Choosing Your Courses
Portland, OR • April 5 - 7, 2024
There are courses available for every experience level and nearly every area of interest. This guide will help you navigate your choices and make the most of your ClickerExpo experience. You do not need to reserve a spot for most courses, so you can register without knowing your full schedule. Follow these easy steps to make the right course choices!
1. Define Your Interests
Interested in courses on a particular topic? Each of the courses in the program has one or more identifying topics that indicate the focal point(s) of the course. Below is a summary of these identifying topics and their meanings.
Aggression & Behavior Management
Courses relevant for people working with behavior issues including, but not limited to, management of reactivity and aggression
Business
Courses for professional trainers looking to sustain and grow their businesses
Competition
Canine sports and competition courses
Equine
Courses developed specifically for horse trainers and owners
Health & Wellness
Courses related to optimal health and wellness practices, including canine conditioning
Other Species
Explores working with species other than dogs, horses and humans - such as birds, cats, lemurs, and more!
Science
Courses that look at skill-building and knowledge through the lens of behavioral science
Shelter & Rescue Work
Issues common to shelter and rescue work
Skill
Training skills and knowledge critical to trainers’ continued skill development
Teaching Others
Skills and knowledge related to teaching people
Veterinary
Skill development and knowledge useful in veterinary environments
General
Covering a range of topics (for example, ClickerExpo’s opening and closing presentations)
Sponsor
Course offered by one of the conference sponsors
2. Assess your skill and
knowledge level
All Levels
- Some All Levels courses give attendees the opportunity to explore aspects of training and behavior to which they rarely have access.
- Other All Levels courses are appropriate for everyone because they teach a set of skills or provide information that everyone needs but few have developed.
- Still other All Levels courses address a specialty topic that will be interesting and informative no matter what your experience level.
Foundation
Foundation courses are intended for attendees not yet familiar with and comfortable applying the basic methods and science of positive reinforcement training.
Students may already have had some formal education and may have some experience in animal training. Even if you are an expert in a related field, such as veterinary medicine, the Foundation rating refers solely to your training expertise and, in particular, to your knowledge of, and experience applying the science, tools, and methods of positive reinforcement training.
Intermediate
Intermediate courses are intended for attendees with a working knowledge of the vocabulary of clicker training and operant conditioning.
Students should have already learned to train basic behaviors with a marker signal, know how to put behaviors on cue, and have several behaviors with their dogs solidly on cue.
Note that Intermediate Learning Labs often require that participating Dog/Handler Teams have specific training and skills.
Advanced
Advanced courses are intended for students with a solid understanding of learning theory and the vocabulary of training and operant conditioning, as well as considerable experience in applying these techniques.
Advanced courses assume that attendees teach behaviors through shaping and targeting routinely, have many behaviors reliably on cue, have built small behavior chains, and know how to rename cues.
Note that the dog you work with in an Advanced Learning Lab should be accustomed to the shaping process and know how to initiate behavior and try new things without prompting or luring. Learning Labs often require participating Dog/Handler Teams to have specific training and skills. Please do not try to work with less experienced dogs in these Labs.
3. Review the program
Session
Dive into a topic through a dynamic presentation that incorporates lecture, videos, and PowerPoint. Some Sessions may also include opportunities for audience participation.
Learning Lab
Learning Labs offer a unique opportunity to work with your dog or observe others working with dogs, all while being guided by the experienced ClickerExpo faculty. Certain Learning Labs are for humans only, as indicated in the course descriptions. You must pre-register for any dog/handler spot in a Learning Lab, before arriving at ClickerExpo, as space is limited. However, no pre-registration is necessary for human-only participants or to observe!
Dem-OH!
Learn about a training topic and watch it come to life! Live demonstrations from world-class trainers working with their animals, the attendees’ animals and, possibly, attendees themselves. Volunteers can participate on the fly or in advance, depending on the course. It can include both demonstrations and presentations.
Office Hours
Speakers pair up for an informal, open Q&A with attendees. Dogs are welcome and can become part of the conversation.
Let’s Talk! (Panel Discussions)
Delve into a specific topic in a moderated discussion with a panel of speakers gathered together on our virtual stage, with time for audience Q&A. Ready for lively discussion, unique perspectives, and the expertise of those who are the best at what they do? Let’s Talk!
Courses in the Conference Program are color coded so that you can easily tell the course format.
Important!
- Sessions, Panels, Dem-OH!s, Office Hours, and observer spots in Learning Labs are open seating, so you can register for the conference without knowing your full schedule!
- You must reserve Dog/Handler spots in Learning Labs beforehand. These spots are limited so we recommend reserving your Lab spots when you register. (This is especially true if you are coming with and planning on working with your dog!)
Sessions
- Open seating. Unlimited access to Sessions is included with your registration.
- Sessions are a primary teaching vehicle at ClickerExpo. Sessions are delivered by ClickerExpo faculty members in dynamic, multimedia presentations via lecture, on-stage demonstrations, video, and PowerPoint. Some Sessions may include participation exercises for individuals or small groups.
- In a couple of cases, a Session has a supporting, related Learning Lab that you may want to attend either as a participant or as an observer.
Learning Labs
Learning Labs provide an opportunity to work with your dog or to observe others working with dogs under the tutelage of the ClickerExpo faculty.
Learning Labs are limited to no more than 14 dog/handler teams (and are often limited to 4-6 teams). ClickerExpo faculty members lead these Labs; often, other Expo faculty members or KPA Certified Training Partners assist.
You must register for dog/handler spots in Learning Labs before arriving at ClickerExpo, as space is limited. We recommend that you choose Learning Labs during your registration in order to have the widest choice. Spots sell quickly!
- There is a $17.95 fee for each dog/handler spot in a Learning Lab.
- There are some Learning Labs for humans only - let your dogs rest! Be sure to read course descriptions fully. Spots in the humans-only learning labs are complimentary and limited to the room capacity, and participants will be chosen during the Learning Lab (registration not required).
- Observer spots are complimentary and registration is not required.
Some Learning Labs have prerequisite sessions and participant notes with requirements for participating dog/handler teams. Learn more in the FAQs below and be sure to read the course descriptions fully.
