Socialization for aggression, frustration, and fear

The BAT "bible!" This practical book goes in-depth into how to use BAT 2.0 for socialization and rehabilitation of reactivity. Written in a style that's clear for people with their own dogs, this book also has sections just for professional dog trainers and behaviorists.

Illustrations from Lili Chin help explain the points and clarify body language to help you learn to understand and predict dog behavior. (p.s. we also have 2 panel discussions on body language with Lili, plus Chirag Patel, & Kathy Sdao).

  • Suitable for professional dog trainers as well as families with dogs battling with aggression, frustration, or fear.

  • Choosing and using appropriate humane gear.

  • BAT Leash Skills for walks on a long line.

  • BAT for fighting in the home or the enemy dog next door.

  • How to arrange set-ups successfully.

  • BAT for up-close work and greetings.

  • Survival skills for walks, including "Mark and Move."

  • Also available as a signed paperback book in English or Spanish.

  • The BAT 2.0 eBook is included with both the Diamond Membership All-Access Pass and the GSA Library Pass (see below).

  • We also have a Library Pass which lets you stream this course and a lot of other pre recorded content. Find out more on the Library Pass Page.

What People are Saying About BAT 2.0

The results speak for themselves.

- Victoria Stilwell, star of the television show, "It's Me Or the Dog" and author of "It's Me or the Dog: How to Have the Perfect Pet," "Train Your Dog Positively," and "Fat Dog Slim" (UK/USA)

BAT 2.0 is a must-read for anyone who has or works with reactive dogs. For years, dogs all over the world have benefited from the successful philosophies and empowering techniques in BAT, but Grisha Stewart has taken it to the next level.

A clear appreciation for the canine experience and easy to follow, practical techniques is what makes BAT 2.0 so beneficial for dogs that experience frustration, anxiety or fear in any social situation.

Stewart gives control back to the dog allowing a delicate balance of freedom, the ability to make choices and safety. The results speak for themselves. Dogs that were once reactive now become more confident because Stewart gives them the life skills they need to cope more successfully in a social environment. I highly recommend BAT 2.0 to anyone who is struggling with a reactive dog or who wants to gain a better understanding of their canine companion.


Click the arrows to read 9 more reviews!

The BAT 2.0 book is a star.

- Anders Hallgren, Animal behaviorist, dog psychologist, Psychologist Msc, author of "Stress, fear, and aggression in dogs" and many other books. (Sweden)

I have enjoyed every chapter, every page and every line. It is not only original, but breaking new ground in that it strikes a blow for ethical ways of training.

I love the pedagogical approach of this book and the focus on how to install a feeling of control in a dog’s life; a fundamental recipe if you want your dog to feel safe and happy. It also adds an ability for dogs to predict events, which further strengthens its self-worth and being in control in relevant life situations.

What I especially like in BAT 2.0 is something which is often overlooked in dog training, and that is how to use naturally occurring reinforcers: A method based on “Premack’s principle.” Grisha does a great job of explaining how to use this in dog training.

The chapter "BAT for Puppy Socialization" earns special mention. It is simply excellent! Everyone who has a puppy, is getting a puppy, or is just interested in how to take care of puppies, should read and learn from this.

The BAT 2.0 book is a star among training concepts and Grisha Stewart has such a nice way of making everything easy to understand. Add her sense of humor to the topic and you have a book that is hard to put down.

Even better than BAT 1.0.

- Ken Ramirez, author of Animal Training: Successful Animal Management Through Positive Reinforcement and Executive Vice-President and Chief Training Officer of Karen Pryor Clicker Training (USA)

BAT 2.0 is a nice improvement to an already excellent approach for dealing with reactive dogs.

BAT helps people understand how to read their dogs. You’re really helping people have that dialogue by giving them nice little tidbits that help them make good choices because they’re learning to interpret what their dog is telling them.

Empowerment by approximations.

Susan G. Friedman, Ph.D. (USA)

When I ask behavior professionals, “What are your eyes for?” they enthusiastically reply, “To see!” But when I ask, “What is your behavior for?” conference rooms fall silent. In BAT 2, Stewart provides the essential answer to this all-important question: Behavior is to have an effect, that is, to be effective. 

By safely allowing dogs more control over their own outcomes, especially in challenging conditions where fearful, frustrated and aggressive behavior is most likely, caregivers will be more successful shaping independent, competent, confident companions.

In our attempt to reduce aversive stimulation, we should be asking “who has the power to reduce it?” Am I going to reduce aversive stimulation by sanitizing the environment in which I raise my dog (or child). I think that’s a nuance here. When you come from the empowerment headset (as with BAT), then you ask “I want to minimize aversives in the environment, can I do that by me putting in the effort to move the aversives out of the path. Or can I teach the animal to move those aversives, or move themselves, with their empowerment to choose their outcomes.

