What's New What People Say
Susan, I am extremely grateful you’ve taken the time and effort to teach others and move this concept forward in your way, and thankful I’ve been able to continue my learning through the course. It’s been exciting to have a structure and context to help organize so much of what I “felt” before and had read about/seen in working with institution animal trainers and some wonderful zoo and aquarium creatures. I wont say I’m going to turn around and suddenly apply this in all contexts in my life. That would be…too big a step. But it’s already started and is wonderful. I look forward to my continued learning and to sharing it with others.
Leigh Clayton, DVM
Director
Department of Animal Health
National Aquarium, Baltimore
No matter whether you are a dog sport enthusiast, professional trainer, or serious hobby trainer, the opportunity to learn from Dr. Susan Friedman will be invaluable. Understanding behavior is fundamental to any successful training program. You can save a tremendous amount of training time when you understand the behavior fundamentals that Dr. Friedman teaches you. I give her my highest recommendation.
Angelica Steinker, M.Ed., PDBC, CDBC, NADOI Endorsed, CAP2
Courteous Canine, Inc. Lutz, FL USA
No Force, Just Fun! www.CourteousCanine.com
List Owner Animals Learning Concepts and Hearing Challenged Dog Sports
Author of Agility Success and Click and Play Agility
Taking Susan Friedman’s LLA course was refreshing, enlightening and motivating. She approached behavioral issues, which constitute a large portion of the average private veterinary practice, from a scientific basis and taught useful tools for the intervention of problem behaviors. Moving from anecdotal, anthropomorphic and assumptive interpretations about behavior to a scientific understanding of the function of behavior changed the way I approach companion animals, wild animals and even my staff!
Juli Ponder, DVM
Executive Director
The Raptor Center, College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Minnesota
By being able to work on just the Classic and Operand formats of learning, I am becoming aware that I am doing some things correctly and there are other areas where I can make adjustments to become more effective. By using other species (parrots, etc.) I was able to make more objective observations. "What did you see!" Thank you so much for taking time to work with us.
Bob Hammesfahr, CPDT-KA, CDBC
Behavior Training for Dogs
Atlantic Beach, Florida
I wanted to thank you for your seminar at Courteous Canine. You showed me a different way to approach learning theory and I feel I have I have a better grasp....still want to dive deeper so I will check out your on line class. You created such a open environment in which to learn. You are incredibly knowledgeable and have a talent to not only teach but reach people and cultivate a deeper understanding of behavior!
Thanks and Woof,
Ann Farmer, CPDT, CAP 2, PDBC
Courteous Canine, Inc.
No Force, Just Fun!
I want to thank you all very much for your comments and thank you all for the learning experience! I learned a lot extra for my own animals, for the animals of my clients and for the handling of my patients AND last but certainly not least: I learned a lot about how I am going to change behavior in our practice. I am going to teach all my personal to act in a different way to each other, the clients and the patients!! We are going to have so much more fun!!!
Thank you all for that!!
Yours truly,
Marco te Loo, DVM
Dier en Zorgcentrum den Haag
The Netherlands
On a practical basis, what LLA has given me as an avian veterinarian:
For a couple of years we had at our clinic offered our clients an "avian obedience course" according to the AAV-material from the late 1990s. However, it felt outdated and frustrating not to be able to offer something better. After learning about Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) we have changed our concept totally, and are now offering "avian training courses," primarily to new bird owners, to help them get a good fresh start with their birds. So far this has been a tremendous success! I always hear Susan¹s voice telling about the least intrusive, most positive way in doing things. The only drawback of learning about LLA and ABA is that it I¹m completely engulfed in it now. Instead of reading my veterinary textbooks and journals, I spend all free time learning more about behaviour and training!
Gunnel Anderson, DVM
Djurkliniken Roslagstull
Stockholm, Sweden
I had heard about Susan Friedman’s Living and Learning with Animals course at an AAV lecture in 2003. I had felt as an avian veterinarian that giving behavior advice was difficult. After taking the course I could see that a scientifically based study of behavior was so important. Previous behavior classes I had attended were presented from a speaker’s experiences. There were never any basics that I could go back to. This class really opened my eyes to the A,B,C’s of behavior. It makes such good sense. Those of you who were able to attend Dr. Friedman’s talk at the 2006 AAV conference understand what I’m saying. ANYONE who is involved with birds would benefit greatly form the course.
