BAT - Behavior Adjustment Training Seminar (2 hours)

Seminar Title: BAT for Dog Aggression and Fear

Seminar Date/Time: Friday, June 4th, 6:30-8:30 pm, at Ahimsa in Seattle, WA.

Speaker: Grisha Stewart, MA, CPDT, CTP

Seminar Description:

Learn how to build dogs' coping skills and decrease fear using Behavior Adjustment Training. You’ll see how to add BAT to your behavior modification toolbox, including pitfalls to avoid and ways to integrate BAT with other dog-friendly methods. Note: Please leave your dogs at home for this seminar. The seminar will include video and a live demonstration.

Behavior Adjustment Training is a reinforcement-based system for rehabilitating problem behaviors, including aggression, fear, pulling on leash, and more. Just about any 'bad' behaviors that are maintained by the environment can be replaced by more appropriate behaviors, using the same environmental triggers and rewards.

When working with fear and aggression, BAT uses *operant* counter-conditioning with a marker signal and systematic desensitization to build social skills, confidence around the trigger, and trust in the handler. While food or other rewards are used with BAT in some cases, the main focus of BAT is on using environmental rewards that already maintain the problem behavior.

About the Seminar Presenter: Grisha Stewart is the owner of Ahimsa Dog Training.  She is a clicker trainer that specializes in the treatment and prevention of dog aggression. 

Grisha has a Master's in Mathematics from Bryn Mawr College. She is now pursuing a Master's in Psychology with an emphasis in animal behavior at Antioch University, while still running her Ahimsa and doing private consults for aggression cases. Her first career as a theoretical mathematician and college instructor serves her well in dog training and behavior consultations, because she relies heavily on the problem solving, critical thinking, and teaching skills she gained in that field. Since founding Ahimsa Dog Training in 2003, she has found her canine and human students to be much more excited about learning than her college students!

Canine behavior fascinates Grisha and she is highly motivated to help improve our techniques for rehabilitating and training dogs. This led her to develop BAT, Behavior Adjustment Training, which uses environmental consequences to reward the dog and eliminate problem behaviors.  Click here to learn more about Grisha.

Grisha is also booking private sessions during the day on Friday if you are traveling to Seattle and would like to have her work with your dog.

Important Seminar Details

• Dogs: This is a PEOPLE ONLY workshop. We will be doing a dog aggression demo, so please leave yours at home.
• Cost: $75.
• Location: South entrance of Ahimsa Dog Training. 902 NW 49th Street in Ballard. There is plenty of free street parking.