Many dog guardians, dog behaviour experts, and dog researchers have a keen interest in village dogs (and other dogs who live at large). Some of the interest is simple: a curiosity about how these dogs live. However, some people suggest that village dogs live a life which is much improved, welfare-wise, over the life of a pet dog. In this webinar, dog trainer and anthropologist Kristi Benson will provide an introduction to village dogs (including definitions and geography). She will also review welfare-compromised and positive aspects of village dogs lives before looking at some of the lessons we can learn for pet dogs: enrichment, foraging, socializing, environmental choices, and so on. She will also comment on some of the potential pitfalls and flaws in the discussions about village dogs.

Learning Objectives:

• Evaluate sources of expertise on village dogs and dog welfare
• Understand the difference between seeking good consequences vs. getting relief, and why those separate motivations matter to this
• topic
• Identify the naturalistic fallacy in the context of discussing village dogs
• Develop new ways to improve pet dog welfare based on lessons from village dogs

About the Presenter

Kristi Benson is an honours graduate of, and now on staff at, the Academy for Dog Trainers. At the Academy, she is a student mentor and coach, and is in charge of the weekly webinars. Kristi is also in charge of special projects, including the Husbandry Project, which is a large co-operative veterinary care research study working with hundreds of dog owners, testing the efficiency and usefulness of a series of training plans. In her private practice, Kristi works with dog guardians through her self-paced online classes. She also loves helping both the dogs and the humans in the equation and brings her trademark combination of humour and compassion to her courses, no matter the topic.

Kristi also enjoys reaching out to dog owners through writing. Besides her own blog, she also regularly writes for the Academy for Dog Trainers’ blog and is a Special Correspondent to Zazie Todd’s Companion Animal Psychology. For ten years, she ran a sled dog micro-rescue with her partner, and fostered, house-trained, obedience-trained, and re-homed racing sled dogs. She lives rurally in northern British Columbia, Canada. She has gained the PCBC-A credential, is Fear Free certified, and is on the Fear Free Speaker’s Bureau.

WEBSITE LINK:  https://petprofessionalguild.com/event-4986127

Kittens and puppies can be put on mandatory confinement during the socialization period due to surgery, injury or other medical issues. When these patients are confined during the socialization period, they can experience a negative impact with socialization and can suffer from behavioral problems later in life. This program will show techniques that will keep the patient safe and mentally stimulated.

Learning Objectives:

Attendees will learn techniques to help keep confined animals calm – They will learn how to provide mental and physical exercise to patients that require confinements – They will also learn ways to help puppies and kittens socialize while confined.

CEUs: PPAB 1, CCPDT 1, IAABC 1, KPA 1

About the Presenter

An internationally sought-after speaker, Shannon has been a pet lover all her life and a dog trainer for over 20 years. She has spent her life observing, caring for and training animals of all kinds. She spoke at Pet Professional Guilds Geek Week Australia in 2021, has worked in the Bird Department at Marine World Africa USA, and worked as a handler and trainer for an African Serval Cat at Safari West, a private zoo in Santa Rosa, California. She has participated in behavior studies including observations of bald eagles and addax antelope through the San Francisco Zoo and Safari West.

Her education includes a Biology Degree, specializing in Zoology from Sonoma State. She is a Registered Veterinary Technician, a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner, a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and a member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants.

Shannon created Truly Force Free Animal Training in 2015 so that anyone, anywhere could have access to force free, positive reinforcement animal training. In 2018, Shannon published “The Evolution of Dog Training” available in audio, print and Ebook.

Shannon’s dog training philosophy revolves around force free, positive reinforcement; however, her goal is for healthy happy relationships between pets and their people. Diet, exercise, environment, and training all play a significant role in achieving this goal.

Shannon spent many years as the head dog trainer for PAWS for Healing, a pet assisted therapy organization. She performed temperament testing and assisted in the training of therapy dogs who visited hospitals, veteran groups, special educational facilities, and convalescent homes. She believes strongly in the benefits of developing the human animal bond and can assist in coaching for pets and their human companions to develop that connection.

Shannon is a past President for the Society of Veterinary Behavior Technicians.

WEBSITE LINK:  https://petprofessionalguild.com/event-4980600

Many of the behavior issues we see in pets – including biting – can relate to over-arousal. So how do we help the over-aroused animal? Whether you are faced with reactive, aggressive, or fearful behavior, addressing over-arousal can be the key to improving behavior and keeping pets in their homes. In this presentation, Irith will give you tips for identifying over-arousal and share practical tools to help you deal with over-arousal issues in pet animals.

This was previously aired at Geek Week 2021

Learning Objectives:

• Better understand arousal and its effects.
• Be able to determine when “problem” behaviors relate to over-arousal.
• Learn training games that can help pets learn to manage their arousal levels.

CEUs: PPAB 1, CCPDT (pending), IAABC (pending), KPA (pending)

About the Presenter
Irith Bloom has loved animals for as long as she can remember. She grew up with dogs, gerbils, and a pet snake (who was housed far from the gerbils) and was fascinated by horses. After years of (unsuccessfully) begging her parents to let her ride, she took matters into her own hands and won a horse in an essay contest. Irith’s parents were too busy to train the animals, so Irith became good at teaching useful (from the human point of view) skills to non-human animals.

A self-admitted geek, Irith has spent a great deal of time studying the science of behavior. She is fortunate enough to be invited regularly to give presentations on a variety of animal- and learning-related topics. Her writing on these topics has also been published both online and in print.