BAT builds empowerment skills by approximations, just like we build other skills. So that the goal is independent good decision-making.

Highly recommended.

- Patricia McConnell, Ph.D., author of The Other End of the Leash, Feisty Fido, I'll Be Home Soon (separation anxiety), Feeling Outnumbered (multi dog households), and many other books. (USA)

Grisha Stewart’s new book is an impressive piece of work, and I highly recommend it to trainers, behaviorists and dog owners who are ready to dive into the deep end to help their dog. Behavior Adjustment Training 2.0 (BAT 2.0) is a comprehensive and detailed approach to working with “fear, frustration, and aggression in dogs”.

No matter what one’s field, I always am impressed by people who continually re-evaluate their perspectives and advice, and I love that BAT 2.0 resulted from Grisha sitting back and asking what worked about BAT 1.0, and what could be better.

Easy to understand with wonderful illustrations.

Emily Larlham (Kikopup on YouTube) (USA)

Grisha Stewart’s updated version of BAT is easy to understand with wonderful illustrations and pictures to help the reader visualize the process. One of the things I like most about this book is the attention paid to reading dogs for signs of stress in order to keep the dog as comfortable as possible during setups.

Clear and simple.

- Morten Egtvedt, dog trainer, author, and founder of Canis Clickertraining Academy (Norway)

As a clicker trainer I highly value creativity. I love it every time a trainer uses the laws of learning in new and creative ways that results in better ways of dog training. What Grisha has done with BAT is just that. I find BAT to be a wonderful supplement to clicker training when working with pet dogs. The method combines operant and classical conditioning with a deep knowledge of the dog's natural language and behavior. And even though BAT is grounded in hard science, Grisha has a way of explaining things so clear and simple that everybody can understand it – and do it.

Giving dogs a voice.

Risë VanFleet, Ph.D., CDBC Author, The Human Half of Dog Training: Collaborating with Clients to Get Results (USA)

Behavior Adjustment Training 2.0 is unique--a living document detailing the evolution of a very effective intervention from the experience of many practitioners. I loved the practicality of this book, as well as Grisha Stewart's dedication to giving dogs a voice in their own development! This is must-reading for those working with dog reactivity in its many forms.

A new way of being

Wendy Dahl, MA, CBATI (USA)

The more I engage BAT 2.0 techniques with clients the more organic it becomes. And the 'aha' moments when they see how quickly their dog responds to the freedom of choice...can't thank you enough, Grisha.

You've made a tremendous difference in opening minds to a new way of being with their canine companions.

Easier and better.

- Kelly Keeney, CBATI, CPDT (USA)

I just want to say I loved the first BAT book. I couldn't imagine how it could be made better. Finally diving into the new BAT book and just WOW Grisha Stewart...WOW! So clear, so well put together /written.

BBRAVO! So thankful it really is easier for the people and better for the dogs.

More than a technique, BAT is a way of life.

This book may change how you look at your dog's world, and your own.

  • 290-page eBook

    Downloadable in 3 different formats, so it should work in pretty much any eReader (ePub, Mobi, and PDF).

    Like paper?
    Behavior Adjustment Training 2.0 is also available as a paperback book.

  • What is BAT about?

    Polyvagal theory tells us that mammals, including dogs, offer pro-social behavior when they feel safe. So the goal of BAT is to create safe scenarios in which a dog can heal from trauma or lack of socialization.

    The same procedure works great for puppy socialization and dogs who are simply over-enthusiastic.

  • Specific Skills

    You'll learn the three major components of BAT:
    1. Dog body language.
    2. Using a long line for freedom, safety, and control.
    3. How to set up training.
    4. How to help the dog when you can't control the environment.

Author

Dog Trainer, Author, Singer-Songwriter

Grisha Stewart MA, CPDT-KA, KPACTP

I'm a collaborative dog trainer, author, international presenter, singer-songwriter, and keynote speaker of European ancestry (best guess based on DNA and some genealogy is Scotland, "England & Northwestern Europe," Wales, "Germanic Europe," Ireland, and Norway). I've been helping people and dogs professionally since 2003. My passion projects are grief tending, community singing, and woodturning.

I'm fascinated by animal behavior (including humans), somatic awareness, spirituality, psychology. My work is directed at wholehearted living for all beings, including dogs with a history of aggression, frustration, or fear as well as puppies and my other favorite species: humans.

My Behavior Adjustment Training (BAT 2.0 book and BAT 3.0) is used worldwide to help dogs gain confidence and social skills. Well over 200,000 people have learned about BAT so far.

Diane Redding and I co-host a podcast called The Lesson is Love.

