COMPANION ANIMAL SCIENCES INSTITUTE
est. 1999
Diploma in Canine Behavior Science and Technology (CBST)
Program Description
The Canine Behavior Science and Technology program is our flagship program. It is a rigorous/intensive 500–hour (560–hour with specialization track)/1–year completely distance-oriented program of study intended to help dog trainers, animal behavior technologists, or other animal-field professionals upgrade and expand important skills and knowledge well beyond the current industry standard for their careers in training dogs and helping clients resolve challenging problem behaviors.
The program addresses all key topics in behavior change project management in great depth, including the principles of behavior; tactics, strategies, and procedures in non-coercive animal training; functional behavioral assessment of problematic behaviors; contingency engineering procedures; professional activities; case management; professional ethics; and species-specific behavior. Students will be able to carry out hands-on training with their dogs and engage in a problem-behavior resolution project.
The program begins with a brief introduction to the discipline and then addresses a number of foundational natural science of behavior courses. It gradually encompasses more practical and hands-on work, finishing with species-specific and specialized coursework and professional activities.
Students can expect to do a lot of studying and assignment preparation in this program of study. They can also expect to work hands-on with their own dog. The graduate will have a solid fluency with the natural science of behavior at the Masters level and have had the opportunity to engage in hands-on training utilizing both basic and advanced procedures and to work through a behavior change project to resolve a problem behavior (achieved by first training a harmless "problem" behavior). This program has video submission requirements.
Graduates will have a thorough and in-depth knowledge and set of skills in behavior and a systematic strategy for applying powerful science-based procedures to change behavior effectively and efficiently in even the most complex of cases.
CASI uses a shaping model of education, setting the student up for success and providing support/guidance and multiple opportunities to refine and resubmit assignments as required. This results in greater conditioning and minimal stress for the student. It also means that incorrect answers do not result in failure or low grades but rather an opportunity, with guidance, to condition the correct response.
Students or graduates who would like to take their program of study to the next level may include the Advanced Graduate Track, which extends their studies into a higher level of theoretical exploration and includes human behavior as well as companion animal behavior. The track is included on the graduate's diploma. If enrolled before graduation, it extends the deadline an extra 2 months. This add-on module represents approximately 5 to 6 of our regular courses in length and depth.
Students and graduates can include an Aggressive Behavior Specialization track in their program of study. The specialization will be included on the graduate's diploma. This extra module addresses aggressive behavior in dogs more extensively than the content in the core of the program and represents a thorough grounding in the topic. This add-on module represents approximately 5 to 6 of our regular courses in length and depth. For details on content, click here and scroll down.
Graduates may use the credential letters CBST after their name and use the CASI Graduate logo for marketing.
Tuition (Tuition can be paid on the ENROLL page)
$1,690 for a limited time (35% off) $2,600.00 (Currency converter. This provides only an estimate). Canadian residents pay applicable sales tax.
Courses
(Scroll down for individual course descriptions)
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Introduction to Behaviorology – 101
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Environment–Behavior Functional Relations I – 105
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Environment–Behavior Functional Relations II – 106
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Introduction to Operant Conditioning I – 108
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Introduction to Operant Conditioning II – 109
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Respondent Conditioning – 111
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Schedules of Reinforcement – 115
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Differential Reinforcement – 116
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Aversive Stimulation and its Problems – 117
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Errorless Training Strategy – 121
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Non-Coercive Contingency Engineering – 189
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Animal Training Technology I - 122
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Animal Training Technology II – 123
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Advanced Animal Training Techniques (Shaping) – 140
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Advanced Animal Training Techniques (Chaining and Sequencing) – 141
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Basic Training Skills Workshop* – 103
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Shaping Workshop* – 160
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Chaining Workshop* – 161
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Functional Behavioral Assessment I – 170
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Functional Behavioral Assessment II – 171
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Functional Behavioral Assessment III – 172
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Functional Diagnostics – 173
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Strategies in Constructional Contingency Engineering – 180
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Behavior Objectives – 181
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Antecedent Contingency Engineering Procedures – 182
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Postcedent Contingency Engineering Procedures – 183
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Contingency Engineering Strategies by Functional Diagnostic Code – 184
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Maintenance of Behavior Changes – 185
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Training Humans – 124
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Contingency Management Planning Workshop* – 188
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Introduction to Behavioral Complexity – 110
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Case Management – 190
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Professional Ethics – 191
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Training Dogs I – 150
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Training Dogs II – 151
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Dog Behavior I – 192
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Dog Behavior II – 193
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Training Puppies – 153
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Dog Behavior Problems I – 194
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Dog Behavior Problems II – 198
Add-on
The following add-on module can be included (will be included on diploma / scroll to bottom to see descriptions):
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Advanced Graduate Track (2 months extra)
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Aggressive Behavior Specialization (2 months extra)
Schedule
Self-paced within a 1-year time limit. Extensions are available at a fee if required. 14 months with the Aggressive Behavior Specialization track or the Advanced Graduate track or 16 months with both. Enroll and get started any time you want from anywhere in the world.
