Behavior

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, behavior consults are being held using video conferencing software, rather than in person. Terri Bright, Ph.D., BCBA-D, CAAB holds Behavior appointments on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and is joined by Jocelyn Strassel, M.S., CVT, whose appointments are held Monday through Thursday.

Dr. Bright earned her Master’s of Science and Doctoral degrees at Simmons College in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) with an animal specialty, and she is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D). She is a mentor for future BCBAs, teaches Behavior Analysis at Northeastern University, and lectures nationally on the subject of Applied Animal Behavior Analysis. She is the past President of the Applied Animal Behavior Special Interest Group in the Association of Applied Behavior Analysis International (ABAI), and her dissertation research entailed developing a dog behavior assessment and analysis tool that will help to standardize how dog trainers evaluate why problem behaviors happen.

Dr. Bright has been training dogs as a hobby and professionally for many years and her research on stimulus equivalence (matching-to-sample training) earned her a Marian Breland Bailey (MBB) Award from the Association of Applied Behavior Analysis International (ABAI).  Dr. Bright won another MBB Award from ABAI for her research on the use of errorless teaching to train a Shelter dog to sit at the sound of a bell (“Pavlov’s Shelter”) when she was not in the dog’s sight. She uses evidence-based methods of training.

Dr. Bright launched the Training Department at the MSPCA-Boston location in 2007, and has grown the program to over 30 classes a week. She helped to evaluate homeless dogs surrendered at the MSPCA for proper placement for more than thirteen years, and designed training and enrichment programs for dogs at the MSPCA. She also designed and implemented curriculum and teaching for staff and volunteers in the SAFEWALK™ program, which she created in 2009. SAFEWALK™ is currently being implemented in other sheltering facilities with Dr. Bright’s consultative assistance.

Our Services

Behavior consultations for cats and dogs.

Plan development

Following consultation, clients receive a detailed plan for their pet to modify behavior, and each consultation includes six months of email and phone follow-up to see how their pet is doing following the consultation.

Positive-based behavior modification treatment plans for issues such as:

• Aggression towards people and/or other animals
• Separation anxiety
• Noise phobias
• House soiling and marking
• Generalized anxiety
• Situational anxiety (car rides, slippery floors, vet visits)
• New baby acclimation
• Furniture scratching
• Excessive vocalization
• Cognitive dysfunction
• Compulsive behavior

For more information on Dog Training Classes, please click here.