About Miriam Fields-Babineau
Miriam Fields-Babineau is a graduate of the University of Maryland with degrees in Psychology and Zoology. She has been training animals professionally since 1980 and published 37 pet books, numerous magazine and newspaper articles, 2 novels, short stories and provided animals for media productions since 1983.
Between 1976 and 1977, Miriam Fields-Babineau was involved in the research of exotic plains animals to aid in the construction of their new exhibits at Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, MA. From 1977 through 1978, Ms. Fields-Babineau interned at Franklin Park Children's Zoo, learning how to care for exotic animals and present them via the Zoomobile program to Boston area schools.
Upon transferring to the University of Maryland, she began internships and studies at National Zoo in Washington, DC. While there she learned how to apply operant conditioning training techniques to her work with seals, sea lions, sea otters, wolves, polar bears, large cats and small mammals. She was also involved in the implementation of a program that studied the behavior of the animals in various environments.
After graduation from the University of Maryland she obtained work as a research assistant at Georgetown Medical School. Her tasks included the care and training of pigeons, rats and primates to Skinner boxes and learning apparatus among other duties.
In 1983 she started Training Unlimited, Inc. as a company which taught pet owners how to communicate with and train their pets. One of the main aspects separating her from other trainers was her ability to train all species of animals, not just dogs. Her clients have included felines, primates, pot-belly pigs, canines, equines and large birds, though dogs are the most common students.
Also during this time, the Smithsonian Institute requested her trained feline, Ling Ling, a Lilac Point Siamese, to appear in their new television program about Cats. They required a trained cat to sit on an actor's lap during his interview. While there, Ms. Fields-Babineau met the creator of the Garfield comic strip, the broadway cast of Cats and Robert Guillome, who held Ling Ling on his lap while on camera. Totally bitten by the animal actor bug during this event, Training Unlimited Animal Training and Animal Actors, Inc. was born. Animals trained by Ms. Fields-Babineau have appeared in feature films, television programs, theater, commercials and magazine/newspaper ads.
In 1986 her first article was published in the magazine, Canine Chronicle, regarding dog training. She was also interviewed for several newspaper articles and on television regarding her work with animal actors. In 1995 her first book was published by Sterling Publishing Company, Dog Training Basics. This was followed by 36 more books between 1997 and 2009 about dog behavior, training, care, breeds, cat training, rat training and articles about equines. Two of her books, Labradoodle (Kennel Club Books) and the Muse Medallion Award winning Cat Training in 10 Minutes (TFH Publishing, Inc) have been on the best-seller lists for many years.
Her books include:
Rat Training, Training the Family Dog, Mixed Breeds for Dummies, Puggle, Labradoodle, Click and Easy: Clicker Training for Dogs, Cat Training in 10 Minutes, Dog Training with a Head Halter, Raising Dogs the Natural Way, Training Your Puppy in 5 Minutes, ABCs of Positive Training, Training Your Mixed Breed, Aging Dog, Multiple Dog Households, and many more.
Her articles have appeared in Canine Chronicle, Dog Fancy, Off Lead, Parent and Child and Travel Virginia, among others.
She currently writes pet product reviews for the Examiner news agency. To read her reviews and learn how to purchase any products of interest, click here.
Her Fiction has been published by Design Image Group, Penguin U.S.A, Whispers of the Shattered Forum and Writer's House.
While researching products for her book, Dog Training with a Head Halter, she discovered that there wasn't a comfortable, easy to apply head halter on the market. After two years of trials and obtaining a manufacturer, the Comfort Trainer Head Halter entered the market. It is now sold world-wide, distributed by professional dog trainers, veterinarians and pet boutiques. She also designed the All-in-One Leash, custom couplers, pull tabs and a feline training tool.