The Emotionally Sensitive Dog Course
Registration closes on Thursday, March 26th, or when the class is full.
Introduction
Working with emotionally sensitive dogs and their owners has been a passion of mine since I began working professionally with dogs twenty years ago. While each dog is unique, emotionally sensitive dogs often face extraordinary challenges as they try to adjust to life in our world and meet its daily demands.
Throughout my experience working privately with clients and their emotionally sensitive dogs, I have witnessed both the frustration and the hope that pet parents feel as they strive to understand and care for their companions.
Unfortunately, our society does not serve these dogs well. The number of emotionally sensitive dog cases encountered by seasoned professionals continues to rise rather than decrease.
In response to this growing need, I developed this course and accompanying community to help as many pet parents and their dogs as possible. My goal is for us to come together to appreciate, learn, and discover how best to teach, advocate for, and support the dogs in our care.
Course Description
Each lecture topic has been carefully chosen to provide pet parents of emotionally sensitive dogs with a strong foundation. The course helps participants appreciate both the general challenges these dogs face and the specific needs of their own pets.
In designing this course, I have drawn not only on my formal education in dog behavior, ethology, behavioral sciences, and neurobiology, but also on contemporary literature regarding trauma (PTSD) and its manifestation in dogs.
My years of experience working with emotionally sensitive dogs continue to guide me in applying what we have learned from the dogs themselves.
Participants will learn practical procedures for everyday situations, allowing them to empathize with their dogs and make a meaningful difference in how their sensitive pets navigate life’s difficulties.
While this is not a training course, weekly handouts and assignments will be distributed after each lecture. Participants can apply these materials to their own situations to help their dogs become more resilient, confident, and well-adjusted.
The course runs for 12 weeks, alternating each week between lectures and Office Hours. Office Hours follow a Q&A format and offer opportunities to review material and to submit videos demonstrating participants’ application of the course concepts.
Weekly Lecture Topics
- Week 1: Defining Emotion and Cognition. Why learning about them matters
- Week 2: Arousal, Triggers, and the Role of Neurochemistry in the Emotionally Sensitive Dog
- Week 3: Memory, Learning, and Dog Communication
- Week 4: Management and How to Implement a Trauma-Informed Environment to aid our dogs. What do “Support” and “Dog Needs” really mean?
- Week 5: Desensitization and Counterconditioning — the Jewels of Behavior Modification. Understanding their relevance and practical applications in helping anxious, fearful, and/or aggressive dogs.
- Week 6: Psychopharmacology — Does My Dog Need Medication? Teaming Up with your DVM or Behaviorist for the use of psychotropic drugs.
Course Dates
The course begins on Thursday, April 2nd, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM MST, and ends on June 4th, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. All sessions will be conducted live online.
Note: Lectures will be held on alternating weeks and will be recorded, while Office Hours will not be recorded.
Tuition
The course fee is $375.00, which includes Santa Fe County sales tax.
To join this course, you MUST fill in the questionnaire, accept the cancellation policy and terms, and submit payment. Your space will not be saved if payment is received alone.