This lesson is based on a webinar given by Barbara Handelman and Ken McCort. Together, they discuss whether “Intelligent Disobedience” is a myth or a reality in the daily activities of service dogs working for people with a wide range of disabilities. During this lesson, Barbara discusses how “intelligent disobedience” is defined and understood by service dog trainers. She debunks many myths, and explains how dogs learn a hierarchy of cues, and respond to them when multiple cues are present. Most importantly, she discusses the types of environmental cues that dogs recognize and follow, despite having been given a contradictory verbal directive. Ken McCort discusses how intentionality plays out in a dog’s response to verbal cues in the presence of contradictory environmental cues. He guides students through a basic understanding of a dog’s “Theory of Mind” or “Consciousness” – the ability to perceive himself in relation to his surroundings and the canine’s capacity for intentionality.

Sponsor:E-Training for Dogs, Inc
Speaker(s):Barbara Handelman, M.Ed., LCMHC, CDBC and Ken McCort, CPDT-KA

Contact: Cheryl Lynne Aguiar
 Email: cheryl@e-trainingfordogs.com
 Phone: 197-023-19965
 Web: https://e-trainingfordogs.com/service-dog-trainer-webinars/