We’ve all heard the golden rule of dog training: “What do you want the dog to DO instead?” But turning that concept into a reliable, stress-free behavior within a behavior modification plan is easier said than done. It’s not just about picking a replacement behavior; it’s about the science of how that behavior is built.

As an experienced and certified behavior consultant, let me take you on a deep dive into the world of Differential Reinforcement (DR). In this webinar, we’ll move beyond basic obedience to show you how to change a dog’s state of mind, arousal levels, and emotional response (CER) to help a behavior modification plan succeed.

What You’ll Learn:

• The Power of Positive CER: Why a “Sit” fueled by food and play works in high-stakes environments, while a “Sit” fueled by correction falls apart.
• The DR Toolkit: A clear, practical breakdown of DRI (Incompatible Behavior): Teach a behavior your dog can’t do at the same time as the unwanted one. DRA (Alternative Behavior): Reinforce a more appropriate, polite option, and DRO (Other Behavior): Reward your dog for doing anything other than the problem behavior and how to know exactly which tool to pull from the belt.
• Precision Implementation: Why fluency and latency are the “make or break” factors in your training plan.
• Threshold Management: How to keep your dog in a learning state of mind so your training actually sticks.
• Real-World Solutions for Common Problems

I will demonstrate how to apply DR strategies to the struggles ownersface every day, including:

• Jumpers: Re-wiring greetings for both owners and guests.
• Door Darters: Creating safety and focus at the threshold.
• Leash Manners: Transitioning from “frantic” to “focused” on walks.
• Big Emotions: Addressing demand barking, frustration, and reactivity rooted in fear or anxiety.

Presenter: Karen Deeds

WEBSITE LINK:  https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/self-study/webinars

Financial barriers are the leading reason pet families delay or forgo veterinary care—often resulting in preventable suffering and broader impacts on human and community health. This webinar will present findings from a recent peer-reviewed study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, examining how veterinary clinics and their clients utilized a no-credit-check, third-party managed installment financing option to increase access to veterinary care. The research offers real-world evidence on how flexible payment solutions can change care decisions and help families pursue lifesaving treatment they otherwise could not afford.

Read the Research (Pre-Reading Encouraged): https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1675999

Featured Presenters:

Heather Cammisa, MA, CAWA, Open Door Veterinary Collective
Amber Gilmore, CEO, P.E.T.S.

REGISTER TODAY (Registration is free but required.): https://tiny.utk.edu/Feb26OneHealthCommunityWebinar

The first in our series, this 90-minute Learning Session led by Dr. Alison Dougherty and Dawn Woods, CPA will provide an overview of evolving organizational, governance, and workforce issues emerging in the current environment. It will also provide resources and actionable steps leaders can readily consider and apply.

The session will explore:

– The organizational landscape: common drivers of change, strategic considerations, and legal constraints.
– The people landscape: cultural and emotional implications for those who stay, those who leave, and those leading through transition.
– Key themes including communication, workforce care, and trust during uncertainty.

In addition to shared framing, participants will leave with a few practical tools to support reflection, decision-making, and communication during periods of transition. The session will also invite participant input on the challenges and topics they would most like to explore in this series, helping us shape upcoming deep-dive sessions around real-time needs and priorities.

WEBSITE LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/PRdj6XN_T52vGv9tlUy25g#/registration

As behavior professionals, we are experts at reading animal body language and marking precise behaviors. However, when it comes to coaching the humans at the other end of the leash, communication often becomes subjective, emotional, or overwhelming. Whether you are correcting a client’s leash handling, mentoring a junior trainer, or receiving feedback from a colleague, the way information is exchanged determines whether the learner shuts down or levels up.

