Understanding and Working with Canine Behaviour – Analysis & Application
Level 5 Accredited with OCN London: 30 Credits
Completion of this Level 5 course results in the successful candidate being listed as a Behaviourist on our directory and gaining permission to use the IMDTB logo and title for all marketing material
The course covers an in-depth analysis of behaviour modification, the science of behaviour, learning theory, functional assessment, emotions, the brain and how, when everything is put together behaviours, whether adaptive or maladaptive, can affect the canine-human relationship. The course then goes on to explore how we can modify these behaviours, change the dog’s perception and emotional responses, and build trust and understanding, by working in close conjunction with the dog’s owners and carers.
The course develops through five Units over 12 months; the final Unit being an in-depth case study of the students choosing, covering all aspects of the preceding Units and focussing on both the canine and human aspects of behaviour modification and learning.
Areas covered include:
The intricacies of canine body language and posture
- Analysis of the meaning of different body postures in different contexts
- Meanings of vocalisations and the emotions ascribed to them
- How misinterpretation can lead to behaviour problems
- How misinterpretation can lead to a breakdown in the dog-human relationship
The effects of interactions between dogs and other animals on body language and posture
- Context and its effects on body language, posture and emotion
- How body language, posture and emotions can be affected by different types of people
Emotions, emotional circuits and their effects on behaviour and behavioural responses in dogs
- Emotional circuits, how they work, how they affect motivation and reinforcement of behaviour
- How these circuits can aid in gaining positive emotional responses within the behaviour modification plan
- The effects of psycho-pharmacology on the emotional circuits and thus behaviour and approaches to modifying it
- Environment and social relationships effects on emotional responses towards other animals
The effects of disease, illness and pain on behaviour in dogs
- How medical issues can affect behaviour
- How certain medications can affect behaviour
- The effects of pain on behavioural responses
Motivation and reinforcement and how they effect the promotion of successful behaviour modification
- Critical analysis of motivation and reinforcement in relation to specific behaviour responses
- The effects of external environments, managing, adapting and the effects on welfare and mental wellbeing
- How similar expression of behaviour might not indicate the same emotional responses
- Effects of owner’s personality and emotional responses on behaviour modification processes
- The effect of owner’s perceptions, beliefs and requirements on behaviour modification processes
- Increasing compliance and motivation for owners within behaviour modification processes
Intricacies of behaviour modification, analysis, and modification of approaches to achieve compliance and progress
- Production of behaviour modification plans for at least two case studies
- Detailed explanation of learning theory and the feasibility of own plans
- Potential sources of conflict with owners
- Potential sources of conflict between owners
- Potential pitfalls in relation to safety and the learning process
- Analysis of own plans highlighting advantages over other potential approaches
- Analysing own plans highlighting areas that could be adapted to improve the potential effects on behaviour change
Understand how to plan, review and modify behaviour in relation to your own case study
- Produce a detailed analysis of a specific case study and analyse the aetiology of the behaviour issues described
- Include analysis on the effects of the environment, social relationships, motivation and reinforcement on specific behaviour problems
- Analyse the behaviour issues and explain in detail how emotional circuits could be affecting the dog’s responses
- Produce a concise and precise behaviour modification plan
- Produce client and vet reports relating to the behaviour issues and your own modification plan
Analysis and Application – Attendance Weekend
The weekend is designed to supplement the correspondence parts of the course by giving in depth explanations and expanding on areas covered in the correspondence units. This allows the students to work with others or similar or greater experience in planning and implementing training or behaviour sessions. The emphasis is on team work and practical learning, although through necessity there is also a certain amount of theory; this is designed to be a two way process between the students and tutors allowing ideas to be developed and expanded on.
The weekend runs from 10.00 on the Saturday through to 16.00 on the Sunday.
The content of the course is based around a combination of:
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Detailed Tutorials
Case studies (in student work groups)
Student presentations and demonstrations (in groups)
Question and answer sessions on the course content and the relevance to real life cases
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The course covers:
Stereotypical behaviour – overview of causes, breed, function vs malfunction, adaptative vs. maladaptive behaviour and displacement
Resource Guarding – overview of causes, definitions, reinforcement, motivation and function, approaching behaviour modification
Learning Theory for real life situations, positives and pitfalls from our perspective
Neurotransmitters and neurons – an overview and discussionSeparation Related Disorders – overview, pertinent and valuable points from the dogs perspective
Noise Sensitivities – causes, emotions, context and protocols
Noise Sensitivity – anxiety, stress and learning; what can we do to help?
Day 1
How to study – reading and understanding questions, referencing, structure and research techniques
Day 2
Aggression – distance increasing behaviour – causes, perception, motivation, reinforcement & function
Aggression – stress, anxiety and emotional circuitsNeutering and spaying – effects on behaviour?
Unit 5 – case study overview
Case studies and discussion are included in all theory sessions
It is expected that the course will require approximately 8 hours study, research and writing per week.
This course is suitable for students that have studied to at least Level 4 and to those that are intending to or are already carrying out visits to client’s properties for behaviour modification, or in-depth training consultations.
The course is designed to be testing, requires commitment and precision alongside good studying processes. The course is accredited by OCN London and falls within their guidelines for assessment.
Option of x3 monthly payments available email
[email protected] to request details
