The Science of Fear
Strengthen your understanding and ability to reduce fear and anxiety in your canine clients in this four-week course that dives deep into understanding and addressing fear in dogs.
Pricing
$200
for Lifetime Access!
Sharpen your Skills
Going beyond a surface-level understanding of how fear develops, this course is designed to empower you with the knowledge and practical skills to elevate your practice. Led by Dr. Kristina Spaulding, a PhD and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, you'll explore fear like never before.
Explore Fear Dynamics
From identifying your canine clients’ triggers to predicting intensity, dive into the world of canine fear with recorded lectures and hands-on exercises that will level up your skills.
Tailored Learning
With the freedom to set your own pace, spend extra time with challenging concepts and breeze through familiar ones, giving you a personalized, enjoyable learning journey that fits your busy life.
Apply & Thrive
Put your knowledge to the test with interactive quizzes, bridging the gap between theory and practice to become a skilled trainer in managing fear-related behaviors.
What We’ll Cover
How Animals Develop Fear
How Fear Impacts Dogs
How To Address Fear in Your Canine Clients
What We’ll Geek Out About
The basics of classical conditioning*
Distinguishing between classical and operant conditioning
Factors influencing the strength of fear learning
Biological factors influencing learning
The science of various techniques for reducing fear including extinction and counterconditioning
The influence of stress on fear and treatment of fear
The neurobiology of fear
Course Details
The course is designed to run for four weeks, however complete it at your own pace!
Recorded lectures and exercises
Quizzes to Test Your Understanding
Earn 4 CEUS from IAABC and CCPDT
Only $200 for Lifetime Access
Course Curriculum
Module 1 - What is fear? How do you identify it?
Course orientation
What is emotion?
What is fear?
Types of fear
Module 2 - How is fear learned?
Classical conditioning
Unconditioned and conditioned stimuli and responses
Types of conditioned responses
Distinguishing between instrumental and classical conditioning
Module 3 - How can we predict the strength of fear?
Factors that influence the strength of the fear response
The impact of emotion on learning
Extinction in classical conditioning
Interactions between fear, classical conditioning and operant conditioning
Module 4 - How is fear impacted by stress?
What is stress?
What are the different types of stress?
How does stress affect fear?
How does stress affect extinction?
Module 5 - How does trauma change the brain and behavior?
What is trauma?
What are the symptoms of PTSD?
Do non-human animals develop PTSD?
How does trauma impact fear, cognition, and behavior?
How does trauma impact reward processing and attention?
How does trauma impact arousal and aggression?
Module 6: How do we address fear?
What are desensitization and counter conditioning?
Is counter conditioning a type of extinction?
Why are extinction and counterconditioning so fragile?
How can we enhance the effectiveness of counterconditioning?
What is the relationship between avoidance, extinction, and treatment-resistant fear?
What is exposure therapy and should it be used in non-human animals?
What additional steps can I take to learn more about the science of behavior?
Your Instructor
Kristina Spaulding, PhD, CAAB
Dr. Kristina Spaulding has been in the dog training and behavior profession for over 20 years. She owns Science Matters Academy of Animal Behavior LLC. She has a PhD in biopsychology—the study of the biological basis of behavior—and is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist. She also has a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
As part of her graduate training, Dr. Spaulding instructed university courses on learning, neuroscience, and behavior and was formally trained in effective teaching techniques. In graduate school, she received an award for Excellence in Teaching by a Graduate Student.
She is particularly interested in stress, neurobiology, cognition, emotion, and well-being and how to apply these concepts to the prevention, early intervention, and treatment of behavior problems in dogs. She currently teaches a variety of online courses and webinars on the science of behavior through her website, www.sciencemattersllc.com. She also regularly presents on canine behavior science at conferences and other events.
In 2019, Dr. Spaulding received the Association of Professional Dog Trainer’s (APDT’s) Member of the Year Award. She currently serves on the IAABC Foundation Board and the Fear Free Advisory group.