In-Person Schedule

In this talk, Drs. Amy Learn and Amy Pike will discuss cases of theirs that have over the years either stumped their veterinary colleagues, or just plain fascinated them!

Join internationally-recognized expert Deb Bauer, celebrated for her groundbreaking work with blind and/or deaf dogs, as she takes you on a journey into the often-overlooked world of dogs living with sensory differences. This engaging presentation is designed specifically for dog trainers and professionals who are eager to expand their knowledge, grow their client base, and ensure that no dog or family feels left behind. Blind and deaf dogs are becoming more prevalent in the dog community as a whole. Yet, many professionals feel uncertain about how to accommodate these special dogs, communicate effectively, and set them up for success. Deb's expertise bridges that gap, offering practical, compassionate solutions that can be implemented immediately. In this session: Explore and correct common misconceptions about blind and deaf dogs' abilities and limitations. Get answers to the most common concerns and questions raised by trainers and families surrounding working with dogs with sensory differences. Discover innovative methods for teaching and connecting with blind and deaf dogs, from teaching some must-haves, to using visual and tactile cues. Learn how to create an inclusive professional environment that sets these dogs - and their families - up for success. Gain actionable strategies to immediately support blind and deaf dogs in both private sessions and group classes. Incorporating blind and deaf dogs into your training and other services not only showcases your comitment to inclusivity but also positions your business as a trusted resource for families living with these unique dogs. With these insights and practical tips, you'll leave this presentation feeling confident and inspired to work with these extraordinary dogs - and their devoted families. This session is more than an educational opportunity; it's a chance to broaden your impact as a trainer and makke a meaningful difference for dogs who need your skills the most. Don't miss it!

As a trainer, you love helping people and dogs. But you also know that you have to set boundaries when it comes to that help: you need to make enough money to support yourself, and you know you get frustrated when clients don’t do what you’re asking. You might have been hearing about diversity, equity, and inclusion, but have no idea it impacts you or what you can do about it. And you know that families are struggling financially right now, but feel like there’s not much you can do to help. Or maybe you feel like you’re already including everyone and aren’t sure why these conversations keep coming up! All of these fears and frustrations can make it feel impossible to take action to help more families and become more inclusive as an industry (or as a single trainer!) So today we’re going to talk about some real-world strategies you can use to become more inclusive in your training- without sacrificing your own quality of life. We’ll talk about some of the values and general knowledge around inclusivity and barriers to access. But we’ll also talk about real-world strategies that you and other trainers or behavior professionals can use to include more people and pups- without sacrificing yourself! Attendees will walk away from this presentation with some increased understanding of some of the challenges dog guardians face as well as tangible actions they can take to break down those barriers.

Regardless of what we are trying to accomplish being able to effectively communicate is the key to success. Whether working with an individual dog, managing a team, or giving a keynote adress, our abilty to deeply understand our audience and the message we hope to convey will make the difference in leaving a lasting meaningful impression. In this session we will explore how cultural nuance, surrendering our ego, and viewing our message with humility through the eyes and ears of the listener can elevate us as leaders, teachers, faciliators, and change makers.

Equipment is an important part of dog training today, and everyone has an opinion about what equipment you will or will not use.  In order to have meaningful conversations with clients and colleagues, we have to have an understanding of how equipment works and what mode of action is in play when equipment is used.  In this presentation you will learn how to evaluate equipment through the lens of mode of action, how to put that equipment onto the dog so that it works as intended, and how to choose equipment that will help you to achieve your training goals. In this talk, we will be looking at a wide variety of equipment, with the recognition that every trainer must choose equipment that suits their needs, and fits within their own ethical beliefs.

Session info coming soon!

Stay tuned to learn more about demos and exhibitors! Info coming soon!

This talk is an introduction to the principles, procedures, and philosophy of behavior analysis. We will review six fundamental topics to understanding and changing animal behavior. The topics include 1) an evolutionary view of learning and behavior; 2) a review of the science of behavior-change called behavior analysis; 3) common obstacles to the scientific analysis of learning and behavior; 4) ABC assessment to better understand, predict and change behavior; 5) the errorless learning philosophy and antecedent arrangement to make the right behavior more likely; 6) the relevance of the least intrusive procedure to ethical use of training procedures.

