those statements truly useful and meaningful.
An example that happens to me often, people sometimes quote the title of one of my teaching slides. I appreciate being quoted, but what is not included is the five minutes of detailed description and explanation that I included after that very quotable first statement. There’s nothing we can do to keep from being misquoted or taken out of context – we just have to be aware that it is a risk when we post things publicly.
As a professional, I wouldn’t shy away from offering sound bite solutions. The key is helping your audience understand the limits of what you’re sharing.
Share Sound Bites But Set Expectations
Short animal training advice has real value. I like the short statements. There is nothing wrong with a quick social media meme. I regularly post short how-to videos or explanations. We just need to be aware of how easily those things can be misconstrued. As a professional, I wouldn’t shy away from offering sound bite solutions. The key is helping your audience understand the limits of what you’re sharing.
Happy Training,
Ken Ramirez
Note: This article was originally published on 06/26/2026. We regularly review our content to ensure that the principles and techniques remain valuable and relevant. However, best practices continue to evolve. If you notice anything that may need updating, please feel free to contact us at [email protected].
