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Have you ever wanted to teach your pet a new trick, create a better bond, or learn a training method that is backed up by science?  This course has all of that.

This 12-week, ONLINE course, provides a one-on-one approach to help you develop the necessary skills to train animals using positive reinforcement.

This course features a collaborative learning approach with students working lesson by lesson, at the same pace. Weekly progress of you and your animal is tracked through record keeping and videos as you apply theory and scientific research to practice. This course will help you become skilled at identifying wanted behaviours, goal setting, planning, training and understanding your animal.  Your enthusiastic and knowledgable instructor will be with you every step of the way.

Positive Animal Training is fun according to Melanie Smith, instructor and owner of Cross Road Boarding, Training and Behaviour Services.

“Training your animal should be fun and enjoyable for both of you. Instead of telling your animal they are wrong or to stop doing something, tell them when they are correct and doing something you like,” she explained.

Melanie Smith is a part-time Instructor at the Dalhousie University Faculty of Agriculture teaching a 12-week course called Positive Animal Training: The Science of Applied Behaviour Analysis through Extended Learning.

Melanie grew up on a dairy farm and has lived with, loved and played with animals her whole life.

“I have always loved working with dogs and when I got my first Border Collie, I loved teaching and training with him. He ended up learning over 150 behaviours on cue before I lost him at 9.5 years old,” she explained.

When Melanie acquired her second Border Collie, she began behaviour modification early as the animal was highly reactive.

“I realized then I loved this work. Training and learning canine body language came naturally to me so I pursued it,” she explained.

Melanie received her animal science degree at the Faculty of Agriculture and studied extensively with Heather Logan of Cloverfield Animal Behaviour Services for nearly five years learning animal behaviour and training. Melanie is also a certified canine massage therapist. 

“Showing the animals we work and play with how we expect them to fit into our daily lives and what we are asking when we cue and talk to them will improve the communication and trust between you and the animal you are working with.”

Any animal can be trained if they have the physical and mental capacity to do behaviours including birds, stingrays, camels, giraffes, cougars, snakes, beetles and more.  The main criteria is the desire to earn food.

You have the opportunity to work with any species!

“Whether you are doing nail trims on a dog, taking blood from a tiger or teaching a horse to put on a halter, this course is beneficial and will improve the communication and trust between you and the animal you are working with.”

The concept is simple.  If you reward your animal for exhibiting a behaviour, this increases the likelihood the behaviour will be repeated. The animal learns through the consequences of their behaviour and the environment, this is referred to as operant conditioning.

"It is without a doubt the best course I have ever taken - not to mention, the most enjoyable one - with an incredibly skilled/knowledgeable and approachable Instructor - am so pleased that it was offered." Pat, former graduate of the program.

There are so many benefits of this type of training that include:

1. Improved animal welfare. Increased aggression is linked to using aversive training techniques.
2. A strong bond and increased trust between trainer and animal.
3. Enrichment and mental stimulation for the animal.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity.  The course runs from Sep 07, 2020 to Nov 30, 2020.  You can register now by emailing extended.learning@dal.ca or phoning 902-893-6666.