Irith is faculty at Victoria Stilwell Academy for Dog Training and Behavior and dogbiz’s Dog Walking Academy. She is also a CPDT-KSA, a CBCC-KA, a CDBC, a CSAT, a KPA CTP, a VSPDT, and a CBATI, as well as being certified in TAGteach, a positive-reinforcement method for teaching humans.

Irith is a member of the board of directors of the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), on the advisory board for Daily Paws, chair emeritus of the Education Committee of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), and a former member of the APDT Legislative Task Force. She also volunteers for National English Shepherd Rescue.

Irith has a BA in biology from the University of Pennsylvania and lives in Los Angeles, California. Her company, The Sophisticated Dog, LLC, offers online training and behavior services to clients worldwide as well as limited in-person services for clients in her local area. Irith also offers consulting services for fellow pet professionals.

WEBSITE LINK:  https://petprofessionalguild.com/event-4987027

Storytelling expert, Vanessa Chase Lockshin will inspire you and inform you how to write emails that actually drive donations.

You’ll learn:

• How to build a narrative arc for your Giving Tuesday campaign that engages supporters and creates campaign momentum
• What kinds of stories stand out in your donors’ inboxes on Giving Tuesday
• Easy-to-implement writing tips to make your emails shine even if you’re not a writer

Speaker: Vanessa Chase Lockshin, The Storytelling Nonprofit

WEBSITE LINK:  https://www.networkforgood.com/resource/yef-engaging-emails-giving-tuesday/

Maddie’s® Insights are monthly webcasts with practical tips based on current research to help pets and people. This month’s webinar is presented by Dr. Karen van Haaften, DACVB, and Bailey Eagan, MSc, PhD Student.

Cats entering shelters often experience fear, anxiety, and stress while in care. Mitigating negative states in cats is critical to their health and well-being, especially in populations of fearful cats that are already at risk for poor outcomes. One particularly at-risk population are fearful cats rescued from animal hoarding environments. In this presentation, results will be shared from a new study assessing using a standardized behavior modification program and daily gabapentin administration to treat fearful cats from hoarding environments. Further, instructions and resources for conducting behavior modification in shelters will be shared, along with a summary of a growing body of research and in-shelter experience demonstrating that many fearful cats from hoarding environments are treatable in shelters and can have positive outcomes in homes.

REGISTER HERE: https://maddies.fund/WebcastRegisterGabapentin

After the webcast, join us on Maddie’s Pet Forum to continue the discussion: https://maddies.fund/MIwebcastGabapentin

This webinar will be recorded and has been pre-approved for 1.0 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator continuing education credits by The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement and by the National Animal Care & Control Association.

About the Presenters

Dr. Karen van Haaften, DACVB, Veterinary Behaviorist, Behavioral Sciences Team, ASPCA (Canada)

Dr. Karen van Haaften, DACVB, graduated with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2009. She spent 5 years in clinical small animal practice and developed a special interest in clinical behavior. In 2014, she was selected for a residency in Clinical Animal Behavior at the University of California at Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. During her residency, she studied the effects of oral gabapentin on reducing signs of stress in cats with a history of fearful or aggressive behavior during veterinary exams. After completing her residency in 2017, Dr. van Haaften joined the British Columbia SPCA as the Senior Manager of Behavior & Welfare, a position which she held for 5 years.

Bailey Eagan, MSc, PhD Student, University of British Columbia

Bailey Eagan is a PhD student specializing in animal behavior and welfare in animal shelters. Bailey has a particular interest in conducting applied animal behavior and welfare research and incorporating research findings into animal shelter practice. Bailey’s current work focuses on anxiety-medication use in behavioral treatment plans of shelter animals.

WEBSITE LINK:  https://maddies.fund/WebcastRegisterGabapentin

With 23% of the Senate and 36% of the Assembly brand new (due to redistricting) or open races (no incumbents), there has never been a better time to familiarize yourselves with the ins and outs of developing and employing relationships with elected officials. Whether you are a municipal shelter, private non-profit with government contracts, or non-profit supporting animals in your community – decisions by policy makers impact your operations. Join Julianna Tetlow, Director of Government Relations for San Diego Humane Society, to learn how to develop relationships with elected officials, successfully engage in public policy, and position your organization as the thought leader and go-to resource for decision makers on all things animal welfare.

WEBSITE LINK:  https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zRfUOgBjQjmv2Xi0LOaxwA

Historically, community cat programs using shelter-neuter-vaccinate-return (SNVR) and trap-neuter-vaccinate-return (TNVR) have focused mostly on feral or fractious cats. But the most effective community cat programs take a more expansive approach. Listen as two cat programming experts talk about the issue of friendly community cats and their on-the-ground experience with saving more lives in different areas of the country. They’ll challenge your views on returning friendly cats with personal stories about their interactions with community members and discuss topics like safe SNVR practices and the benefits of expanding program eligibility.

This webinar is part of the Fall 2022 Webinar Series. Each webinar is pre-recorded and registering by October 12 gets you first access delivered directly to your inbox on the webinar date. Register for all five webinars or choose only the ones relevant to you.

Presenter: Alesha Davidson – National Shelter Embed Program Specialist, Best Friends Animal Society

WEBSITE LINK:  https://network.bestfriends.org/education/2022-fall-webinar-series-registration