CEUs
Entrance Requirements (click here for details and elaboration)
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High school diploma or equivalent (exceptions can be made)
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18 years of age or older
Course Descriptions
Introduction to Behaviorology - 101
This course introduces the student to the discipline of behaviorology, the completely independent and comprehensive natural science of behavior, including its philosophical underpinnings (radical behaviorism), and relates it to other disciplines, fields, and approaches, including behavior analysis, psychology, ethology, and the medical model approach. This course is provided for program-enrolled students and is recommended but not required for graduation.
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Definition and History of behaviorology
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Philosophy of natural science
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Radical behaviorism
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Modes of causation
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Evolutions via selection by consequences (biological evolution, repertoire evolution, cultural evolution)
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Psychology
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Behavior analysis
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Ethology
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Medical model approach
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Verbal behavior of natural scientists
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Behaviorology as a comprehensive discipline
Approximate time required: 15 hours
Environment–Behavior Functional Relations I - 105
This course introduces the student to behavior and stimulation, the two fundamental variables that the natural science of behavior studies the relationship between. It explores what behaviors are and are not, as well as the various categories of behavior, and it discussions stimulation as it relates to behavior.
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Behavior (responses, response classes, and response class forms)
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Categories of behavior (operant vs. respondent & conditioned versus unconditioned)
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Stimulation
Approximate time required: 15 hours
Environment–Behavior Functional Relations II - 106
This course continues an introduction to the environment–behavior relations. It introduces the functional relationship between stimulation and behavior, defines conditioning, and explores the physics of behavior. Contingency analyses are covered as well as the notation for depicting contingencies. The three-term contingency is discussed in detail as well as the components contingencies that comprise it. The importance of externalizing contingencies is emphasized. The course ends with an introduction to increasing complexities in accounting for behavior.
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Functional relations
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Causation in operant contingencies
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Respondent contingencies
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Conditioning
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Physics of behavior
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Effects of conditioning on behavior
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Contingency analysis
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Depicting contingencies in formal notation
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Analyzing episodes behavior
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Component contingencies in the three-term contingency
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Externalizing contingencies
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Increasing complexity in accounting for behavior
Approximate time required: 15 hours
Introduction to Operant Conditioning I - 108
This first course in a two-course sequence introduces the Law of Effect and the basic terms and categories of behavior and behavior change processes. Reinforcement and punishment, both added and subtracted, and both conditioned and unconditioned processes and procedures are explored. Extinction is discussed, followed by detailing the variables influencing the effectiveness of both reinforcement and punishment.
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Law of effect
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Basic terms and categories
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Reinforcement (added and subtracted)
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Punishment (added and subtracted)
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Extinction
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Variable influencing the effectiveness of reinforcement
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Variable influencing the effectiveness of punishment
Approximate time required: 15 hours
Introduction to Operant Conditioning II - 109
This second course in a two-course sequence continues an introduction to basic operant conditioning processes and principles. Antecedent principles, processes, and procedures are explored in detail, including stimulus control and its transfer, generalization, and discrimination, fading of antecedent stimuli, prompting and function-altering stimulation, including motivating operations.
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Antecedent principles, processes, and procedures
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Stimulus control
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Terms and relations
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Generalization and discrimination training
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Transferring stimulus control
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Prompting
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Function-altering stimulation
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Motivating operations
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Fading and establishing function-altering stimuli
Approximate time required: 15 hours
Respondent Conditioning - 111
This course introduces the student to the basic processes, principles, and procedures involved in respondent conditioning, including the establishing of and extinction of conditioned responses, as well as habituation, potentiation, and sensitization, followed by a discussion of the importance of respondent conditioning in contingency engineering.
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Terms, principles, and processes
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Respondent extinction
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Habituation, potentiation, and sensitization
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Importance of respondent conditioning in contingency engineering
Approximate time required: 10 hours
Schedules of Reinforcement - 115
This course introduces the student to simple and compound schedules of added reinforcement and schedule extensions, including the limited hold.
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Simple schedules of added reinforcement
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Continuous reinforcement
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Extinction
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Intermittent reinforcement
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Fixed and variable ratio schedules
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Fixed and variable interval schedules
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Fixed and variable duration schedules
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Differential reinforcement of low rate of responding
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Differential reinforcement of high rate of responding
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Differential reinforcement of diminishing rates
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Schedule extensions (limited hold, “jackpotting”)
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Compound schedules of reinforcement
Approximate time required: 15 hours
Differential Reinforcement - 116
This course introduces the student to differential reinforcement, including its most commonly required forms in contingency engineering practice, including differential reinforcement of incompatible, alternative, and other behaviors and of low rate of responding. The course concludes with a discussion of shaping and the management of schedules of reinforcement throughout contingency engineering projects.
