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CAAWT Online Group Class

Understanding the "Why" of Behavior through Assessment:
New Ethical Standards for Animal Training 

We have had the pleasure of helping countless dogs and their families understand and resolve behavioral concerns. Among them were three dogs whose behaviors were continually misunderstood. The families had consulted with several trainers for behavioral training and medical prescriptions from veterinary behaviorists for several years with no progress. In some cases, the behaviors worsened, limiting their lives and causing distress for both the dogs and their families. In one case, a previous trainer recommended the family to euthanize the dog because of their behavior problems.

Given all the training, why did the behaviors not improve and sometimes worsen?

What is the common issue?

All three dogs were trained without understanding the “why” of their behavior.

What if we could understand the "why" of their behaviors and have a better idea of what they want or how they may feel about something?

And what if we could provide the dogs with what they want while we also obtain our training goals?

What all three of those dogs needed was someone to understand the "why" of their behaviors.

What does the dog want (or what do they obtain) through the undesirable behaviors?

And how can we understand the “why” of the behaviors?

Dogs are always telling us what they want through their behaviors.

It is up to us to listen!

 

We need a way to organize information about the environment and the dog's behavior so that we can understand what they want!

 

Here is how we do that!

CAAWT Assessment Method: How to ask animals questions

What the assessment can tell us and what we can do:

  1. What the animal wants through problem behaviors (the function of the behaviors) that we cannot understand from the topography of the behaviors alone 

  2. Where we should start the training to achieve our training goals

  3. Based on the information obtained from the assessment, we can provide a function-based individualized training program that meets the needs of the animals and achieves the family's goals

 

Through the CAAWT Assessment Method, we could understand the "why" of all three dogs’ undesirable behaviors. One dog was engaging in aggressive behavior to obtain space/distance from people. Another dog engaged in aggressive behavior to obtain access to their humans. The last dog engaged in aggressive behavior to obtain access to other people. Once we knew what they wanted, we were able to create a function-based training program that provided each dog with what they wanted and established the behaviors that the family wanted. Within a few weeks for each dog, the problem behavior was resolved.

 

Understanding what the animal wants and providing what the animal wants to create the desirable behaviors that we want sets the foundation for effective and ethical training! 

 

To achieve this...

everything starts with an assessment.

We directly ask the animals what they want, and then we build the desirable behavior based on that.

This ensures we fulfill the animal’s needs by making sure the animal has new, easier-to-do ways to access what they were getting for doing the undesirable behavior. 

For any difficult behavioral cases, we first figure out what the animal wants through problem behavior, and then provide training programs that are appropriate for each animal.

Now, we just opened a brand new class where you can learn the CAAWT Assessment Method in detail! You will have the opportunity to be guided through applying the CAAWT Assessment Method with a dog of your own! 

  

How can we go about understanding the "why" of animal behaviors?

This class will teach you the basics!

Class Description

In this class, you will learn the fundamental knowledge and skills of the CAAWT Assessment Method that will help you understand the “why” of behavior and start asking questions to your dog!

 

To perform assessment, you need skills in planning, implementation, and interpretation!

In the class, you will learn the basic knowledge and skills needed for each step of the process through lectures, guided exercises, and class projects.

  1. Five components of the Constructional Approach

  2. How to create constructional goals

  3. Behavior Analysis's view of behavior: Topography and Function 

  4. CAAWT Assessment Method: How to ask questions to our animals

  5. How to plan an assessment

  6. How to do an assessment

  7. How to interpret an assessment

  8. How to create a training program based on the function of the behavior (the information we obtain from the assessment)

 

This is an interactive project-based class. It is difficult to apply knowledge and skills by just listening to lectures, so we include a variety of guided exercises and weekly assignments for your project! You will have the opportunity to think, plan, implement, and interpret your own assessment while receiving feedback and advice from the instructors, Sean and Maasa. We will create a learning environment where you can ask any questions along the way and enjoy a judgment-free and fun space!

 

This is the only place where you can learn CAAWT Assessment Method. The knowledge and skills you will acquire will last a lifetime. Let's learn the assessment together to reduce the number of misunderstood animals and become trainers and partners who can understand the "why" of our animal's behaviors!

