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WEST ORANGE, NJ - West Orange High School students in Karen Green's Animal Behavior Course hosted a visit on Nov. 15 with Dog Trainer Frank Pugliese and his trained pitbull, Bella, to gain a better understanding of how to work with animals.
Pugliese is a Master Trainer/Behaviorist at Behavior Plus. He brought Bella to demonstrate how to handle and train dogs, including what not to do. Students were intrigued by his insights and knowledge on handling Bella. Interactive question and answer periods were interspersed throughout the demonstration.
The Animal Behavior class is now in its second year and is popular among students considering medical and/or veterinary careers. The course entails:
- Evolution of Animal Behavior
- Learning and Cultural Transmission (instinct vs learned behaviors)
- Sexual Selection and Mating System
- Social Behaviors such as Animal Play, Animal Cultural, Animal Politics, Animal Language, and Animal Business
Labs include the study of earthworms and flatworms, Pill Bugs, and Choice Chambers. Students also make class trips to observe animals, including visits to Turtle Back and the Bronx Zoo. Guest speakers include veterinarians and most recently, Pugliese.
"The thing I look forward to the most is observing the students' reactions during a live lab activity," said Green. "They get so much into it with excitement and their reactions are priceless. Also, the trips are great, because the students are gaining real-life experiences when observing the animals."
See more photos here.
Animal Behaviorist Frank Pugliese and Bella.