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Differential reinforcement
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Differential reinforcement of other behaviors
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Differential reinforcement of alternative behaviors
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Differential reinforcement of incompatible behaviors
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Differential reinforcement of successive approximations of a terminal behavior (shaping)
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Managing schedules of reinforcement
Approximate time required: 10 hours
Aversive Stimulation and its Problems - 117
This course addresses the topic of aversive stimulation and the problems associated with its use. After an initial discussion defining the topic and terms and of why punitive methods are so pervasive, problematic side effects are covered in detail, divided generally into respondent and operant side effects. The course concludes with a discussion of the role of aversive stimulation in conditioning processes and exploration of whether punishment “works” in a practical and putative sense.
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Why is aversive stimulation pervasive?
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Defining aversive stimulation
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Respondent side-effects (aversive emotional arousal and conditioning)
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Operant side-effects (escape behavior)
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Clarification of punishment and its role in changing behavior
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Does punishment “work”?
Approximate time required: 10 hours
Errorless Training Strategy - 121
This course explores the general errorless training strategy as opposed to the trial-and-error approach.
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Errorless training vs. trial-and-error conditioning
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Methods of minimizing non-criterion responding
Approximate time required: 8 hours
Non-Coercive Behavior Engineering - 189
This course provides guidance on how to avoid coercive methods and tools in favor of added reinforcement-based methods and identification of impediments that may be resolved without ratcheting up coercive practices.
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Avoiding extremism and dogmatism
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Aversiveness-ratcheting strategies
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Emphasizing constructional added reinforcement-based methods
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Importance of constructional added reinforcement-emphasized behavior change strategies
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Strategy of avoiding vs. banning aversive methods and tools
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Working through the algorithm
Approximate time required: 8 hours
Animal Training Technology I - 122
This course is the first in a two-course sequence that introduces the student to animal training strategies and the implementation of training plans. It begins with an introduction to modern constructional (as opposed to eliminative) and graded / errorless (as opposed to trial-and-error) methods. It details how to plan a training project, including the identification of the target behavior and establishment specific behavior objectives. It provides guidance on selecting both conditioned and unconditioned reinforcers.
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General systematic training process (graded constructional approach)
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Planning and preparation
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Identifying and defining target behavior
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Preparing formal behavior objective
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Graded/constructional versus trial-and-error approach
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Identification of reinforcers and establishing conditioned reinforcers
Approximate time required: 10 hours
Animal Training Technology II - 123
This course is the second in a two-course sequence that introduces the student to animal training strategies and the implementation of training plans. It outlines the principles and procedures involved in working through a systematic training process including acquit ion training, fluency training, and maintenance training. At each stage in training, different procedures and practices must occur and each are discussed in detail.
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Acquisition stage of training (antecedent and postcedent tactics)
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Identification of required procedure
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Handling non-criterion behaviors
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Fluency stage of training
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Maintenance stage of training
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Constructing systematic training plan
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10 laws of training
Approximate time required: 10 hours
Advanced Animal Training Techniques (Shaping) - 140
This course is the first in a two-course sequence that introduces the student to advanced animal training strategies and the implementation of training plans. This first course explores shaping in greater depth, providing guidance in all components of implementing a shaping plan. It begins with a detailed analysis of the shaping process, discusses its appropriate uses and inappropriate uses based on the training objectives, describes how to plan the behavior approximations and then how to implement the plan with practical advice. This course requires access to a companion dog for engaging in training exercises.
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Analysis of shaping process
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Appropriate applications for shaping
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Planning behavior objectives and behavior approximations
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Implementation of shaping plan
Approximate time required: 8 hours
Advanced Animal Training Techniques (Chaining and Sequencing) - 141
This course is the second in a two-course sequence that introduces the student to advanced animal training strategies and the implementation of training plans. This second course explores chaining in greater depth, providing guidance in all components of implementing a chaining plan. It begins with a detailed analysis of the chaining process, constructing and validating task analyses, describes how to train component behaviors and how to bring each under the appropriate stimulus controls, resulting in a behavior chain exhibited by a single trainer-provided cue. The course covers both forward and backward chaining procedures and under what conditions each is most suitable. This course requires access to a companion dog for engaging in training exercises.
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Analysis of chaining process
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Constructing and validating task analysis
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Assessment of levels of proficiency of requisite behaviors
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Training compound behaviors
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Forward and backward chaining procedures
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Chain quality
Approximate time required: 8 hours
Basic Training Skills Workshop - 103
This course takes students through a series of specific hands-on tasks, each designed to isolate and promote specific skills including:
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Timing
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Concentration
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Coordination
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Clicker accuracy/dexterity
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Quantitative tracking of behavior
Approximate time required: 10 hours
Shaping Workshop - 160
This course is a hands-on workshop, building on the Advanced Animal Training Techniques (Shaping) course, in which the student implements a basic shaping plan that they have designed. This workshop will help the student develop the following skills: timing, concentration, clicker accuracy and dexterity, relying less on trainer-mediated prompting, planning behavior approximations, identifying target behavior, maintaining suitable energy/enthusiasm, maintaining high rate of reinforcement, setting criteria for next behavior approximation. This course requires access to a companion animal for engaging in training exercises.