Conducting research is a challenging endeavor, and even more so when we ask applied questions. When we consider recent research attempting to investigate the relative impacts of shock collars and food-based training on dog behavior and welfare, being a well-informed consumer of science is critical in order to evaluate studies for their merits and limitations. When carrying out research studies, scientists must have a clear understanding of their research question, appropriate dependent measures to answer that question, a design that is free from bias (or are biased against their hypothesis), and experimental conditions that are equivalent in as many ways as possible except for the critical variable of interest. Samples should be representative of the population, and their methodology consistently applied. Following data collection, scientists need to ensure interpretations are consistent with the analytical results, and be transparent with their data. In this workshop, we will discuss these essential features in greater detail. We will then facilliate attendees working together in small groups as they design a study investigating their own question about training methods. Following this workshop, attendees will work have a better understanding about the challenges of conducting applied research and be more informed consumers of science, including being able to discuss a given study’s strengths and limitations more knowledgeably.

What does it take to raise a great dog? This was the question that we hoped to answer when we enrolled one hundred and one Canine Companion service dog puppies in a longitudinal study of cognition and temperament at the Duke Puppy Kindergarten between 2018-2024. With the help of a retired service dog named Congo and hundreds of undergraduate volunteers, we set out to understand the secrets of the puppy mind. Applying the same games that psychologists use when exploring the development of young children, we tested when cognition critical to a dog’s training success first develops during a puppy’s final stage of rapid brain development (from approximately 8-20 weeks of age). We also socialized our puppies in two different ways to test which positive early experiences might enhance their abilities and give them a cognitive head-start. The results were surprising - maturational patterns varied greatly between cognitive skills, with puppies showing adult-like performance on some tasks only weeks after a skill emerged, while never achieving adult performance in others. Differences in rearing strategy did not lead to differences in developmental patterns while, in some cases, repeated testing enhanced cognitive development. The results suggest ways to integrate this new developmental understanding into training approaches. Raising dozens of puppies on a college campus allowed us to rigorously ask a host of other questions including how stress physiology, sleep, coprophagy develops and what rearing strategies are most likely to lead to a positive outcome. We use all the discoveries to ultimate provide science-based recommendations on how to best help our puppies grow up to be the best dogs they can possibly be.

Studies show that dogs who listen to specific types of music experience a reduction in anxiety and stress. It has also been demonstrated that the use of music is effective in increasing levels of beneficial hormones like serotonin and dopamine in both dog and handler. These increased levels can help increase the relationship and bond. This session will explore methods and beneits of combining music and movement into a variety of dog activities such as training, classes, conditioning, and even canine musical freestyle.

Animal shelters across the United States are tasked with caring for and re-homing over three million dogs annually. Well-trained volunteers are required to help dogs get adopted from animal shelters. Inadequate training can lead to mismanagement of the volunteers and attrition of those volunteers who are critical to helping shelter dogs get adopted. However, animal shelters often lack access to the resources and funds required to provide adequate training. This study created and examined a cost-effective and effective method to train volunteers how to teach dogs behaviors that have been demonstrated through research to promote dog adoption.  This presentation will explore the research behind dog adoption and the ONE behavior shown to have a statistically significant increase in being adopted, the training program used to teach volunteers how to teach this behavior to the dogs, and the results of the training for the humans and the outcomes it had for the dogs!

This lecture will discuss the impact to pets and animals during times of crisis with an emphasis on preparedness strategies. Topics will include creating and practicing an emergency plan, items to include in a pet emergency kit, and considerations for sheltering during disasters.

Additional Cost at registration: APDT is bringing the evening social back to conference in a big way. Attendees will board buses from their hotels which will whisk them away to an exclusive evening as APDT International takes over an entire tap room and brewery. You’ll sample branded brews and a variety of food options as we spend the first part of the evening connecting with everyone you’ve met at the big event. Next, continue with an intimate session from one of our most engaging speakers who will be delivering unique content only available to Thursday night’s event, adding another valuable CEU to your collection. As we wrap up the learning content, music will take over the speakers and you will have the opportunity to dance and mingle well into the night.