David Hanson, MS, a scholastic assistant for George Mason University – Virginia recently wrote a letter to the ASCT certification board regarding his recent assistance to and with SMI Aycock – an ASCT representative during a recent lecture series. 

In the letter, Hanson praised SMI Aycock, stating “Mr. Aycock was one of the most dedicated students I have ever worked with, particularly, considering that he was one of over two hundred in attendance and intensity usually fades after the first lecture or two.” 

Senior Master Instructor Aycock has spent the “off-season” of ASCT advanced classes, preparing for one of the most technically accurate and sound program’s that has ever been taught, either through this organization or any other. 

The program is Neuroscience: Biological behavior operative of the canine species

The program has been developed beginning in early summer 2006 and recently completed – just on the mark for ASCT advanced class scheduling.  The class will be offered eight times, around the nation, throughout the 2007 class season.

The program development consisted of SMI Aycock attending 24 lectures offered at the university, taught by one of the top five mammalian researches on the planet – Dr. Robert Sapolski, a professor of neuroscience and mammal behavior from Stanford University.  He received his doctorate from Harvard.

The lecture series was regarding neuronal function in mammals and behavior patterns for mammals.  Though the classes did not reflect canine specifically, Aycock was determined to carry the information into the K9 world.

 SMI Aycock attended the lecture series, studied the neurological processes and mapped the canine species’, behavior and training patterns in conjunction with that neuronal function.

The written presentation is to be published by George Mason University in an upcoming journal. “He presented the material to the school and we really liked how it enlightened the lecture series of animal behavior with a specific training mode.” Hanson advised.

The class material presented through ASCT is dead center in the explanation of precisely what causes canine behavior function and training actions.  The neuronal development tells the complete story with little room for theory and myths.  Instead, the information is proven biological function that is found not just in the canine species - rather throughout all mammalian brain function.

“This class will change everything about what we know regarding drives of behavior, defensiveness, aggression, bonding, feeding, and the olfactory unit that K9 relies on so much.” Senior Master Instructor Ron Ashie explains.  “I attended the class one-on-one with Chris and I left the first hour with my jaw dropped.”