Approximate time required: 12 hours
Chaining Workshop - 161
This course is a hands-on workshop, building on the Advanced Animal Training Techniques (Chaining) course, in which the student implements a basic chaining plan that they have designed. The student will validate a task analysis, select an appropriate behavior chain, select the appropriate chaining procedure, and implement that plan. This course requires access to a companion animal for engaging in training exercises.
Approximate time required: 10 hours
Functional Behavioral Assessment I - 170
This first course in a three-course sequence introduces the student to functional behavioral assessment processes and tools utilized by behaviorologists, behavior analysts, and behavior technologist in evaluating problematic animal behavior in preparation for constructing and implementing a contingency engineering plan to resolve the problem. It explores what functional behavioral assessment is and is not and describes common explanatory fictions and other barriers to effective assessment that are common in other approaches. It then proceeds all the way from the screening process before assessment begins through the functional interview stage of assessment. The remaining stages of assessment are covered in the second course in this sequence.
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Purpose and definition of functional behavioral assessment
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Avoiding explanatory fictions in assessing behavior
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Screening cases
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Functional assessment interview
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Using the functional assessment interview form
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Contingency analysis
Approximate time required: 15 hours
Functional Behavioral Assessment II - 171
This second course in a three-course sequence continues to introduce the student to functional behavioral assessment processes and tools utilized by behaviorologists, behavior analysts, and behavior technologist in evaluating problematic animal behavior in preparation for constructing and implementing a contingency engineering plan to resolve the problem. It explores the next stage in the functional behavioral assessment process: direct observation (including measures and measurement systems and the tracking of behavior quantitatively, establishing a baseline, analyzing level, trend, and variance and representing behavior-related data graphically).
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Direct observation
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Measures of behavior
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Measurement systems
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Tracking behavior quantitatively
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Establishing a baseline
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Analyzing level, trend, and variance
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Representing behavior data graphically
Approximate time required: 15 hours
Functional Behavioral Assessment III - 172
This third course in a two-course sequence continues to introduce the student to functional behavioral assessment processes and tools utilized by behaviorologists, behavior analysts, and behavior technologist in evaluating problematic animal behavior in preparation for constructing and implementing a contingency engineering plan to resolve the problem. It explores the final stage in the functional behavioral assessment process: functional analysis (including how to control for extraneous and confounding variables in functional analysis experiments, common experimental designs, and diagram contingency analyses).
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Functional analysis
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Experimental conditions in experiments
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AB design
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Reversal design
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Diagramming contingency analyses
Approximate time required: 10 hours
Functional Diagnostics - 173
This course introduces the student to a functional diagnostic system that once, confirmed, identifies the specific kind of reinforcer and the manner in which is occurs. This is completely different from topographical or categorical diagnostic systems utilized in medical model approaches. Ten course explores both access and escape functions and whether the reinforcer is contacted directly or vie social mediation, as well as the specific kind of reinforcer along with case specifics. Making a functional diagnosis during the functional behavioral assessment process ensures that the problematic contingencies are fully described and it provides a concise manner in which to verbalize about such cases.
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Functional vs. topographic or categorical diagnoses
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The quadrants of functional diagnosis
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Differential functional diagnosis algorithm
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Access vs. escape function
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Direct vs. socially mediated reinforcement
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Direct access: immediate sensory stimuli
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Direct access: tangible reinforcers
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Socially mediated access: human attention
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Socially mediated access: conspecific attention
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Socially mediated access: tangible reinforcers
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Direct escape: aversive social situation
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Direct escape: task challenge (duration)
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Direct escape: task challenge (difficulty)
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Direct escape: aversive physical stimulation
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Socially mediated escape: aversive social stimuli
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Socially mediated escape: task challenge (duration)
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Socially mediated escape: task challenge (difficulty)
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Socially mediated escape: aversive physical stimulation
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Multifunctional behavior
Approximate time required: 10 hours
Strategies in Constructional Contingency Engineering - 180
This course introduces the student to some of the foundational strategies and underlying principles used in constructing contingency management plans. After introducing the topic, the contingency management plan as functional analysis test and as a systematic scientific process is discussed, followed by coverage of constructional versus eliminative strategies and errorless versus trial-and-error strategies. Characteristics of and effective contingency management plan are presented, followed by coverage of the behavior replacement model of behavior engineering.
