See Every Dog as the Individual They Truly Are

Intro to CARAT
Course starts September 14, 2025.
Early Bird Dog Pricing available NOW through August 17, 2025.

Finally, move beyond the "big bucket" assessments to understand the nuanced temperament profile of each dog you work with.

CARAT changes everything! And our students prove it every day.

You know every dog is different, but current assessment tools lump them into crude categories

  • Traditional assessments use generalizations like "confident/fearful" or "aggressive/submissive"
  • Two dogs get the same "highly distractible" label, but one is responding to scent, the other to visual stimuli
  • You're missing the nuanced details that matter for training, placement, and success
  • Your breeding program, rescue placements, or training plans need more precision

The CARAT Solution

CARAT reveals the individual behind the behavior

CARAT doesn't ask "What's wrong with this dog?" Instead, it asks "Who IS this dog?"

Unlike other systems that oversimplify, CARAT identifies the specific traits contributing to behavior:

  • CORE: Arousal, Resilience, Energy
  • SOCIAL: Sociability, Social Tolerance, Social Use of Space
  • SENSORY: Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, Olfactory
  • PERSISTENCE: Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, Olfactory, Predatory/Chase
  • INTERACTIVE: Patience, Biddability w/Familiar, Biddability w/Stranger
  • COMPLEX TRAITS: Social Confidence, Environmental Confidence, Self Modulation

What Changes When You Use CARAT?

For Trainers & Behaviorists:

  • Create training plans based on each dog's actual temperament profile
  • Understand why two "reactive" dogs need completely different approaches
  • Predict how a dog will respond in various scenarios

For Rescue & Shelter Organizations:

  • Make better placement decisions that stick
  • Identify the right job/home for each dog's unique profile
  • Reduce returns and increase successful adoptions

For Service Dog & Working Dog Organizations:

  • Select candidates with higher success rates
  • Match dogs to handlers more effectively
  • Understand which dogs excel at which tasks

For Veterinary Professionals:

  • Better understand behavior concerns clients bring to you
  • Make more informed referrals based on temperament profiles
  • Recognize when behavior issues stem from temperament mismatches

For Breeders:

  • Fine-tune breeding programs with precise trait assessment
  • Match puppies to appropriate homes with confidence

What CARAT Students Say

“"CARAT is such a much more nuanced way to understand dogs and our relationship to them." ”

Carolyn Maddox

“"This course is more than worth the cost of admission whether you're a dog trainer or not. The growth in understanding of who my animals are as individuals is an absolute treasure." ”

Jennifer Fritton

“"I can't think of a better person to teach this than Suzanne. Her own abilities continue to amaze me." ”

Barbara Laricos

“"In my work, I assist people to select, prepare and train dogs... Suzanne's theories and processes have given me so many tools for my toolbox, and have made me a better human healthcare practitioner and dog trainer." ”

Melissa Winkle, Occupational Therapist & International Educator

What You'll Learn in Intro to CARAT

This is CARAT Level I training - your foundation for seeing dogs clearly

Core Skills You'll Develop:

  • Observation Skills: Learn to see what you've been missing
  • Basic CARAT Concepts: Understand the framework that changes everything
  • Assessment Introduction: Begin applying CARAT principles
  • Video Analysis: Heavy focus on real dogs, real situations

Course Format:

  • Self-paced online modules you can pause, rewind, and review
  • Weekly live Q&A sessions with Suzanne for personalized guidance
  • Real video examples - no made-up scenarios
  • Printable materials for ongoing reference
  • Community discussion with fellow professionals
  • Lifetime access to all course materials upon completion

Perfect For:

  • Professional trainers and behaviorists seeking deeper assessment skills
  • Rescue and shelter professionals making placement decisions
  • Service dog trainers and evaluators selecting the right candidates
  • Veterinarians and vet techs understanding behavior concerns
  • Working dog handlers in detection, therapy, or sport
  • Dedicated dog owners who want profound understanding of their dogs
  • Students and new professionals building foundational skills
  • Anyone serious about seeing dogs as individuals

Next Session Starts September 14, 2025

Join the professionals who understand that CARAT changes everything!

🎯 Early Bird Special: $325 (Save $50 off regular $375 price)
 Early Bird Ends: August 17, 2025

18 IAABC Continuing Education Units
22 KPA Continuing Education Units
16 PPAB Continuing Education Units
Lifetime Access to all materials upon course completion (One year to complete)

TWO ways to Pay!