Vicki Schulz, DVM
South Hyland Pet Hospital
Bloomington, MN
My personal and professional life changed for the better when I took Dr. Susan Friedman's online LLA course. I gained a completely different perspective as I learned the principles of positive reinforcement. My parrot, other pets, family, friends, patients, clients and staff have reaped the benefits. And me? The big reinforcer for me is having lots of fun seeing others learn from what I have been taught. I highly recommend LLA for ALL veterinary professionals, great and small!
Ellen K. Cook, DVM
Cicero Veterinary Clinic
I love the way the class works - it's like they've taken what they've learned in dealing with parrots and applied it to the students. Lots of positive reinforcement and guiding us to the behaviour, erm I mean answer, they want us to glean from their questions.
Ailsa in California
Susan Friedman's LLA course was excellent at explaining the fundamentals of functional behavior analysis and assessment using parrots as the object of study. Working with winged animals that can fly away at will and cannot be controlled by leashes, collars or head halters presents an incredible training challenge. If you want to have an even better understanding about the application of behavior analysis and assessment then don't miss this course.
Wendy Van Kerkhove
Fresh Air Training, LLC
Susan,
I just wanted to let you know that I used what I learned in this class for my job. I am a market research manager and I have a marketing specialist that needed some help changing a behavior he had that was negatively affecting his team. I completed an analysis for him and he really benefited from this. I was so excited and I see a change in him and how his team is reacting to him. It works on more than just birds!! (and sometimes quickly for humans :-) Thank you for all your lessons!!!
Lindsay Farley
As a graduate of the LLA course I can tell you that it was an incredible learning experience for me and a personal highlight in my life; I am proud to have earned my certificate, but am even happier to have had the opportunity to learn from Dr. Susan Friedman, whom I admire and respect so very much. I encourage you to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity and sign up now – I wouldn’t miss it for the world!
Kim Lutz
Kim’s Canines LLC
Missouri
The class was really helpful to me, because I had such a poor background in training. My only real training experience was in the old established dog obedience classes - yank them by a choke chain until their eyes bulge out kind of stuff. My bird mentor was a lady that I worked for in a pet shop, and who I later figured out should not even be allowed to VISIT birds, let alone OWN them. I got all the wrong advice from all the wrong people - time out for a misbehaving parrot meant 15 minutes alone in the bath tub (no water), that sort of thing. I hang my head in shame. This class has been such an eye opener for me, and I really meant the comment I made a while back about it making me feel free. I'm free to be nice to my birds, even when they don't "get it", and I'm free from having to "punish" them. And I'm free from having to try and figure out what they are thinking - I don't have to *know* what they're thinking! All I have to do is observe what they're doing!
Helen "Stormie" Egeland
May I say that you are a phenomenal person and lecturer - I have taken many courses in my time and I have never been so glued to my seat, learning, laughing and empathizing with every part of my being for such long periods of time - thank you for such a wonderful weekend and learning opportunity! You will be happy to know that I am applying the ABCs to my two macaws with fabulous results - they are blossoming as we speak - thank you and do take care!
Helen Swim
Director, Marketing and Sales
First Ontario Fund
The difference in my life since taking the class is remarkable. And there is no turning back. There are many people who have influenced me throughout my life but nothing quit as thought provoking or life altering as LLA. It is not something that comes to me naturally as it does for some of you, but now that I have the awareness, it it is something I truly treasure and value. It is my sincere hope that I use this knowledge to the benefit of all creatures I come in contact with and make the time you have spent with me worthwhile.
Terry Clare
Just wanted to let you know how wonderful the Susan Friedman seminar was. Susan Friedman is a wonderful teacher and presenter. I found her info is not only useful in working with birds, but also in my career as a social worker. Susan empowered me by her seminar. Bring her back! Leah, you always do such a great job with educating us about birds. I have learned so much from you and your volunteers.
Judy R.
I wanted to take a moment and extend my gratitude & compliment on a well organized 2 day seminar with Susan Friedman. I have been a member since July 26, 2009, and have attended one workshop in addition to the seminar. The members of PEAC are so friendly and welcoming. I was slightly hesitant on attending the Friedman seminar, but after meeting everyone, I felt at home. I learned so much from the presentation which I am currently applying towards my pets, family and workplace. I look forward to future workshops/seminars and becoming more of a hands-on volunteer of PEAC.