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Terminology: contingency management plan/behavior engineering plan/behavior change plan
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Contingency management plan as test of contingency analysis
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Contingency management plan as comprehensive and systematic, yet practical, scientific process
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The constructional approach (as opposed to the eliminative approach)
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Graded and errorless approach (as opposed to trial-and-error, sink-or-swim approach)
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Characteristics of effective contingency management plan
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The behavior replacement strategy
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Minimally aversive intervention strategies
Approximate time required: 10 hours
Behavior Objectives - 181
This course will introduce students to preparing formal behavior objectives. It will explore the components of a formal behavior objectives and how to decide on them as well as explore several examples that will illustrate different decisions made when establishing formal behavior objectives.
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Determining and stating formal behavior objectives
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Tracking target and replacement behaviors quantitatively
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Establishing behavior objectives in example cases
Approximate time required: 10 hours
Antecedent Contingency Engineering Procedures - 182
This course explores the various procedures that may be employed to change behavior that address the antecedent environment. This includes evocative stimulus control procedures and function-altering stimulus control procedures. The procedures correspond to which of the two major classes of antecedent stimulation influence behavior. This course includes discussion of changing emotional behaviors that act as motivating operations for problematic operant behaviors.
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Evocative stimulus control procedures
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Preclusion
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The graded (errorless) approach
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Environment enrichment
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Non-contingent functional reinforcement (NCR)
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Eliminating establishing operations (and dealing with emotional behaviors)
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Flooding and graded exposure and response prevention and why they are best avoided
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Respondent counterconditioning as byproduct of added reinforcement-emphasized procedures
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Function-altering stimulus control procedures
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The role of medication and supplementation
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Rehabilitating “conditioned helplessness” and/or “response depression”
Approximate time required: 10 hours
Postcedent Contingency Engineering Procedures - 183
This course explores the various procedures that may be employed to change behavior that address the postcedent environment, that is, the consequences. This includes the general strategic choice to promote tolerance or replace the escape behavior, as well as response effort control, extinction/preclusion.chain interruption, differential reinforcement procedures and differential reinforcement-like procedures. Both differential added reinforcement and differential subtracted reinforcement are covered, as is added punishment and how best to avoid its use.
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Tolerance vs replacement escape as general strategies
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Manipulating response effort
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Extinction and chain interruption (vs. exclusion)
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Differential reinforcement (DRI, DRO, DRA, DRL)
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DRI/DRA for access-functional behaviors
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DRI/DRA-like procedures for escape-functional behaviors
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DRO for access-functional behaviors
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DRO-like procedure for escape-functional behaviors
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Graded differential subtracted reinforcement of other behaviors (tolerance training)
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Added punishment and how to avoid resorting to coercive methods
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Steps for applying differential reinforcement procedures
Approximate time required: 15 hours
Contingency Engineering Strategies by Functional Diagnostic Code - 184
This course provides the student with general strategies and an exploration of procedure choice with respect to the functional diagnostic codes covered in a pre-requisite course. Both direct and socially mediates types and access and escape types of all kinds are discussed.
General strategies if behavior engineering for the following functional diagnostic categories:
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Direct vs. socially mediated reinforcement
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Direct access: immediate sensory stimuli
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Direct access: tangible reinforcers
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Socially mediated access: human attention
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Socially mediated access: conspecific attention
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Socially mediated access: tangible reinforcers
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Direct escape: aversive social situation
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Direct escape: task challenge (duration)
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Direct escape: task challenge (difficulty)
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Direct escape: aversive physical stimulation
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Socially mediated escape: aversive social stimuli
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Socially mediated escape: task challenge (duration)
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Socially mediated escape: task challenge (difficulty)
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Socially mediated escape: aversive physical stimulation
Approximate time required: 10 hours
Maintenance of Behavior Changes - 185
This course explores the maintenance phase of contingency management projects, including generalization training, how to thin the schedule of reinforcement, settling on a maintenance rate, promote reinforcer generalization, and monitor the rate of the behavior in case it re-emerges.
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Generalization training (stimulus, response and setting)
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Thinning schedule of reinforcement
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Introducing non-trainer mediated reinforcers
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Monitoring and re-intervening as necessary
Approximate time required: 5 hours
Training Humans - 124
This course provides students with an introduction to training humans. It begins by covering verbal and social behaviors within a verbal community and then moves on to discuss how to encourage productive client verbal behavior. The course provides a model for training humans, including setting objectives, describing, explaining, and demonstrating, assessing proficiency, and following up. Finally, training groups of people are covered.
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Verbal behavior
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Social behavior
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Verbal communities
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Prompting productive verbal behavior
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Training humans
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Training groups of people
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Constructing and running group classes
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Working with children and disabled persons
Approximate time required: 10 hours
Contingency Management Planning Workshop - 188
This workshop brings together the knowledge conditioned in pre-requisite courses on contingency management planning and training, providing the student the opportunity to apply these strategies, principles and procedures to actual animal behavior. The student trains an innocuous “problem” behavior, which they then implement a contingency management plan of their own design to “resolve” with added reinforcement-based methods. This course requires access to a companion animal for engaging in training exercises.