BEST VALUE

$325 USD
Early Bird Dog Pricing Available NOW through August 17th!
OR

MOST FLEXIBLE

2 monthly payments of
$170 USD
Early Bird Dog Pricing Also Applies!

FAQ

  • Is this course only for professionals?

    While many participants are trainers, behaviorists, and rescue professionals, dedicated dog owners who want to understand their dogs on a deeper level find tremendous value in CARAT. The skills apply whether you work with one dog or hundreds

  • How is this different from other temperament tests?

    CARAT doesn't test - it profiles. Instead of pass/fail or broad categories, you get a detailed, nuanced picture of the individual dog's temperament traits and how they interact.

  • Do I need experience with temperament assessment?

    No prior experience required. We start with observation skills and build from there.

  • When does this course start and how long will it take?

    This course is scheduled to start September 14, 2025. A new chapter will be released weekly and you will have access to all the materials for one year from start of course.

  • What is the format of the course?

    Each week you will receive access to two recorded presentations, along with weekly bonus material and a discussion group. There will be opportunities for a weekly Q&A session which you can attend live or view after the fact. For this session they are scheduled for Wednesdays at 10am EST and will be held on September 24th, October 1st, October 8th, October 15th and October 22nd.

  • Do I get to keep the course materials?

    Yes! Upon course completion, you receive lifetime access to all course videos, materials, and resources. This means you can return to review concepts and refresh your skills whenever needed. Note: Course access is available for one year from enrollment - complete the course within that time to secure your lifetime access.

  • What if I can't attend the live Q&A sessions?

    All sessions are recorded, and you can submit questions in advance. The course is designed to be flexible for busy professionals.

  • Who needs CARAT?

    CARAT is a must-have tool for any serious animal professional who is involved in assessing behavior. Whether you are a trainer, a behaviorist, a breeder, a veterinarian, in rescue/shelter work, or involved in service dog organizations, CARAT can open a new world of observation and understanding. CARAT will fine tune your assessments, your behavior modification & training plans, improve your selection of suitable dogs for a given task, sharpen your breeding program's focus on desired traits, and help find the best possible job/task/home for an individual dog.

  • Are CEUs available for this course?

    Yes, CARAT has been approved for CEUs for IAABC (18), KPA (22) and PPAB (16).

Reviews

What CARAT students have to say:

5 star rating

CARAT Does Change Everything!

Mary Kulakowski

Suzanne's CARAT Assessment Tool is brilliant! Learn to observe and understand your dogs on a level you never dreamed possible! Thoughtful interaction between Suzanne and all participants. Questions welcomed!!! This course is an excellent resource ...

Read More

Suzanne's CARAT Assessment Tool is brilliant! Learn to observe and understand your dogs on a level you never dreamed possible! Thoughtful interaction between Suzanne and all participants. Questions welcomed!!! This course is an excellent resource for everyone who cares about dogs, from breeders, to those involved with working dogs, to those who want to understand the relationship they have with their own "best friend." "10 out of 10 stars" in my book!

Read Less
5 star rating

Great seminar! Even better online than in-person.

Barbara Laricos

Observing and understanding dogs is a fascinating and essential element for anyone who works with our four-legged friends. But how does one develop a high degree of skill in that? Suzanne Clothier has captured this in her CARAT assessment tool, ...

Read More

Observing and understanding dogs is a fascinating and essential element for anyone who works with our four-legged friends. But how does one develop a high degree of skill in that? Suzanne Clothier has captured this in her CARAT assessment tool, which gives a framework to identify and evaluate each dog's distinct temperament characteristics. The result is a picture of the "whole dog" that helps assessors understand who that dog is (what motivates him, what worries him, how he reacts to people and environments etc.) and develop the best fit/approaches for him. This seminar is an introduction to CARAT and I highly recommend it. Learning to use CARAT yourself is a longer but worthwhile process. Because CARAT depends on the observational skills of the assessor, the path to CARAT includes in-depth work to develop observation skills. I can't think of a better person to teach this than Suzanne. Her own abilities continue to amaze me. The next seminar will be on observation skills and I can't wait to learn more from her!!! A note about the format: I've taken several wonderful in-person seminars with Suzanne and at first was not sure about doing this online. But I'm so glad I did! In 2-day in-person workshops, I had the chance to see Suzanne work directly with dogs and deliver mountains of good information. But unfortunately, it was so much good info that it was slightly overwhelming for me (I'm not a professional in the dog world) and I probably lost a good bit of what I learned. But the online presentation was just what I needed. It was a series of lessons over several weeks and included pre-recorded videos that I could pause and re-watch to let them really sink in, as well as slides I can print out and retain for later reference. A live Q&A session was held each week to clarify and reinforce the information. I'm sure I understood and will retain much more of this thanks to the online format. Thank you, Suzanne, for such a wonderful experience!

