Slow Thinking is Lifesaving for Dogs™

So here it is, 5AM, and I just finished your Class #2 lecture.  Just wanted to let you know that THIS CLASS IS AMAZING, and you are doing an incredible job assembling all this material as well as presenting pertinent and cohesive logic that ties it all together.  The mechanics of following all the materials is easier than I had anticipated and so VERY motivational for me . . .  What an unexpected burst of enlightenment after all this Covid sadness and anxiety. 

 Dogs struggling with aggression habitually make fast-twitch decisions about their behavior when confronted with a threatening or scary stimulus. The consequences of this are too often a bite incident and then surrender to shelter or even euthanasia for a dog. This four-week course will examine how to transform this unfortunately familiar scenario by incorporating insights from cutting-edge research on canine cognition. It will focus on the cognitive foundations of aggression in dogs & how changing a dog's thinking patterns can help them find more appropriate ways of responding to concerning or scary stimuli. The course will also offer practical strategies as well as exercises that will help your own (or your client’s) dog become a slow, non­-aroused thinker. While the original focus of my Slow Thinking program was dogs struggling with aggression, it will significantly benefit dogs with other behavior issues. It’s also a great preventative program for any dog, including puppies.

COURSE ORGANIZATION
The course will be organized around a cluster of slow thinking habits:
1. offering default behaviors
2. developing a robust and diverse Relaxation Response
3. exhibiting effective social problem-solving
4. engaging in cognitive reappraisal

Each week we will do a deep dive into one of these habits. This will include a video presentation about why this particular habit is a critical learning goal for your dog; a discussion of the science underlying it; a demonstration of games and exercises that will enable you to teach this habit to your own dog or to clients’ dogs; & written handouts to broaden your understanding of the issues at hand & use as resources in your own work with dogs.

COURSE BENEFITS
By taking this course you will:
Receive individualized instruction and feedback from me. You will also be able to discuss your dog’s particular issues with me in detail.
Receive CEU credits from CCPDT, IAABC and KPA. CCPDT and Karen Pryor have approved the course for 20 CEUs; IAABC, for 14 CEUs.
Experience a great interactive community and a positive learning environment.
Discover new and very effective ways of creating behavior change.

Be on the cutting edge of a paradigm shift in the dog training world – one that will enrich and energize your relationship with your canine partner.