Approximate time required: 15 hours
Introduction to Behavioral Complexity - 110
This course explores a number of advanced and complex issues in the analysis of behavior, including:
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Multiple-term contingencies
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Concurrent competing and supporting contingencies
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Operant-respondent interaction
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The law of cumulative complexity
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Analysis of complex episodes of behavior
Approximate time required: 10 hours
Case Management - 190
This course provides an introduction to case management practices, including establishing a professional relationship with a client and the mist typical manner of working through cases. It includes information on service agreements, informed consent, and liability waivers, as well as in working cooperatively with veterinarians and managing liability exposure for the technologist and the client. Suggested (but not required) texts: How to Run a Dog Business by Boutelle. Click here.; So You Want to be a Dog Trainer by Nicole Wilde. Click here.; It's Not the Dogs, It's the People! by Nicole Wilde. Click here.
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Managing cases professionally
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Resources for professionals
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Service contracts and liability forms
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Informed consent
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Working with veterinarians
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Liability issues
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Sample service contract
Approximate time required: 15 hours
Professional Ethics - 191
This course introduces students to basic ethical principles and to issues covered in professional ethics guidelines and codes of ethics, including issues of competence, confidentiality, advertising/marketing, informed consent, use of animals in research, academic ethics, aversive stimulation, resolving ethical issues, and professional boundaries.
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Basic ethical principles, including autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, fidelity
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Professional practice guidelines and component parts
Approximate time required: 6 hours
Species-Specific Courses
Training Dogs I - 150
This course is the first in a two-course sequence that introduces the student to training dogs. It begins with a discussion of suitable and unsuitable equipment choices before covering the training of dogs to exhibit the following behaviors on cue: name, sit, down, stand, and wait in great detail from the initial acquisition stage through the fluency stage to the maintenance stage. The steps and procedures described for training the above behaviors may then be applied to training other behaviors. There is a video submission requirements in this course.
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Equipment
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Name
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Sit
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Down
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Stand
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Wait
Approximate time required: 15 hours
Training Dogs II - 151
This course is the second in a two-course sequence that introduces the student to training dogs. It continues the detailed elaboration of training dogs through the following behaviors: take it/drop it, recall, off, loose leash walking, and got to place in great detail from the initial acquisition stage, through the fluency stage, to the maintenance stage. It ends with a discussion of common training challenges and training under special circumstances. The steps and procedures described for training the above behaviors may then be applied to training other behaviors. There is a video submission requirements in this course.
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Take it / Drop it
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Recall
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Off
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Loose leash walking
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Go to bed/mat (location)
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Training challenges and special circumstances
Approximate time required: 15 hours
Dog Behavior I - 192
This first course in a two-course series describes the behavioral development of dogs and variation in behavior tendencies between breeds.
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Behavioral development of dogs
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Breed variation (behavioral)
Approximate time required: 10 hours
Dog Behavior II - 193
This second course in a two-course sequence describes the species-typical social behaviors of dogs, including contact enhancing versus aggressive or “appeasing” escape behaviors and the role of arousal. It also discussed greeting rituals and ambivalent behaviors when a subject is exposed to concurrent conflicting contingencies.
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Species-typical social behaviors
Approximate time required: 10 hours
Training Puppies - 153
This course addresses topics specific to training puppies and includes the following topics:
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Socialization programming (and the various training tasks involved in that)
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Housetraining
Approximate time required: 15 hours
Dog Behavior Problems I - 194
This course will introduce students to the common problematic behaviors of dogs, including typical contingencies they are components of and peculiarities in their management. Topic covered include aggressive behaviors.
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The behaviorological approach to problematic behaviors
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Aggressive behaviors
Approximate time required: 15 hours
Dog Behavior Problems II - 198
This course will introduce students to the common problematic behaviors of dogs, including typical contingencies they are components of and peculiarities in their management. Topics covered include social-isolation related problems, excessive barking, jumping up, inappropriate voiding, and coprophagia.
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Social-isolation related behaviors
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Barking
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Jumping up
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Inappropriate voiding
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Coprophagia
Approximate time required: 15 hours
Advanced Graduate Track
The Advanced Graduate Track takes coverage of behaviorology to the next level. It's content includes humans as well as other animals and utilizes the discipline's most advanced textbook that is used in masters and doctoral programs. Many of the topics are review from the main program but they take each into more depth and into more or the theoretical aspects.
Required Text:
General Behaviorology: The Natural Science of Human Behavior available at www.behavior.org (let me know if you cannot find a copy from a place that ships outside of the USA)
Topics include (taken from textbook table of contents:
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Introduction
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The General Nature of This Book, and the Audience at which it is Directed
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The Style and Thematic Development of This Book
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The Organization of the Natural Science Community
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Basic versus applied.