Read Less
5 star rating

Thank God for the Pause and Rewind Function!

Jennifer Fritton

The CARAT Virtual Seminar was an amazing experience. Fun, entertaining, immensely thought-provoking and above all, educational and valuable for the understanding of dogs (and cats, birds, horses, people...). I’ve done the introductory CARAT cour...

Read More

The CARAT Virtual Seminar was an amazing experience. Fun, entertaining, immensely thought-provoking and above all, educational and valuable for the understanding of dogs (and cats, birds, horses, people...). I’ve done the introductory CARAT course both in person and now as a virtual course, and while I loved the richness of being there in person, Suzanne is right when she says your brains may be leaking out your ears by the end of the 2 day seminar. The virtual course, by contrast, allowed the luxury of hitting pause, working some things out in your head, going off to take a look at what you saw in your own animals, and coming back all the more illuminated. Also invaluable was the ability to rewind and watch portions again or go through the entire session again. The Q&A’s after each session were as wonderful as the actual sessions for expanding understanding, clearing up confusion and realizing that if so many of the others have the same questions, maybe you’re not as hopeless as you feared trying wrap your brain around the concepts! This course is more than worth the cost of admission whether you’re a dog trainer or not. The growth in understanding of who my animals are as individuals is an absolute treasure.

Read Less
5 star rating

Extremely Informative

Brooke Corson

If one good thing has come out of COVID it's that this class was offered virtually! This class is packed with information that is easily learned through watching the videos and Q&A sessions.

If one good thing has come out of COVID it's that this class was offered virtually! This class is packed with information that is easily learned through watching the videos and Q&A sessions.

Read Less
5 star rating

CARAT Virtual Seminar was very informative. Really enjoyed the interactive module, videos and discussion groups.

Heddie Leger

5 star rating

Gretchen Decker

Gretchen Decker

The course was challenging and improved my observation skills. Suzanne was accessible, helpful, and respectful. She's an all around great teacher. I would recommend this course to anyone who wants to deepen their knowledge of how dogs experience t...

Read More

The course was challenging and improved my observation skills. Suzanne was accessible, helpful, and respectful. She's an all around great teacher. I would recommend this course to anyone who wants to deepen their knowledge of how dogs experience the world.

Read Less
5 star rating

Fantastic

DeeDe Baker

I took my time going through this program by ensuring I could focus 100% on each video. Boy am I glad I did! I feel like this is just the tip of the iceberg, and am intrigued and terrified all at the same time! This is something anyone who works ...

Read More

I took my time going through this program by ensuring I could focus 100% on each video. Boy am I glad I did! I feel like this is just the tip of the iceberg, and am intrigued and terrified all at the same time! This is something anyone who works with dogs should want to learn about.

Read Less
5 star rating

Accurate

Carolyn Maddox

CARAT is such a much more nuanced way to understand dogs and our relationship to them. This seminar was a great introduction to it and the feedback from other participants in the Q and A sections of the class was such an awesome complement to the ...

Read More

CARAT is such a much more nuanced way to understand dogs and our relationship to them. This seminar was a great introduction to it and the feedback from other participants in the Q and A sections of the class was such an awesome complement to the course work.

Read Less
5 star rating

CARAT Virtual Seminar was very informative. Really enjoyed the interactive module, videos and discussion groups.

Heddie Leger

TWO ways to Pay!

BEST VALUE

$325 USD
Early Bird Dog Pricing Available NOW through August 17th!
OR

MOST FLEXIBLE

2 monthly payments of
$170 USD
Early Bird Dog Pricing Also Applies!