Telecourses: Positive Reinforcement:  Beyond Food by Kathy Sdao

Instructor: Ms. Kathy Sdao, M.A., ACAAB, facilitated by Drs. Suzanne Hetts and Dan Estep

To use positive reinforcement effectively, a trainer must thoroughly understand what reinforcement means. Too often, we equate positive reinforcement with a piece of food. While this works in many cases, it is useless when a dog is too full, frightened, or aroused to eat. Food is also a somewhat contrived reinforcement; our clients don't typically wear bait bags around the house.

Many trainers talk about "life rewards," those everyday goodies such as the opportunity to go outside, to sniff a tree, or to greet an approaching dog, that can be used to reinforce desired behaviors in the dog. This approach is similar to the Premack Principle, named after animal-learning researcher David Premack, but doesn't fully take advantage of his important concept. Premack said much more than "If you eat your vegetables, you can have dessert" (a paraphrase of his principle commonly used in the dog-training community).

Learn how Premack's laboratory-derived theory can help you and your clients expand your dogs' motivational menus. Discover novel techniques you can use to tap into the full power of positive-reinforcement training.

In addition, we'll explore another method for creating a broader array of positive reinforcers, this time derived from the revolutionary research of Ivan Pavlov. His studies of conditioned responses provide trainers and other behavior professionals with clear procedures for developing a variety of secondary reinforcers. It's all too easy to overlook the power this process gives us to develop even more options for reinforcement. We'll review the practical details of how to make the most of this technique while avoiding errors.

Throughout the presentation, we'll examine real-life training applications of these two scientific principles. You'll be inspired to think about positive reinforcement more creatively and to spend time developing more reinforcers for the dogs you work with - perhaps including your own!

Kathy lectures all over the world, and most of you are quite familiar with her, but if you want more info,  Click Here to read her bio on her website.  Now, for the first - but definitely not the last time - you'll be able to learn from Kathy without leaving your home!  Such a deal.

This course has been approved for 2.5 CEU hours from CCPDT. It is now available two ways: LIVE and ON DEMAND.

The LIVE class is presented as a tele-webinar, with live audio, visual graphics and photographs. You'll be able to ask questions of the instructors in real time. Each weekly session lasts approximately 1 ¼ hour. The course comes with class notes and recommended readings.

Can't make the live course or afraid you'll have to miss some classes? No worries - online replays are available immediately after each session and for one week following the end of the course. CEUs can be earned through listening to the replays by correctly emailing us answers to "test" questions given during the class.

The LIVE class isn't on our current schedule. Please sign up for our ezine "Pet Behavior One Piece at a Time" to be notified about when it will be offered next.

Take this class ON DEMAND now! The ON DEMAND class is a recorded tele-webcast with the full content of the live class including class discussion and class notes. You have one month's online access to all class sessions and an opportunity to ask questions of the instructors via email. Their answers to your questions will be recorded and emailed to you within a week.

You can earn CEUs by submitting emailed answers to questions asked by the instructors during the recorded class. We'll provide the details once you register.

Still have questions about the course? Email for more details info@animalbehaviorassociates.com

Your Registration Fee $79 If you were a BEN Pro Member you'd pay only $64 (a 20% discount)

Click Here to learn more about our Behavior Education Network

Fee: $79.00

And watch for a second class from Kathy coming in March on "Cue Tips" - the basic science that underlies cueing. 

As soon as you register for any of our courses please put info@AnimalBehaviorAssociates.com in your email address book or safe list to increase the chance our emails won’t be blocked. Once we receive notice of your payment, we’ll send you a Class Welcome and Information email.  If you haven't heard from us within 48 hours (weekdays) of your payment, please email us at info@AnimalBehaviorAssociates.com. Also, check your spam box.

 

 

Telecourses for Professionals