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Reduction.
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Sociocultural importance.
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The classification of natural sciences in this book.
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Mystical Accounts: Their Implications and Resistance to their Proffer
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The Cultural Contribution Enabled by the Distinctiveness of Behaviorology
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A Natural Science of Behavior
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Natural Science Assumptions
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Variables in the Natural Sciences
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Science and Human Behavior
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The Emergence, Nature, and Capacity of Behaviorology
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Behaviorology as a discipline.
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Curriculum.
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Relation to other disciplines.
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Disciplines and Fields
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A Definition of Behaviorology
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Kinds of Behavior: Definitions and Classifications
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Perspectives on Behavior
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Some Traditional Classifications
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Motor behavior.
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Verbal behavior.
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Emotional behavior.
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A Behaviorological Classification Scheme
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Respondent behavior.
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Operant behavior.
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The Properties of Behavior
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Environment.
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The energy to behave.
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Other non–behaviors.
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Behavioral continuity.
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Different ways to account for behavior.
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Operant–Respondent Distinctions
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Avoiding Private Internal Events During Analyses
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Traits are not Behaviors
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The Relation of Traits to Behaviors
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Ambiguous References
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Functional Relations in the Science of Behavior
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Definition of “Functional Relation”
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The Nature of Environment–Behavior Functional Relations
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A Practical Example of a Behaviorological Functional Relation
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Terms and Phrases
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All Behavior is Controlled
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The Analysis of Behavioral Events
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The General Analytical Approach
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Antecedent events.
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Postcedent events.
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Terms of function.
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The question of immediacy.
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An Illustrative Analytical Example
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Answering the Basic Analytical Questions
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Common Explanatory Alternatives
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Avoiding Difficult Analyses
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Time as Cause
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Genes as Cause
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The Necessary Elicitation of Respondent Behavior
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The Bodily Support of Behavior
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Biological versus Behaviorological Control of Behavior
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Distinguishing between “Evoke” and “Elicit”
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Explanatory Fictions
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The Point of Being Scientific
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Explanatory Fictions
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Introduction and Definitions
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Practical behaviorological technologies.
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The hypothetical fictional construct.
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Explanatory fictions versus untrue explanations.
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Time–lapse explanatory fictions.
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Teleological explanations.
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Explanatory Fictions in Respondent Conditioning
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Explanatory Fictions in Operant Conditioning
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Relations among Kinds of Behavior
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Levels of Analysis in Constructing Explanations of Behavior
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The Role of an Emotional Predisposition
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Departures from the Analytical Level of Functional Antecedent Stimuli
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A Review of Teleological Explanations
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Explanatory Fictions: A Quick Review
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Ambiguous Terms: Like, Want, and Desire
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The Transparency of Fictional Explanations
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Behavior in its Natural Context
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Contingencies of Reinforcement: Their Properties and Analysis
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The General Analytical Approach
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A Simple Two–Term Contingency
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Expanded Notation for More Complex Antecedents
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A Simple Three–Term Contingency
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The Locus of the Operant Effect
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Identifying the Behavior of Concern
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Chained Effects of Operant Conditioning
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Problems with the Technical Language
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The Maintenance of Behavior
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The Basis of Behavior Technology
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Invalid Assumptions that Impede Behavior Technology
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Crafting Science to Accommodate Bias
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The Myth of Free Will
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The Basic Mistake and the Compounding Fallacy
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Dispelling the Free Agent
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Must You Be Aware of the Contingencies that are Controlling Your Behavior?
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More Examples: Behavior Unexplained by the Behaving Person
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Contingencies of Reinforcement and Contingencies of Survival
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Selection under Contingencies of Reinforcement
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Selection under Contingencies of Survival
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Language as the Product of Operant Selection
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Causal Fallacies in the Analysis of Concurrent Behaviors
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Concurrent Responses to a Single Antecedent Stimulus
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A Practical Function of an Emotional Arousal
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The Different Kinds of Contingencies of Reinforcement
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Reinforcement in General
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Positive Reinforcement
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Negative Reinforcement
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Writing a contingency of negative reinforcement.
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Locating the negative reinforcer.
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Summary of the Reinforcement Function
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Positive Punishment
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Negative Punishment
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Extinction
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“Extinction versus Negative Punishment”
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The Analysis of a Potentially Ambiguous Case
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Further Consideration of the Consequences of Operant Behavior
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Operant–Respondent Combinations
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Exclusively Operant Functions
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Where’s the Body?
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Reviewing the Basis of Behavior Technology
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A Third Possibility for Changing a Behavior
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Important Analytical Considerations
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Writing Contingencies in Symbolic Notation
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6: Concurrent Contingencies
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The Analysis of Multiple Contingencies
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Analytical Principles
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Analytical Illustrations: Multiple Contingencies on One Behavior
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“Progress” as a Conditioned Reinforcer
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Conflict
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Moving forward. / Moving backward. / The oscillations.
