• Evolutionary and psychological adaptations, senses and effects on behaviour, communication and body language

• The history of training, domestication, historical facts and supposition re domestication and early training practices and purposes, psychological relationship between animals and humans, development of more humane training practices in recent years, control of training practices through legislation

• Learning theories – how animals learn, response to stimuli, non-associative learning, habituation and reducing response to non-important information, associative, classical and operant conditioning, responses to stimuli in classical conditioning, associations between stimuli and outcome through operant conditioning, shaping, use of bridges

• Temperament assessments – aptitude of animals in a variety of training situations and response to stimuli, practical assessment of animal’s suitability for particular purposes, showing, working, husbandry training (nervous, exuberant, unmotivated, compliant, responsive)

• Training aids – role of voice, food rewards, toys and recreation, noises and clickers, negative training aids (loud noises, training discs)

• Training plans – training environment, length of training, gap between sessions, role of consistency in effective training,

• Role of training against negative behaviours, stereotypical behaviour, pharmaceutical support in training situations, pheromonotherapy,

• Organisations involved in training – APBC, APDT, Kennel Club, AZA

An exam length 2 hours weighted at 40%. A portfolio weighted at 60%
The module will be assessed by two elements

The first assessment will be a 2 hour short and long answer examination taken at the end of Semester 1 (40%). Learning Outcome 1.

The second and final assessment will be a 2500 word portfolio (60%) providing evidence of the practice and observation of a variety of training situations, evaluating their effectiveness. Learning outcomes 2, 3 and 4.

This module will be delivered via 14 x 4 hour classroom sessions that will deliver theory via a range of methods such as traditional lectures, group activities, guest speakers, individual tasks, questioning, role play, modelling, kinaesthetic activities, short research tasks to develop underpinning knowledge and understanding, 2 x 4 hour tutorial and seminar sessions to promote and encourage discussion and debate of topical issues and 8 x 4 hour practical sessions involving laboratory experiments, animal observations and on or off site field work.

On top of this it is expected that students will partake in at least 204 hours of independent learning for this module. This will include, but is not limited to, preparation for classroom sessions (~24hrs), extending classroom notes via extended reading and research (~72 hrs), completion of tasks leading from classroom sessions and VLE based tasks (~48hrs) and research, planning and production of assignments (~60 hrs)

Students will have access to an appropriate virtual learning environment (VLE) where they can access a range of sources to support their studies through this module.

Allcock, J (2009) Animal Behaviour: An Evolutionary Approach. 9th Ed. Sinauer Associates
Mills,D, Dube, M and Zulch, H, (2012) Stress and Pheromonotherapy in small animal clinical behaviour. Wiley Blackwell
Pearce, J. (2008) Animal Learning and Cognition, Psychology Press 3rd Edition
Pryor, K (2010) Reaching the Animal Mind: Clicker Training and What It Teaches Us about All Animals, Simon and Shuster
Ramirez, K (1999) Successful Animal Management through Positive Reinforcement, Shedd Aquarium Society

Group teaching rooms
Internet linked PCs
Learning resource centre
Virtual Learning Environment (Moodle)
Flip cameras
Video and screen capture software

1. Understand a range of learning theories and critically analyse their role in traditional and modern training situations. (Knowledge and Understanding, Learning).
2. Synthesise and safely and ethically conduct training programmes, evaluating their effectiveness, limitations and relevance. (Problem Solving).
3. Investigate the aptitude of animals in training situations, ethically analysing their reaction to stimuli and usefulness for specific purposes. (Enquiry).
4. Communicate the role of organisations in the animal training field, communicating their aims and relevance to training situations. (Communication).