Suzanne Clother – Understanding the Stimulus Gradient: Distance, Duration, & Intensity

Date: Thursday, July 9, 2020
Time: 3pm Pacific Time (Click here for time at FDSA (Pacific Time).
Fee: $19.95 – Registration required PRIOR to scheduled presentation time.

For the positive reinforcement trainer, a constant goal in any training session is to avoid pushing the dog over the threshold into being overwhelmed, frightened, reactive or activated. But how much is too much? or not enough? When do you move on the next step? What to do if you go too far? Understanding the stimulus gradient provides the answers.
The stimulus gradient is the trainer’s “mixing board.” Every training situation incorporates these three ingredients in varying proportions. Skillful training requires an understanding of how to adjust the individual ingredients, as well as knowing how distance, duration and intensity interact.

The stimulus gradient is key to:

• Creating appropriate “thin slices”
• Identifying clear criteria for progressions
• Effectively using distractions
• Successful counter-conditioning
• Helping reactive dogs
• Troubleshooting training issues

This webinar focuses on practical application of the stimulus gradient, including:

• Using distance
• Natural blocks & openings for duration control
• Controlling intensity

Whether your goals are high level performance or helping a first time pet owner, knowing how to play the trainer’s mixing board will take your training to a new level.

* Click here to register **

LIVE FROM THE RANCH

Kathy Sdao

Kathy Sdao is an applied animal behaviorist. She has spent more than 30 years as a fulltime animal trainer, first with marine mammals and now with dogs and their people. Kathy received a master’s degree in experimental psychology from the University of Hawaii. The United States Navy then hired her to train dolphins for open-ocean tasks. Kathy next worked as a marine-mammal trainer at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Later, Kathy co-created Tacoma’s first dog daycare facility, where she began teaching clicker training classes.

Since 1998, Kathy has owned Bright Spot Dog Training. Services include consulting with families about their challenging dogs, teaching private lessons, and mentoring professional trainers. Kathy is proud to be an original faculty member at Karen Pryor Clicker Training’s ClickerExpo conferences.

Kathy has traveled extensively across the United States, Canada, and Europe, and to Australia, Israel, Japan, and Mexico, educating students about the science of animal training. Her first book, Plenty in Life Is Free: Reflections on Dogs, Training and Finding Grace was published in 2012.

Learn more about Kathy on her website.

WEBSITE LINK:  https://theranch.clickertraining.com/live/#kathy

Learn the basics of Trap-Neuter-Return with our Helping Cats in Your Community webinar. We’ve put together this resource for you to learn directly from our expert staff how you can improve cats’ lives. In this 90-minute online demonstration, you’ll learn about feral cats and how to do Trap-Neuter-Return yourself.

If you’re already familiar with Trap-Neuter-Return, this webinar can also be used as a model for launching TNR workshops in your own community. Find more resources for holding your own workshop.

We hold TNR webinars quarterly, alternating between English and Spanish every 3 months.

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about attending the webinar.

NEXT SESSIONS:

A Fear Free approach to veterinary care is better for our patients, but what about our practices?

This presentation from Michael Hargrove, DVM, MBA, will demonstrate how becoming a Fear Free Certified Practice has business benefits that extend well beyond improved patient care. Every stakeholder in the practice benefits from Fear Free: the patients, the clients, the staff, and the practice owner.

Dr. Hargrove will discuss improved client experience, the development of a clearer brand image for the practice, and increased loyalty from clients, as well as how the change in practice culture improves staff satisfaction, increases employee retention, decreases workplace injury, and boosts employee recruiting. As a certified business appraiser, he also discusses how adopting a Fear Free practice culture can translate to an improved practice value when it comes time to sell.

Dr. Michael Hargrove is the owner of a 7-doctor small animal practice in Duluth, Minnesota. His practice has been AAHA-certified for 41 years and in 2018 became the first Fear Free Certified Practice in Minnesota. Dr. Hargrove is a certified Fear Free Professional and is also Certified in Low Stress Handling and a member of the Fear Free Advisory Group.

Dr. Hargrove also works with Summit Veterinary Advisors as a veterinary management consultant. He has an MBA and is a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) who works primarily with veterinarians who are buying/selling veterinary practices or are looking for more information on how to improve the financial health of their practice. Dr. Hargrove is married with one son and three stepsons as well as three cats and a stepdog.

Brought to you by Ceva.

WEBSITE LINK:  https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_10pY1KKGSfS4G-J7NXdjJw

EVENT DETAILS

WEBSITE LINK:  https://justiceclearinghouse.com/webinar/large-scale-animal-cruelty-seizures-key-considerations/

Get the down and dirty basics about diarrhea in kittens. Understand the causes, know what you can do to provide supportive care, and learn about treatment options to address a variety of diarrhea causes. As always, the webinar will include a wealth of information, and there will also be time for Q & A.

Click here to register for this free webinar!

Speaker:  Melanie Sadek, Executive Director, Valley Humane Society

Culture and brand are subtle expressions of your organization’s values that take careful planning and regular fine-tuning. Take the lead on creating a culture within your organization that better supports your own team and the community you serve. Attendees will learn how to evaluate their organization’s brand and make simple changes to evolve into a community-focused organization with stronger relationships and improved public perception.

WEBSITE LINK:  https://www.calanimals.org/on

Speakers:  Darlene Blackman, Director of Community Engagement, Marin Humane, and Katilyn Navarro, Pet Retention Coordinator, Ventura County Animal Services

One of the many ways sheltering services are changing is responding to the needs of pets living in the community. Pet Safety Net programs work to keep pets in their homes by providing support for their care. If an animal has to be surrendered to a shelter because the family cannot provide the necessary care, it is a tragedy for all. The animal loses its family, the family loses their beloved pet and the shelter has to spend funds on an animal that has a home. We will look at the programs offered at Marin Humane and Ventura County Animal Services that assist owners in keeping their pets and preventing surrenders.

WEBSITE LINK:  https://www.calanimals.org/on

Now that we have a solid understanding of the Tag/Link window, it’s time to take a closer look at licensing. We’ll look at ways Chameleon can be customized to support your licensing workflow. We’ll look at various routes for licensing and focus on ways to automate processes.  This is the second class in a 3-part licensing series intended to help you become more efficient at licensing and generate revenue.

TAKE ME TO THE BEACH TO REGISTER NOW