What’s the Function?

A course for those who love dogs and want to learn more about the science of their behavior and why they do what they do

Click below to join the waitlist to be notified when spring 2025 registration opens!

For nerdy dog guardians or professionals who want to know more. This course offers an introduction to why our dogs do what they do from a behavior analytic perspective. Behavior analysis looks at behavior through a single-subject lens, focusing on the individual and their unique interactions with their environment.

This course provides an overview of the principles of behavior science, what we mean by the “function” of a behavior, and why considering the function is an essential first step toward lasting behavior change.

The Details

Where: Online via Zoom

When: Spring 2025 dates TBD

What: At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Name what possible functions of behavior are

  • List examples of different behaviors that might have the same function

  • List examples of when the same behavior might have different functions

  • Based on provided data, name a possible function

  • Analyze antecedents and consequences to hypothesize what the function could be

  • Name some ways of determining a hypothesis about the function

  • When given examples, label the hypothesized function and why you think that is the function

  • Compare and contrast environmental explanations of behavior versus other hypothetical constructs

  • Describe why it is important to consider the function of behavior

  • Name antecedent interventions that could be beneficial based on function

  • Name alternatives to extinction

Cost: General Enrollment: $100/person

  • Register below to request free BIPOC enrollment

  • Because this is a low-cost pilot, we do not have sliding scale spots available.

Who is this for? Dog behavior professionals or very invested dog guardians! Because we are seeking to make the best class possible, we are hoping to pull together a diverse cohort of participants.

Continuing Education: 6 Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) CEUs are available for this course should the participant attend all 4 sessions in their entirety.