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Creating Expectations- The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly with Michele Pouliot

Daily living with animals results in many behaviors that develop through that animal’s experince of living with us. Often, this learning is not intentionally structured by us, leading our learners to exhibit desired or “”good”” behaviors, as well as the unwanted or “”bad”” behaviors, and someties even behaviors that are challenging for us to live with, the “”ugly””ones. Frequently, we need to retrain and/or manage our way out of the bad and the ugly!

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Boosting Business Success- Crafting Genuine Quick Wins for Clients with Allie Bender

Delivering quick wins in the very first session is crucial for gaining client trust and commitment to your training plan. This ultimately boosts business success through testimonials, referrals, and renewals. However, it’s essential to distinguish between genuine quick wins and illusory progress, akin to a “”magic wand”” fix. How can we ensure the victories we deliver are tangible and sustainable, setting the stage for long-term success?

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Cool Tricks for Cooperative Care with Sara McLoudrey

COOL TRICKS FOR COOPERATIVE CARE  Sara McLoudrey • LIVE Cooperative care makes caring for your dog safer, less stressful, and more consistent for you, your pets, and anyone else involved. However, teaching pets the behaviors needed for cooperative care can intimidate even the most well-intended trainers and pet guardians (injection training? Yikes!). Then, your social media feed shows you perfection …

Nice To Meet You and See You Later- Exploring The As and Cs of Polite Greetings with Amber Quann

NICE TO MEET YOU AND SEE YOU LATER: EXPLORING THE A’S AND C’S OF POLITE GREETINGS Amber Quann • Chicago Polite greeting behavior in dogs involves more than whether they jump up or keep all four paws on the floor during petting by a new human friend. It encompasses the entire greeting routine, from the initial perception to the final …

Bridging The Gap- Translating Dog Behavior Skills to Cat Cases with Tabitha Kucera

BRIDGING THE GAP: TRANSLATING DOG BEHAVIOR SKILLS TO CAT CASES Tabitha Kucera• LIVE  In homes with dogs, there’s often a cat companion in need of support and management. As dog behavior professionals, you have a unique opportunity to help! This lecture will explore common cat behavior challenges, from excessive vocalization to scratching furniture, and provide practical solutions using positive reinforcement …

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Building Performance Fluency for Competition Success- For You and Your Dog with Emelie Johnson Vegh

BUILDING PERFORMANCE FLUENCY FOR COMPETITION SUCCESS- FOR YOU AND YOUR DOG! Emelie Johnson Vegh • LIVE Performance goals? Chances are you’ve put a lot of thought into helping your dog reach fluency with their skills and preparing them for the competition setting. Oh, I just said “dog” – but this applies regardless of the species! We often put a lot …

Avoiding The Bitey End Of the Dog- Defensive Handling with Michael Shikashio

AVOIDING THE BITEY END OF THE DOG: DEFENSIVE HANDLING Michael Shikashio • Chicago Dog bites can have serious consequences, particularly for dog professionals. Mastering essential defensive handling techniques is crucial for maintaining safety and security. Join Michael Shikashio for an engaging Learning Lab where he will demonstrate a variety of defensive handling skills, giving you the opportunity to practice alongside …