Dr. Megan E. Maxwell, Ph.D.
Owner | Pet Behavior Change
Blacksburg & Roanoke, VA
Dr. Maxwell is a Board Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB). In practice for the last 22 years, Dr. Maxwell has worked with thousands of families whose dogs or cats exhibit all varieties of behavior problems and training needs. Whether your family pet is exhibiting serious behavior problems or requires just a bit of "fine-tuning," Dr. Maxwell can provide you with the highest standard of behavioral care available.
Dr. Maxwell has served as a member of the Board of Professional Certification for the Animal Behavior Society's Applied Animal Behavior certification program, has held multiple leadership positions for the International Association for Behavior Analysis' Applied Animal Behavior Special Interest Group and Applied Animal Behavior Research Area, and is an affiliate member of, and past blog writer for, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior.
In addition to her work as a Visiting Assistant Professor and lecturer in university settings, Dr. Maxwell is an international speaker who has lectured on many topics in animal behavior and training to various pet professionals, including veterinarians, dog trainers, shelter staff, and kennel clubs. From 2008-2010, she wrote a pet behavior column, Pet Peeves, for the Centre Daily Times in State College, PA. Her training and behavior advice has been featured in West Virginia's Daily Athenaeum and the Dominion Post; central Pennsylvania's State College and PAWSitively Pets magazines; Dog Fancy and Cat Fancy magazines; the Popular Puppies magazine series; and on PetMD.com. She has presented webinars through CAABChats.com on child safety with dogs and on owner compliance with behavior plans. For five years, Dr. Maxwell also wrote a monthly pet behavior advice column, The Teacher's Pets, for the Roanoke Times.
There is much work still to be done in educating the public on canine and feline learning and behavior, and Dr. Maxwell remains dedicated to enhancing the welfare of pets through individual and community education.
Dr. Maxwell and her husband are grateful to reside in Blacksburg, VA. They share their home with their two children, a Rat Terrier mix, a Catahoula Leopard Dog, a Yellow-collared Miniature Macaw, a Bearded Dragon, and a hermit crab named Orca.
What is Dr. Maxwell’s educational/academic background?
Dr. Maxwell earned her Ph.D. in Psychology in 2008 from West Virginia University (WVU)'s Behavior Analysis program. While there, she studied under the mentorship of Dr. Kennon A. Lattal, Centennial Professor of Psychology and then Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist. Her area of specialization is Behavior Analysis, which emphasizes the impact of environmental context and consequences on human and animal learning, and her particular interest has always been in the application of this body of knowledge to pet behavior and training.
Dr. Maxwell's research experience includes investigating how dogs learn. In particular, she has examined the effects of signaled and unsignaled delays to reinforcement on canine learning and behavior, methods for reducing responding by dogs using extinction, noncontingent reinforcement, and the differential reinforcement of other behavior, effects of free feeding on food guarding in dogs, and variables impacting owner compliance with pet behavior change protocols.
Megan Maxwell has completed the following coursework relevant to her work as a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist:
Brain-Behavior Relationships
Learning and Motivation
Neuroanatomy/Neurophysiology
General Biology
Experimental Analysis of Behavior
Applied Behavior Analysis
Behavior Theory and Philosophy
Single-Subject Research Methods
Verbal Behavior
Performance Management
Behavior Analysis Practicum
Stimulus Control and Memory
Behavioral Pharmacology
Reinforcement and Punishment
Assessment and Treatment of Problem Behavior
Ethical Issues in Psychology
Typically teaching courses in animal behavior and learning, Dr. Maxwell has served as an Adjunct Instructor at Temple University, a Visiting Assistant Professor at West Virginia University, and a Lecturer in Psychology at Pennsylvania State University. In these roles, she has taught the following courses:
Introduction to Behavior Principles
Experimental Analysis of Behavior
Research Methods in Psychology
Direct Applications of Behavioral Principles
Social Psychology
Field Experience in Psychology
Applied Animal Behavior
Contemporary Issues in Behavior Analysis
Biological Foundations of Behavior
Access Megan Maxwell's curriculum vitae here
What is Dr. Maxwell’s pet training/experiential background?
Dr. Maxwell's interest in pet behavior began while she was volunteering at animal shelters as an undergraduate. She saw many pets being relinquished to animal shelters - and often euthanized - because of behavior problems. She became dedicated to a career in psychology with a focus on understanding how animals learn and a goal of helping families keep pets in their homes through a better understanding of how to teach their pets and reduce pet behavior problems.
Dr. Maxwell began working with pets with behavior problems in 2000, under the tutelage of Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist Dr. Andy Lattal. She received her certification from the Animal Behavior Society as an Applied Animal Behaviorist in 2002 and has been providing private, in-home consulting to pet owners ever since. She also has taught puppy kindergarten classes and adult dog obedience classes. Dr. Maxwell has successfully addressed the full range of common and uncommon canine and feline behavior problems including aggression, fearful behavior, self-injurious behavior, destruction, house soiling, excessive barking, repetitive behavior, and many more. She also works regularly with families seeking basic obedience training for their puppies or adult dogs. Her yearly caseload is typically comprised of about 90% canine cases and 10% feline cases. She also has worked with families of parrots with behavior problems.
Consider registering for one of Dr. Maxwell's guest webinars. Both are part of the Chats with CAABs series. This series presents professional discussions among Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists about timely, useful, controversial and foundational topics in the field of pet behavior and training.
Practicalities and Protocols for Safe Relationships Between Dogs and Kids
Helping Pet Owners Follow Through with Behavior Intervention