◼️ Group Class Dates

The class starts in February 2025!

The class is on Tuesday from 7pm to 9pm Eastern Time, and we have five classes.

  • 2/11 from 7pm-9pm Eastern Time

  • 2/18 from 7pm-9pm Eastern Time

  • 2/25 from 7pm-9pm Eastern Time

  • 3/11 from 7pm-9pm Eastern Time

  • 3/25 from 7pm-9pm Eastern Time

◼️ Open House Dates

​You are invited to four 2-hour Open Houses during the group class. Open House is one of the programs in the CAAWT Membership where you can share any questions from the class, share class assignments, and get feedback. 

  • 2/12 from 6pm-8pm Eastern Time

  • 2/26 from 6pm-8pm Eastern Time

  • 3/12 from 6pm-8pm Eastern Time

  • 3/26 from 6pm-8pm Eastern Time

◼️ Instructors

Sean Will, M.S.

Maasa Nishimuta, M.S. BCBA

Class Registration

◼️ Who is this group class for?

This class is perfect for those who have never done an assessment before or would like to incorporate assessment in their own training, consulting, and living with animals! We welcome everyone from pet owners to professional trainers!

◼️ Group class fee

Individual 

EARLY BIRD Pricing until 1/19 at 11:59pm Eastern Time

  • Non-member: $350

  • CAAWT Premium Member: $175

  • CAAWT Basic Member: $280

To learn more about CAAWT Membership, click HERE

REGULAR pricing from 1/20 to 2/9 at 11:59pm Eastern Time

  • Non-member: $400

  • CAAWT Premium Member: $200

  • CAAWT Basic Member: $320

Animal Shelter Group Discount - Buy two, get the third for free!

  • The three people who register for the class must be staff and/or volunteers from an animal shelter

  • Please contact us for group registration.

We process payment through PayPal. PayPal transaction fee will be added to the pricing above.

Registration deadline: 2/9 at 11:59pm Eastern Time

Class capacity: 30

◼️ CEUs

You can earn CEUs from the organization below. We will explain how you can earn CEUs in the first class!

KPA: 10 CEUs

CCPDT: 10 CEUs 

IAABC: 12 CEUs

BCBA: 10 CEUs

◼️ What is included?

  • Attend group class live (group class dates are listed above)

  • Lecture slides and worksheets 

  • Group class recordings 

    • You will receive the recording within 48 hours after each class

    • The recordings are available until 6/30/25

    • If you miss the class live, don't worry! You will receive the recording, so you can watch it before the next class!

  • Attend Open House live (Open House dates are listed above)

    • When you share class assignments, you will get feedback and advice!

    • Access to Open House recordings within 48 hours after each Open House

  • Ongoing support throughout the group class period

    • We provide individualized feedback. For us to provide feedback, we will need to see your work (worksheet and video). We will explain how to take the videos in the class!

    • If you are a CAAWT member, you will receive ongoing support after the group class 

    • If you are a non-member, we will give you feedback until 2 weeks after the fifth class ends

 

◼️ Place

This is an online group class held on Zoom. You can attend classes from anywhere as long as you have a secure internet. 

 

 

◼️ How to register for the class

① To register for the class, click the registration button below to fill out the registration form. 

② After we check your registration form, we will send you an invoice from PayPal. Please make a payment within a week. You will receive an invoice from an email address: caawtcontact@gmail.com 

③ After we confirm your payment, we will send you the confirmation email. 

④ One week before the first class (2/4/25), we will email you all the information you need to join the class!

 

◼️ All the profit from the group class will fund free training we offer to shelter dogs ♡

CAAWT is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to remove financial barriers to behavior support and training for individuals and organizations who need training but cannot afford it. As you learn with us, you are saving shelter dogs! We thank you for your support! 

 

◼️ Cancelation

After you submit the registration form, we will send you an invoice from PayPal. If you do not make a payment within a week, your registration will be canceled. Once we receive your payment, we are not able to refund the money. If we have to cancel the class, we will refund you.

◼️ Contact Us

If you have any questions about the class, feel free to email us.

We are looking forward to meeting you in the class!

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© 2020-2024  Constructional Approach to Animal Welfare and Training 

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