Episode 373: From Elephants to Dogs with David McKelson

In Episode 373 of The Canine Paradigm, Glenn Cooke and Pat Stuart sit down with David McKelson, founder of Pro Dog Training. David has one of the more unusual backgrounds in Australian dog training. Before moving into dogs, he spent 17 years working in zoos. Much of that time was centred around elephant handling and training. He also worked with marine mammals and assisted with the training of many other species. Those included gorillas, giraffes and maned wolves. That experience gave David a very different perspective on training, animal welfare, staff development and risk management. From Elephants to Dog Training David’s career with animals began in a small wildlife park before he eventually secured a position at a major zoo. Early in his career, he worked across several departments. He eventually moved into elephant handling, where he remained for many years. Working with elephants carried serious consequences. David explains that when things go wrong with an elephant, the result may not simply be an injury. That reality shaped the way his team approached training. Clear systems mattered. Preparation mattered. Staff development mattered. David also became increasingly focused on creating training processes that reduced unnecessary errors. Over time, he travelled internationally and worked alongside experienced elephant trainers in Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States and Asia. Animal Welfare, Suppression and Enrichment One of the strongest parts of the episode explores the relationship between training and animal welfare. David discusses elephants that had experienced heavily suppressive handling earlier in life. Some became extremely difficult and potentially dangerous. One female elephant provides a particularly striking example. She rarely vocalised and displayed repetitive behaviour. She also struggled to settle and sleep normally. After she was introduced to another female elephant, her behaviour changed dramatically. She began vocalising and later started lying down to sleep. The discussion highlights the importance of social needs, enrichment and appropriate relationships. It also raises a larger question. Are animal management decisions always being made because they improve welfare, or are some decisions influenced by how things appear to the public? Training Versus Public Perception David explains how elephant management within zoos began changing. There was increasing pressure to move away from free-contact programs and towards protected-contact systems. Safety was part of that discussion. Public perception was another. David describes the difficulty of balancing staff safety, animal welfare and the opportunities created through training. The group also discusses how removing training opportunities can sometimes create another problem. Animals still require stimulation. They need opportunities to move, solve problems, interact and engage with their environment. David makes the point that training itself can be an important form of enrichment. That same principle carries directly into dogs. What This Means for Dogs Glenn, Pat and David draw several comparisons between zoo animals and domestic dogs. Simply providing more space does not automatically create better welfare. An animal can have space and still lack meaningful activity. Dogs in boarding or daycare environments may also struggle when they spend too much time without appropriate interaction or stimulation. The conversation examines the importance of enrichment, training and experienced staff. Good animal care requires people who can