Unlocking Resiliency
(evening session)
This course takes all of the pieces of information related to stress and resiliency
and puts them all into one cohesive, in-depth narrative. Learn everything you
need to know about the impacts of stress and how we can cultivate resilience in
animals.
Don't miss out!
Course starts Wednesday, February 7th!
Pricing options
Take the course as a full student to get access to live discussions, assignments with instructor feedback and the opportunity to earn a certificate and marketing logo with successful course completion. Payment plan available for full students.
Auditors gets access to live and recorded lectures only.
CEUs are available for both courses.
What makes Science Matters Courses different?
Go deep
Go beyond a surface-level understanding of behavior. Explore the science and gain insight and understanding into both the prevention and treatment of behavior issues. Learn directly from a PhD and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist.
Direct interaction
You'll interact directly with Dr. Spaulding. All students have access to live lectures and the opportunity to ask the Dr. Spaulding questions during the lecture. Full students attend weekly discussions sessions led by Dr. Spaulding. (Lectures are also recorded for those who cannot attend live).
Apply what you learn
Students are given the opportunity to apply what they learn during class. This is done with interactive activities during lecture and applied problem-solving challenges during discussion sessions. Learn how to make the connection between the science of behavior and working directly with animals.
Topics covered
Key concepts and building blocks
What animals need
Welfare vs. well-being
Attachment
Stress coping
Flexible problem-solving
The Biology of Behavior
Evolution and natural selection
Neurobiology and the brain
Genetics/epigenetics
Stress
Basics
Impacts of stress
During development
Seniors
Learning/memory
Health
Aggression
Sex differences
Specific populations
Stress and the brain
Emotion
Basics
Theories of emotion
Emotion in dogs
Consciousness and self-awareness
Emotion and pain
Emotional regulation and reactivity
Individual differences in emotion
Emotion and motivation
Cognition
Basics
Goal-directed behavior
Executive function
Decision-making
Individual differences in stress resiliency
Promoting well-being
Assessing welfare/well-being
Preventing and mitigating stress
Development
Predictability/control
Training methods
Building resilience and stress coping
Learned industriousness
Social support
Enrichment and exercise
Appropriate challenge
Emotional health and mental health (behavior issues)
Mental health
in non-human animals
Emotional/mental health and stress
Emotional/mental health and the brain
Labels
Trauma
Impulsivity and hyperactivity
Depression, fear, anxiety
Aggression
Effective behavior modification plans
Applications for all of the topics above will be discussed throughout the course
Course details
Live lectures and discussion sections. Lectures are also recorded for those who cannot attend live. Discussions are NOT recorded.
Next course begins on February 7th, 2024.
Live lectures are Wednesdays at 6:30 pm ET. A recorded version of each lecture will also be posted for those who cannot attend live.
Discussion sessions (full students only) are on Wednesdays at 7:30 pm ET (immediately following lecture). Attendance is required for full students. Discussions are not recorded.
Runs for sixteen weeks. (No class on 2/21 or 4/24.)
Auditors: 16 CEUs from CCPDT and IAABC.
Full students: 32 CEUs from CCPDT and 40 CEUs from IAABC.
Full students earn a certificate of completion and a website logo for marketing.
Course access for 18 months.
Content updated twice a year with the latest research.
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.