As a community, we have had a significant impact on how people interact with animals. Caregivers are now more likely to reward good behavior and seek alternatives to punishment. However, our progress doesn't stop there. One positive outcome of this shift is the recognition that learning outcomes improve when we establish a dialogue with our learners. This means giving animals a “voice” to communicate no, stop, or back away through their behavior. These communications can range from subtle cues (like a slight lean) to more obvious signs (such as bared teeth), often maintained by negative reinforcement by facilitating escape or avoidance of the aversive event.

When caregivers heed these signals, animals get what they want, such as space by stepping back, or even ending the training session. This is good, up to a point. But what comes next? How do we transition from respecting the “no-don’t” to enabling the “yes-do”? In this Session, we will explore the three-path functional assessment model and discuss various approaches to achieving postive responses (""yes-do"") from animals.