Companion animal behaviour and welfare – a master course at the University of Copenhagen
📷 5275870 | Cat Dog © Michael Pettigrew | Dreamstime.com
Introduction
The course 'Companion Animal Behavior and Welfare' has been held twice, in 2023 and 2024, both times with great satisfaction from the participants. It will be offered again in 2025, from late April to mid-June. Registration is already open now.
The course is primarily focused on companion dogs and cats and dives into questions about their welfare, how to understand their behaviour, and presents a scientific approach to behaviour problems and how these can be treated or prevented. The course does however not aim to qualify the student to work as a professional animal behaviour consultant.
It is for at start primarily an online course, with Zoom based teaching twice a week, and with two physical meetings in Copenhagen.
The course is now open for registration for master's students at university level with an interest in dogs and cats. It can be students in animal science, biology, veterinary science, or psychology. The course is also offered as continuing education.
Funding
The course is supported by:
Skibsreder Per Henriksen, R. og Hustrus Fond
Contact
Course responsible: Professor Björn Forkman
Sign-up
You can find the course description and information about how to sign-up here: SASK22002U Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare (URL)
Want to learn more about cat and dog behaviour?
Want to improve your skills of observing and interpreting cat and dog behaviour?
Planning to study or work with companion animals and want to learn more about their behaviour, behavioural problems and welfare?
Then perhaps the MSc course in companion animal behaviour and welfare is for you.
Companion animal behaviour and welfare is an MSc course for students interested in dogs and cats. The course covers three overlapping areas: dog and cat welfare, the ethology of dogs and cats, and behavioural problems in dogs and cats and ways of treating them. It includes both theoretical parts but also more ”hands on” training in e.g. how to interpret cat or dog behaviour in videoclips.
The course is primarily directed towards students in Animal Science, Biology, Agro-biology and Psychology. Veterinary students on MSc-level with an individual study plan can also take the course. The course is also available as continuing and professional education.
The course takes a blended learning format with exercises, quizzes, lectures and discussions. It has at least two physical meetings at KU Frederiksberg Campus, one in the beginning of the course and one at the end of the course.
You can find the course description here and read more about how to sign up: SASK22002U Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare (URL)
|
Week |
Dates |
Teaching format |
Themes |
Teachers |
|
17 |
Tuesday April 22, 13:00-18:00 |
Physical
|
Introduction Human-animal relations Models for understanding behaviour Practice behaviour observation methods |
Björn Forkman Dorte Bratbo Björn Forkman Dorte Bratbo |
|
17 |
Friday April 25, 10:00-12:00 |
Online |
Animal Welfare Natural history of dogs and cats |
Peter Sandøe Peter Sandøe |
|
18 |
Tuesday April 29, 15:00-17:00 |
Online |
Modern history of dogs and cats |
Peter Sandøe |
|
18 |
Friday May 2, 10:00-12:00 |
Online |
Welfare: how dogs and cats are bred, kept, and cared for |
Peter Sandøe |
|
19 |
Tuesday May 6, 15:00-17:00 |
Online |
Unwanted, stray and feral cats, and dogs |
Peter Sandøe |
|
19 |
Friday May 9, 10:00-12:00 |
Online |
Behaviour observation and interpretation - 1 |
Dorte Bratbo |
|
20 |
Tuesday May 13, 15:00-17:00 |
Online |
Motivational systems |
Björn Forkman |
|
20 |
Friday May 16, 10:00-12.00 |
Online |
Learning theory |
Björn Forkman |
|
21 |
Tuesday May 20, 15:00-17:00 |
Online |
Emotion and cognition |
Björn Forkman |
|
21 |
Friday May 23, 10:00-12:00 |
Online |
Dog personality and breeds |
Björn Forkman |
|
22 |
Tuesday May 27, 14:00-18:00 |
Online |
Behaviour observation and interpretation - 2 Behaviour problems: classification |
Dorte Bratbo Dorte Bratbo |
|
23 |
Tuesday June 3, 15:00-17:00 |
Online |
Behaviour problems: prevention and treatment |
Dorte Bratbo |
|
23 |
Friday June 6, 8:00-12:00 |
Physical |
Treatment of behaviour problems Recap and evaluation
|
Björn Forkman Peter Sandøe Dorte Bratbo |
Teachers on the course
| Name | Title | Job responsibilities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Björn Forkman | Professor |
|
|
| Dorte Bratbo Sørensen | Associate Professor |
|
|
| Peter Sandøe | Head of Section | Professor |
|