Training & Communications in AAI Course

Training & Communications in AAI Course Details

An adult training a dog outside and preparing them for animal therapy work in a professional setting.

Therapy animal training is an important aspect of working in AAI, but training should never prevent the animal from communicating freely with their handler. Discover this and more in the therapy animal training course Training & Communications in AAI.

Examine foundational concepts about therapy animal behavior, training expectations for dogs and other species, appropriate training approaches, and see the importance of a therapy animal communicating freely during AAI sessions.

Module 1 – Foundational Understanding of Animal Training in AAI

  • Compare and contrast approaching and avoidant behavior.
  • Distinguish between animal aptitude and animal tolerance in AAI work.
  • Identify reliable, predictable, and directable behaviors. Draw connections between the three types of behaviors.
  • Identify the traits that make an animal a good candidate for AAI.
  • Determine the optimal AAI environment for a particular therapy animal.
  • Describe the added value that training cues have for therapy animals.
  • Explain the value of the human-animal dyad in developing a personal form of two-way communication.
  • Recognize key terminology in AAI.

Module 2 – Trained Behaviors

  • Explain the value of a therapy animal freely communicating during AAI sessions.
  • Compare and contrast the different methodologies in animal training.
  • Validate positive training methodologies as the most appropriate for training therapy animals.

Module 3 – Establishing Two-Way Communication

  • Interpret and appropriately respond to animal communication during AAI sessions.
  • Apply positive training methodologies, the most appropriate methodology for training therapy animals.

Module 4 – Applying Basic Cues and Two-Way Communication in AAI Environments

  • Apply tenants of positive training philosophy to work with clients.
  • Apply basic training expectations for dogs and other species.

Assessment for Training and Communication in AAI

  • This 20-question quiz covers all content for Training and Communication in AAI.
  • A passing score of 80% is required.  You must complete Modules 1-4 before accessing this assessment.
An adult training a dog outside and preparing them for animal therapy work in a professional setting.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Our courses are fully self-paced and easy to follow. They are designed for busy professionals like you—those new to working with therapy animals, or those already working with them and looking to do it even better. You’ll hear the lessons read aloud, and you’ll answer real-world, scenario-based questions (think: multiple choice and drag-and-drop). At the end, there’s a quick knowledge check and you’ll get a certificate you can show your administrators. The content is based on trusted national guidelines, so you’ll know you’re doing things the right way from the start.

You can go at your own pace—seriously. Courses are self-paced and usually take people 2–4 hours to complete, depending on how deeply you engage with the content. You can start, stop, and return whenever your schedule allows—no pressure, just progress.

Yes, they’re designed to be as inclusive as possible. Every course has accurate closed captions, can be used with screen readers, and includes features like keyboard shortcuts, playback speed controls, and zoom-in options. Whether you’re using a laptop or assistive tech, you’ll be able to access everything you need.

Our courses are built by and for professionals in animal-assisted interventions. Each one was developed with input from AAI experts and grounded in national Competencies to make to make sure what you’re learning is meaningful, ethical, and relevant to your work.

You will see a Buy Course section at the bottom of each course page. Simply enter your email address and click “Next”. You will receive a login code via email, which you can use to log in to the LMS. Follow the instructions on the screen to proceed.

The email address you used to log in to the Learning Management System (LMS) might not match the email address used for your AAAIP Membership. The same email must be used to have your membership discount applied to your course purchase. If you were charged the wrong amount, please Contact Us.

Good question! AAAIP’s online courses are interactive learning experiences with activities, knowledge checks, and a certificate at the end. Recordings are replays of past events and webinars.

All the AAAIP courses are built to match the key skills and knowledge areas used in certification. We even label which topics connect with which domain on the Specialist Certification exam, so you can choose what’s most helpful. Whether you’re pursuing certification now or planning ahead, these courses will move you closer to professional recognition in AAI.

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See the other AAAIP courses that AAI professionals took to prepare themselves for the Animal-Assisted Intervention Specialist Certification (C-AAIS) exam.