Aggression in dogs for professionals

1 year ONLINE course presented by
Dr Amber Batson, vet and behaviourist, Understand Animals, UK

Release date November 13th

• Recorded Q and A 14th December followed by case study release (submit your questions beforehand)
• Case study live and recorded discussion 11th of January 11- 12 30 GMT followed by mod 2 release

Webinar 1:   Introduction to behavioural science and aggression including how aggression is expressed in different situations (contexts).   Introduction to predatory behaviours – is this aggression?
 
Webinar 2: Introduction to how the brain creates behaviour. How the brain is structured and functions, what parts of the brain are involved in aggression.   How are predatory behaviours, fear aggression and other base causes of aggression recognised?
 
Webinar 3:  What is stress and why does understanding the actual chemicals involved (hint, its more than just being about cortisol) influence aggression?   What is the relationship between the brain and the gut and why does this matter in relation to aggression and stress? What causes stress in the dog?
 
Webinar 4:  How do dogs find balance in body (including gut) and brain?  Why is sleep so important to the dog with aggression? 
 
Webinar 5:  What are the common causes of frustration in dogs and how does this influence aggression?   Why do training methods and exercise types matter when working with the aggressive dog? 
 
Webinar 6: Memory formation in the dog’s brain.  How do dogs learn and store memories? Why is this important in behaviour problem resolution?

Case Study One   1-2 hours private study to consider a set case that encompasses many elements covered in module 1.  Answers to be discussed in a specific case study on line “live” meeting.

Release date 11th of January

• Recorded Q and A 8th of February followed by case study release (submit your questions beforehand)
• Case study live and recorded discussion 22nd of February 11- 12 30 GMT followed by mod 3 release (NOTE 4 weeks for working on this case study due to Christmas)

Webinar 1: Why does a basic understanding of neurophysiology help us when working with the dog aggression case?  What type of chemicals are involved? How is this linked to the gut-brain connection?

Webinar 2: Why does the way a dog uses / moves their body, and which postures they regularly hold, matter in respect to aggression cases?  Further information on digestion, gut bugs and sugar levels and the potential impact on aggressive tendencies.

Webinar 3: Revision / introduction to learning theory including associative and non associative learning types. 

Webinar 4: More advanced learning theory.  What affects the rate at which a dog learns? Why might learning an alternative behaviour be inhibited in an aggressive dog?
 
Webinar 5: How do dogs learn to “replace” old memories with new ones, what teaching techniques are in our toolbox?  Why are there different “types” of counter conditioning and how are they practically applied?

Webinar 6:  An introduction to the human side of the aggressive dog consultation.  Keeping yourself, the clients and the dog(s) safe.  Opportunities for effective observation and history taking.  Strategies for providing understandable and practical information.  How can we listen more effectively and formulate the best working relationships with the client?

Case Study Two   1-2 hours private study to consider a set case that encompasses many elements covered in module 2.  Answers to be discussed in a specific case study on line “live” meeting.

Release date 22nd of February

• Recorded Q and A 21st of March followed by case study release (submit your questions beforehand)
• Case study live and recorded discussion 4th of April 11-1 GMT followed by mod 4 release (2 hours as two case studies at end of module 3)

Webinar 1:  The relationship between disease and aggression part 1

Webinar 2: The relationship between disease and aggression part 2

Webinar 3:  The relationship between neutering and aggression

Webinar 4: The relationship between pain and aggression

Webinar 5: Behavioural medications – types, uses, working with vets

Webinar 6: Welfare and the aggressive dog.  Handling the consideration of euthanasia in aggression cases

Case Study Three and Four   2-3 hours private study to consider 2 cases that encompass many elements covered across the first 3 modules.  Answers to be discussed in a specific case study on line “live” meeting.

Release date 4th of April

• Recorded Q and A 23rd of May followed by case study release (submit your questions beforehand)
• Case study live and recorded discussion 6th of June 11- 12 30 GMT+1 followed by mod 5 release (NOTE 8 weeks module access before Q and A to allow participants a break mid course)

Webinar 1:  Why context matters.  A look at how we can maximise new learning by changing the environment as well as changing “trigger” presentation.  Why helping the dog to “discriminate” can be helpful. 

Webinar 2:  Where it all begins – how do early learning and early life experiences affect the development of aggression and what can we do about this later in life?  Learning to learn – a life skill of learning new things and how to address this in the adult dog with existing undesired behaviours.

Webinar 3:  Losing what we learn – recent advances in our understanding of “forgetting” memories (extinction) How is the gut-brain connection involved and can we influence this?

Webinar 4: Observational learning and perceptual learning.  Why do these matter and what can we do practically to use these concepts when working with aggressive dogs?

Webinar 5:  Neurophysiology of reward – avoiding the negative and benefiting with maximal effect in teaching dogs with aggressive histories. 

Webinar 6:  Tricks and clicks – the use of various “positive” training aids and their consideration in aggressive dogs.  Beyond the train …. An advanced review of how new learning is often only a part of behaviour resolution in the aggressive dog case.

Case Study Five   1-2 hours private study to consider a set case that encompasses many elements covered in module 1.  Answers to be discussed in a specific case study on line “live” meeting.

Release date 6th of June

• Recorded Q and A  18th of July followed by case study release (submit your questions beforehand)(NOTE 6 weeks until Q and A due to intensity of content).
• Case study live and recorded discussion 1st of August 11 - 12 30 GMT+1 followed by mod 6 release

Webinar 1:   Attachment theory – building the base to prevent aggression – why do early life bonds really matter.  How can we repair bonds with humans and other dogs as part of aggression case resolution.  What is social buffering and how is it achieved?

Webinar 2: Genetics and aggression.   How much does the dog’s blue print really matter and what role does the environment and early life experience play on genetic expression?

Webinar 3:  Resource including food aggression – practical considerations

Webinar 4: Life stages and aggression development risk factors part one:  Puppies and adolescents

Webinar 5: Life stages and aggression development risk factors part two: Adults and senior dogs

Webinar 6:  Assisting owner and vet with the “impossible” to handle aggression case in need of assessment. 

Case Study Six   1-2 hours private study to consider a set case that encompasses many elements covered in module 1.  Answers to be discussed in a specific case study on line “live” meeting.

Release date 1st of August

• Recorded Q and A 29th of August followed by case study release (submit your questions beforehand) (4 weeks as 3 webinars)
• Case study live and recorded discussion 26th of September 11-1pm GMT+1 hr (6 weeks for case studies due to summer holidays, 2 hours discussion as 2 case studies in module 6)

Final discussion live 10th October 11-12pm GMT+1 hour  course wraps up – access to all webinars including live discussion recordings available until February 10th 2025

Webinar 1:  Assessing the risks – can we use risk assessments effectively as part of our consultation process – pros and cons.   Children and dog aggression – a greater risk?  Education and management strategies.

Webinar 2: Intra dog aggression.  What factors affect dog to dog aggression – differences between unfamiliar dog aggression cases and same household aggression cases. 

*Webinar 3:  Pulling it all together.  A webinar to review the content of the entire course and apply the detail over a couple of case studies seen by Amber Batson.

Case Study Seven and Eight   2-3 hours private study to consider 2 set cases that encompass many elements covered over the entire course.  Answers to be discussed in TWO specific case study on line “live” meetings.