This webinar dives into the neuroscience of communication using the SCARF Model to explain why feedback can feel like a threat and how to transform it into a powerful “behavior tool.” You will learn practical, field-tested techniques like the “Micro-Yes” to gain consent, strategies for layering feedback to prevent cognitive overload, and methods for reframing critiques into objective data. We will also explore how to empower students through self-assessment, turning them into active participants in their own learning journey.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Define Feedback as a Behavioral Antecedent: Understand how feedback functions as a tool to shape human behavior, much like markers shape animal behavior.
• Apply the SCARF Model to Client Coaching: Identify the five social domains (Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, Fairness) to minimize “threat responses” and keep clients in a learning state.
• Utilize Consent-Based Communication: Implement the “Micro-Yes” technique to gain learner buy-in before offering corrections or advice.
• Execute Layered Feedback Protocols: Prioritize and deliver feedback in “layers” (Safety → Core Mechanics → Refinement) to avoid “lumping” and learner shutdown.
• Reframe Subjective Criticism into Objective Data: Use the “Video Camera Rule” to translate emotional or vague labels into observable, actionable behavioral facts.
• Facilitate Student Self-Reflection: Utilize specific questioning techniques to help clients and students assess their own performance, building their confidence and autonomy.

Presenter – Niki Tudge

CEUs: PPAB 1.5, PMCT 1.5, CCPDT 1.5, KPA 1.5, IAABC 1.5

WEBSITE LINK: https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/webinars-events/webinars/hacking-the-learning-brain-the-neuroscience-of-objective-feedback/

February is National Pet Dental Health Month, highlighting the importance of dental care for your pet’s overall health. Dental disease is common in both dogs and cats and, if left untreated, can cause pain, tooth loss, and infection that can affect the entire body.

Join us on Thursday, February 26th at 6PM ET on Zoom as Dr. Brad Cingolani, Resident Veterinarian in Dentistry and Oral Surgery at AMC, discusses common dental conditions in dogs and cats. He will discuss signs that may indicate a problem, explain what to expect from a veterinary dental exam and treatment, and share practical steps pet owners can take at home to promote healthier teeth and gums.

This is a free, online-only event hosted via Zoom. The Zoom link will be emailed to all registered participants the day of the event. REGISTER TODAY. Please email UsdanInstitute@amcny.org with any questions.

Please note: This webinar is intended for pet owners and is not eligible for CE credit.

WEBSITE LINK: https://app.glueup.com/event/dental-health-for-dogs-and-cats-signs-treatment-and-at-home-care-166531/

Reactive and aggressive behaviors in dogs are often explained almost exclusively through the lens of fear. While fear-based reactivity and aggression is real and important to understand, it is not the only pathway that leads to responses such as barking, lunging, charging, running fence lines, growling, snapping, or biting. Many dogs display intense, persistent, or confrontational behaviors for reasons that are not rooted in fear, and applying a fear-based framework in these cases can result in the implementation of ineffective training strategies, unfair expectations, limited progress, and frustration for both dogs and their humans. This webinar explores aggression and reactivity in dogs when fear is not the primary driver. We will examine behaviors that are preference-driven, innately reinforcing, and/or shaped by genetic selection, including alerting behaviors, guarding and territorial responses, prey-driven and movement-triggered reactions, genetic intolerance of other dogs, and autonomy-based intolerance of handling or personal space violations. We will also address excitement-driven behaviors and clarify how positive valence high arousal can shift into frustration and redirected aggression when access to a desired outcome is blocked. A key focus of this webinar is understanding why some dogs find behaviors such as barking, posturing, chasing, or engaging in altercations, intrinsically reinforcing, and why performing alternative behaviors can require significant mental effort even when those skills are well trained. We will discuss how behavior becomes habitual through repetition, how reinforcement history shapes responses, and why not all intense behavior reflects emotional dysregulation. We will discuss how to distinguish between fear-based responses, preference-driven fixation, intense frustration, and boundary-driven intolerance, and why these distinctions matter when choosing training and management strategies. Topics include ethical use of interruption, the role of structure and trained alternative behaviors, realistic expectations around tolerance versus enjoyment, the importance of meeting innate needs through appropriate outlets, and the added complexity of working within multi-dog households where arousal and behavior can rapidly escalate. This webinar is designed for anyone wanting a clearer, more nuanced framework for understanding complex behaviors. The emphasis throughout is on safety, fairness, and practical strategies that are effective while respecting both canine needs and real-world constraints.

Presenter: Sharon Carroll

WEBSITE LINK:  https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/self-study/webinars