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Private versus Public Events in Analyses
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Rendering the Analytical Scheme Practical
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The Functioning of Verbal Behavior
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Speculation in Contingency Analyses Featuring Private Events
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The Postulate of Behavior Passivity
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Analytical Fallacies
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Time is not Behavior
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Avoid Writing Contingencies for Behaviors that Do Not Occur
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The Behaviorological Analysis of “Boredom”
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The Correct Analytical Approach
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An Example of Boredom Featuring Positive Reinforcement
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The Role of Consciousness
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An Example of Boredom Featuring Negative Reinforcement
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The Role of Bodily States
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Body States are not Behaviors
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Body States as Stimuli
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Avoiding Remote Antecedents and Postcedents
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Specific Response, or Behavior in General?
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Distinguishing between Metacontingencies and Contingencies of Reinforcement
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Metacontingencies that Yield Nonbehavioral Outcomes
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Metacontingencies that Yield Behavioral Outcomes
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Avoiding the Confounding of Contingencies of Reinforcement and Metacontingencies
Aggressive Behavior Specialized Track (if canine species selected)
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Section 1. Scope of the “Aggressive Behavior Problem” and Risk Factors
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Perspective
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Statistics
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Risk Factors for Dog–Human Aggressive Behavior
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Risk Factors for Dog–Dog Aggressive Behaviors
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Section 2. Case Management
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Roles and Perspectives of Technologists and Clients
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The Behavior of Guardians of Dogs who Exhibit Aggressive Behaviors
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Case Management
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The Consult Sessions
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Equipment and Supplies
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Liability Issues
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Guardian Liability
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Technologist Liability
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Section 3. Explaining Aggressive Behavior Exhibited by Dogs
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What is “Aggressive” Behavior? – Review From Previous Coursework to Set the Stage
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Why Do Dogs Exhibit Aggressive Behavior?
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Aggressive Behavior Categories
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Aggressive Behaviors Generalize… and Fast!
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How to React to Aggressive Behaviors
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Problematic Human Behaviors
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What do “Aggressive” Dogs Look Like?
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Ambivalent “Aggressive”/“Appeasing” Behaviors
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Ambivalent “Affiliative”/“Aggressive” Behaviors
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Section 4. Practices to Prevent Aggressive Behavior
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Basic Principles of Prevention
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Early Recognition and Intervention
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Bite Inhibition Training
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Management of Child–Dog Interactions
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Never Tie Out a Dog
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Avoid Aversive Stimulation
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Puppy Kindergarten Classes
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Training
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NILIF, Leadership and Dominance? Forget it! Just Train the Dog
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Possession Sharing
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Handling Exercises
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Food Bowl Exercises
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Section 5. Challenge Indicators in Aggressive Behavior Cases
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Estimating Challenge
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Goals and Expectations
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Duration of the Behavior and Schedule of Reinforcement
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Severity of Bite
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Predictability
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Manageability
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Training
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Biddability
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Social Motivating Operations
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Children, Elderly, Mobility-Impaired, or Behaviorally/Developmentally Impaired Family Members
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Size of Dog
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Guardian Resources (Time & Money)
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Guardian Commitment & Compliance
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Resident Directed Dog–Dog Aggressive Behavior
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Technologist Proficiency
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Section 6. Contingency engineering Strategies and tactics For Resolving Problematic Aggressive Behaviors Exhibited by Dogs
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Strategies for Resolving Aggressive Behavior Problems
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Section 7. Sample Strategies and Protocols for Common Scenarios
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Aggressive Behaviors Exhibited when the Dog is on Leash
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Pathophysiologically Based Aggressive Behaviors
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Aggressive Behaviors Exhibited Toward People Approaching the Home
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Aggressive Guarding Behaviors
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Food Bowl Guarding
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Object Guarding
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Location Guarding
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Person Guarding
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Harmful Predatory Behaviors
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Dog–Dog Aggressive Behavior
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Remediation of Social Behaviors
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Vocal Control Training
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Social Inexperience
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“Fearful” Social Behavior
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Guarding Resources (Reinforcers) from Other Dogs
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Intrahousehold Dog–Dog Aggressive Behavior
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Train Each Dog Individually
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Train in Pairs
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Train in Groups
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Section 8. Adjunct Measures
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Rehabilitation for Response Depression and Increasing General Level of Reinforcement
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Training
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Play
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Exercise
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Exercise and “Mood”
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Nutritional Support
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Nutrition and Behavior
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Psychopharmacological and Nutritional Supplementation Support
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Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
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Fluoxetine (Prozac)
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Tricyclic Antidepressants
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Amitriptyline (Elavil)
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Clomipramine (Clomicalm)
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Nutritional Supplements / Pseudomedications
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L-Tryptophan (ProQuiet)
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5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)
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