Angel S.
“Thank you for the opportunity to improve the quality of life for my birds.”
Shelley N.
What a great weekend! What an amazing woman Susan is!!! There were so many wonderful ‘pearls’ she shared, so many ‘ah ha’ moments. It certainly sparked lots of conversation between Dale and me about not just parrots, but dogs, cats and both our first loves, horses. Dale of course totally analyzed how I delivered the cat’s food all wrong Saturday night with the techniques he had just learned. Thank you for ALL you do to help us all be better caregivers and people in general. What you do IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!
Carolyn P.
Please keep up this tremendous work - all persons owning pets no matter what species should acquire this kind of knowledge. Maybe then we would have less abondoned and rehoming of pets. I thank you again and remain eternally indebted to you all.
Lauraine Wilson
Hello!
I just want to thank all of you who have done an absolutely fantastic job of running this course. I have learned more than I ever expected to, and am already applying this new knowledge in working with my parrot as well as with my own children. Truly, Hats Off to all of you, who have been informative and inspirational and always cheerful and helpful. Many Thanks!
Warmest regards,
Gabriele Sponheimer
Dear Susan and Fine Teaching Staff,
I want to thank you all for guiding me, and all of us, through this experience in learning. I am becoming a much better observer and developing skills to more clearly and effectively communicate with my companion parrot. Some of the realizations have been painful as I see many mistakes or unwanted messages that are woven into the fabric of our interactions. The good news is that there is now hope for positive change. You all have truly been models of using positive reinforcement when ever possible. I can see that it is not necessarily the most expedient way of getting things done but surly feels good from this side of the equation. Again; Many Thanks
Cathy Eising
Hello to Susan and all the TA's. Here is my final exam. Thank you so very much for your time and guidance as we worked through all of the lectures. What I have learned has been invaluable and I appreciate very much all the effort that is put forth to provide the opportunity for learning. I can see the applications of the material are so much greater than just trying to alter unwanted behavior, I cannot thank all of you enough.
Ann Guepe
This course is by far one of the best courses I have ever taken. The help we received and personal attention to our questions and homework assignments was top notch, and the patience with us to be sure that we really understood the concepts and material was unmatched. Nowhere have I learned so much that is so applicable to my life, in such a short amount of time. I am so sorry that it has ended now. I now have many new tools that I can use in my communication with Picasso, and I am excited and determined to use them to the benefit of us both!
Pam Price
Susan is who I give credit for my new approach to pet ownership. Susan’s mantra is if you change an environment for success, animals learn to behave successfully. What has been so wonderful for me since I began studying with Susan several years ago is how my relationship with my birds has improved dramatically and how eager they’ve become to learn. Without any use of force or dominance, I have successfully modified behaviors and empowered them to be better students. And, as Susan would say, an empowered animal is a healthy animal.
Lisa Desatnik, Ohio
I have a new foster dog (came from a home with 175 Labs in it - unbelievable) who has many issues, one of which is lunging and trying to run at other dogs in order to play (I think!). I was thinking about this the other day in my head saying "Man! I wish she wouldn't do that!! How can I get her to stop it??" And my brain went "Well what do you want her TO do?" AHA! (that was Susan talking in my head, wasn't it?) and then "What is she doing now that most closely approximates our end goal" next AHA. A shaping plan of course. It's just so very cool. Thank you and this dog thanks you too.
Leslie Mapes
Chagrin Falls, Ohio
The course content covered a lot of ground and was well-explained so was understood easily. The use of examples was particularly helpful. Working on the homework assignments made it real. The overall quality of the TA’s was excellent. They: Were knowledgeable: Were personable – I always felt I had a ‘friendly’ presence working with me: Helped me learn by making me think things through for myself rather than just giving me the answer/solution: Forced me to think in depth and outside of my ‘box’ so that I could see interactions in a new light. I could feel the passion and caring of all those involved with this course. I learned a great deal in this course but realize it is just the beginning. It has already changed, for the better, my life with my companion parrots.
Carol Battista
Thank You for making this course an unforgettable experience to me!!! I think LPP is the most useful thing I have done in the net so far. I have learned so much, so many things - most important: a new and wider way of seeing and thinking. I will surely apply everything I got here - with my ekkies, with my family, collegues and especially I will use this new knowledge to reinforce myself and modify my own behavior... :D
Kirsi Kokoi
Finland