What are the strategies that Dr. Maxwell uses in training and behavior modification?
Trained as a behavioral psychologist, Dr. Maxwell employs empirically-driven methods that have been tested and refined in and outside of the research laboratory. As a responsible practitioner, Dr. Maxwell often re-evaluates and modifies a behavior plan if the pet’s response is not satisfactory. As a scientist, she relies whenever possible on objective measures of a pet’s behavior to make decisions regarding treatment. She may ask you to record your pet’s behavior in a chart or log so that any changes in the behavior plan can be based on these measures. Dr. Maxwell employs all four kinds of behavioral consequences as needed: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, and negative punishment. She operates under the ethical guidelines of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Behavior Analysis, and the Animal Behavior Society in deciding which strategies are most appropriate and effective while being least intrusive and minimally aversive. Th
