Dog Training and Behavior Basics: Mini SeriesPresented by: Allie Bender |
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About Allie | Online Registration
Training any species comes down to two broad concepts: who the animal is and how individuals learn. In the behavior field we call those ethology, the scientific and objective study of non-human animal behavior usually with a focus on behavior under natural conditions, and behavior science, the systematic analysis and investigation of human and animal behavior. With that information you unlock the secrets to training anything! This mini-series covers the basics of canine training by exploring who dogs are as a species, why species-specific needs matter, and how dogs learn.
Who is my dog?9:00AM - 12:00PMJoin us as we explore who dogs are as a species, what that means in terms of behavior, and how they communicate with one another and their humans. Many people think of their dogs as tiny, four-legged humans. While these creatures certainly deserve to be thought of as family members, it doesn't mean they're primates like us! Each species has their own instinctual needs that sometimes differ from ours, which can often create problems in pet households when misunderstandings arise. Join us as we delve into who canine ethology (who they are as a species) and how their needs can sometimes differ from ours resulting in perceived behavior problems. We'll touch on dogs' senses, social structures, socialization periods, and myths- a little bit of everything! Additionally, we'll explore one of the most important differences between humans and dogs: communication. Canine body language is our key to understanding who our dogs are which makes speaking dog-ese the first component of dog training!
Meeting your dogs needs1:00PM - 3:00PMI know who my dog is, but what's the point? Learn how we can take the mornings information about who our dogs are and apply it to their behavior in the form of enrichment. Now that we know who our dogs are as a species, what do we do with that information? What's the point of knowing ethology? Knowing ethology allows us to meet each our dog's needs; without it we don't know what those needs are! The way that we do that is through enrichment: an animal husbandry practice that strives to enhance the quality of animal care by providing stimuli necessary to achieve optimal psychological and physiological well-being. Essentially, how we can meet all of our animal's needs. Join us as we explore the different facets of enrichment (it's so much more than food puzzles!) and how we can utilize each to provide optimal care for our canine companions. Still wondering how this applies to training and behavior? A large portion of behavior problems are caused or exacerbated by a breakdown in enrichment. When a need is not being met it often manifests in a behavior challenge! Providing proper enrichment for your dog sets him up for success so he will be less likely to form behavior challenges or the current ones will often diminish.
How does my dog learn?3:30PM - 5:00PMJoin us as we explore the basics of how every individual learns and how that applies to our dog's behavior and our training. Behavior science is the study and systematic analysis of how every living thing learns (even plants we're finding!) While this topic can often be dense and intimidating it doesn't have to be for the average pet owner. Join us as we explore the broad concepts of behavior science while keeping jargon to a minimum and tying in plenty of dog and human examples. Additionally, we'll explore why training method is important to help you suss out appropriate training strategies for your dog. Once you understand the basics of how dogs learn you can apply it to multiple areas of your training and truly understand "why does my dog do that?" |
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