As an outgoing introvert, I refresh my batteries by singing, expressing grief in community, and savoring life with my husband (Tom), Labrador (Joey), cat (Garbanzo aka "Adventure Kitty" and "Baby Panther"), and Little Brown Dog (Zuki). I identify as a queer (pansexual), neurodiverse, middle age, white, raised in poverty and now of middle class, and US citizen, spiritual non-Christian leaning toward neo-Druid (but raised in Christian culture). My pronouns are she/her. I am still wrestling with living on the stolen river watershed of the Siuslaw people, who are part of the CTCLUSI.

What's in This Book?

  1. Understanding BAT: Key Concepts
  2. BAT Dog Returns: Peanut's Lessons for Me
  3. Quick Fixes: Safety and Management Essentials
  4. How to See Trouble Before It Starts
  5. Leash Skills for Freedom and Safety
  6. BAT Set-ups for Reactivity
  7. Up Close and Tight Spaces: Mark and Move
  8. Troubleshooting BAT Set-Ups
  9. Surprise: Sudden Environmental Contrast
  10. BAT on Everyday Walks
  11. Love Thy Neighbor: Fence Fighting
  12. "Who Is It?" Teaching Your Dog to Enjoy Guests
  13. BAT for Puppy Socialization
  14. For Trainers and Behaviorists: Using BAT with Clients
  15. Conclusion
  • Appendix 1: Clicker Training Foundations
  • Appendix 2: Other Techniques that use Functional Reinforcers
  • Appendix 3: For Trainers and Behaviorists
  • Appendix 4: Trainers and Clients Share Their Experiences with BAT
  • Glossary
5 star rating

Thank you so much!

Emma Kesler

Thank you so much for offering BAT as an e-book. I already own the print version, and it is so nice to have access to a readily searchable copy. I appreciate...

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Thank you so much for offering BAT as an e-book. I already own the print version, and it is so nice to have access to a readily searchable copy. I appreciate you sharing it in this way and absolutely will recommend others to respect your hard work as an author and purchase.

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5 star rating

Simple, respectful and cool way to train !

Christine Scharf

A very useful and nice way to take care of a dog's reactivity, without pushing it too far and too fast ! Loved already the BAT 1.0 but there's still intersti...

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A very useful and nice way to take care of a dog's reactivity, without pushing it too far and too fast ! Loved already the BAT 1.0 but there's still intersting develpments in the BAT 2.0 !

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5 star rating

Recommended by Portuguese 4X Obedience Champion

Dana Simel

Wow! I have a reactive dog. I live in the USA but have a Portuguese dog. I asked Portuguese breeders if they could recommend a book as there no behaviorali...

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Wow! I have a reactive dog. I live in the USA but have a Portuguese dog. I asked Portuguese breeders if they could recommend a book as there no behavioralists near me, and there are few positive only trainers. I got hooked to exploring dog training myself due to this book. So, here I am. I'm a breeder and want to be able to offer advice to owners of my puppies. Thank you, Grisha!

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5 star rating

One of my favorites!

Catie Louwers

Enjoyed the book inmensly, will dive in again before asking the assessment!

Enjoyed the book inmensly, will dive in again before asking the assessment!

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5 star rating

Changed my Training career

Kourtenay Price

I've been referencing this book for a long time, and it's been so great in helping me learn more about reactivity in dogs. I used to be scared of reactivity,...

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I've been referencing this book for a long time, and it's been so great in helping me learn more about reactivity in dogs. I used to be scared of reactivity, and now I LOVE the process of training it all!

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5 star rating

Great methods for all dogs, but especially "reactive" ones

Jill Chambers

I have used these methods to help many dogs feel more secure and confident. Thank you for making some of them available for free!

I have used these methods to help many dogs feel more secure and confident. Thank you for making some of them available for free!

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Ready to start BATting?

It's your choice: buy this book separately, buy it as part of the BAT Pack, or get it (and a lot more) for FREE with a Diamond Membership, or GSA Library Pass.

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    $9.99BAT 2.0 for Dog Reactivity ebook

    One-time payment to add this eBook to your library. Your access will not expire.
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    $259.00BAT Pack

    The ultimate guide to BAT! Includes several videos, this book, and a self-paced training course. Buy purchasing the BAT Pack, your access to these materials won't expire.
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    $39.99 / monthDiamond Membership All Access Pass

    Great value! Access to ALL live and on-demand streaming content on the site, including this video.

    Diamonds are also part of a thriving, supportive community that loves to dig into every aspect of dog behavior. You'll get help from over 85 emotionally intelligent dog training and animal behavior classes, taught by my favorite experts from around the world. Diamonds also get special events, student coupons, and other perks. [Learn more].
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    $29.99 / monthStellar Village/GSA Library Card Membership

    A great value option for dog lovers who want to watch webinars on demand, but don't need the full benefits and community of the Diamond Membership.

    Access pre recorded content and Grisha's eBooks for one low price per month. [Learn more].
    Get Your Library Pass

If you choose the membership option, it will go for a month and then renew automatically each month after that. You can easily cancel renewal at any time and your access to the content will just expire on your renewal date.