CONFERENCE PROGRAM
LIVE (Virtual) • January 23 - 25, 2026
ClickerExpo LIVE offers 45 courses organized into 12 distinct Tracks. These Tracks provide a convenient way to navigate the various course options available at ClickerExpo LIVE, helping you easily find courses that match your interests.
Click on the name(s) of the Tracks(s) below to view all the associated ClickerExpo LIVE course titles for the selected Tracks, along with the faculty, schedule, and course description. Click "All" to view all courses across all Tracks.
Pre-Event - Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Let’s Talk: Training with the Newest ClickerExpo LIVE Speakers
Course Type: Let’s Talk! (Panel Discussions)
Skill Level: All Levels
Day 1 - Friday, January 23, 2026
Opening Session
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: Join us as we kick off the incredible journey that will be ClickerExpo LIVE.
Foundational Skills
Teaching Others
Horses, Cats, Exotics, and More
Expanding Skills
Service Dogs
Excellence is The Basics Done Well: Demonstrations of the Principle
Course Type: Dem-OH!
Skill Level: Foundation
Description: Ken is fond of saying that "advanced training is the basics done very well." But what are the basics, and what needs to be taught and learned so that they are done well? Join Ken for this Dem-OH! Session designed to illustrate what he considers key basics and how he teaches them to trainers.
In this Session, Ken will work with a variety of animals from The Ranch (Karen Pryor National Training Center) to demonstrate how he teaches and develops these critical basic skills to students. Skills that he will describe and demonstrate include clicker mechanics, feeding and reinforcement strategies, stationing strategies, maintaining a learner's attention, targeting skills, teaching duration, and capturing skills. This Session is designed for beginners new to training, as well as experienced trainers who would like insight into Ken's criteria for "the basics done well" and his successful teaching style.
Expanding Skills
Aggression & Problem Solving
Foundational Skills
Body Language Beyond the Lip Lick
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: This isn't your typical body language Session. Chirag invites you to look beyond the familiar charts and one-size-fits-all interpretations of body language. Instead, we'll dive deeper into the topic, exploring the theories and practical examples — guided by presentations, real-life videos, and opportunities for you to ask questions and discuss.
Using case footage from multi-dog households, veterinary handling, and puppy-puppy interaction, Chirag will present the information in a practical way, providing you with insights and tools you can apply immediately.
Aggression & Problem Solving
Case Study: Joshua the Border Collie
Course Type: Dem-OH!
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: As a canine consultant, did you ever find yourself in the position where you have acquired a dog whose behavioral issues are so complex that you are not sure where to begin? This is the position Emma Parsons found herself in when she acquired a Border Collie puppy to compete with in agility. Not twenty-four hours after bringing him home, he would walk and then collapse in the grass, biting ferociously at his quivering back leg. When Emma or her husband Greg tried to intervene, they were bitten.
After seeking the help of various canine specialists, later diagnostics would reveal that Joshua suffered from Tethered Cord Syndrome. This is a rare condition where the spinal cord is abnormally attached to the surrounding tissues, typically at the base of the spine. This condition prevents the spinal cord from moving freely within the spinal canal, especially as the dog grows. If left untreated, the spinal cord can stretch, leading to damage and acute neurological symptoms. Although Joshua had spinal surgery at three years of age to relieve his discomfort, the aggression towards his caregivers and his severe resource guarding remained the same.
This case study Dem-OH! Session will invite attendees into Parsons' home to explore several challenging behaviors, including aggression toward caregivers, bite prevention in response to overly arousing activities, severe resource guarding, and intolerance of touch.
Although there will be some PowerPoint slides, most of this topic will be covered through live training demonstrations with Emma and Joshua.
Emerging Trends in Our Profession
Cooperative Care / Veterinary
Shelters & Dogs from Shelters
Veterinary Social Work: Application and Tools for Animal Trainers
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: Veterinary Social Work is not just for veterinarians! It encompasses all facets of human-animal interactions, including those of dog trainers and pet owners. Learn about this emerging area of Social Work and how you and your clients can benefit from it!
Learning Objectives:
After this presentation, participants will be able to:
-Define Veterinary Social Work and describe the core components, including relevance in training, veterinary, and animal care settings
-Apply basic principles of human behavior to improve communication and build more effective, compassionate client relationships
-Increase understanding of grief from the client and dog trainer perspectives
-Utilize practical tools to enhance your well-being and self-care while helping pets and their people.
Horses, Cats, Exotics, and More
Cooperative Care / Veterinary
Emerging Trends in Our Profession
Let's Talk: Being a Dog Trainer in a Non-Dog Crossover World
Emelie Johnson Vegh, Chirag Patel, Laura Monaco Torelli, Alexandra Kurland,Ellen Yoakum
Course Type: Let’s Talk! (Panel Discussions)
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: Join this discussion about trying to cross over into the horse world, the cat world, or the zoo world as a dog trainer. What are the obstacles trainers face when working with clients who have a non-dog species? How do you overcome the resistance to positive reinforcement? Emelie Johnson Vegh moderates the discussion alongside panelists Chirag Patel, Laura Monaco Torelli, Ellen Yoakum, and Alexandra Kurland.
Aggression & Problem Solving
Expanding Skills
Service Dogs
Calmer Greetings Through Stimulus-Stimulus Pairing
Course Type: Learning Lab
Skill Level: All Levels
Spotlight Team Prerequisites: We will have approximately four (4) Animal/Handler Spotlight Teams. Each Team needs a second person ready to be on camera with you for the full session to be the "greeter". This should be someone the dog knows & is familiar with (not meant to be a new or challenging person). Dogs should be comfortable with normal handling, and be able to work on camera.
Attendees who are not part of an Animal/Handler Spotlight Team can still participate from home with their own animals, alongside the teams but without Faculty feedback. Prefer to sit back and observe? That's fine, too!
Description: There are many different and effective ways to modify a dog's behavior during greetings. Having a vast set of options for techniques and protocols to choose from means you can tailor your training to the learner in front of you. In this Learning Lab, you will learn a new way to approach greetings using stimulus-stimulus pairing. Juliana will cover how to utilize stimulus-stimulus pairing to get new behavior from the dog at every step of the greeting. This intervention is user-friendly and easy for pet parents to implement. You'll leave this Learning Lab with an even richer toolkit of techniques for improving greeting behavior.
Aggression & Problem Solving
Shelters & Dogs from Shelters
A Systematic Team Approach to Reducing Reactivity in Dogs
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: Reactivity and aggression directed towards unfamiliar dogs and people are a common cause for relinquishment and, ultimately, euthanasia. Reactivity and aggression are often complex, and consequently, both assessments and behavior change plans frequently benefit from multiple perspectives and compound approaches. This Session will focus on a multifaceted team approach for working with reactive cases, including what that looks like, who is involved, the questions that are asked, and how the system is both thorough and adaptable to the complex and unique mix of variables in these cases. Debbie will explore the concept of reactivity, identifying probable developmental causes, recognizing contextual variability, hypothesizing possible motivations, collaborating with other animal behavior professionals, and developing potential treatment recommendations, all within a flexible and multifaceted team approach. Join Debbie for a team approach to developing behavior modification and management strategies that safely, humanely, and effectively address reactivity.
Expanding Skills
Teaching Others
Calm, Confident & Charismatic: Hone Skills that Make Your Group Classes POP
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: Whether you're new to teaching group classes or a seasoned pro looking to elevate your instruction, this presentation will help you develop the essential skills that make group classes both engaging and effective options for your students. We'll move beyond the basics of dog training to focus on the art of commanding a room, connecting with your students, and creating an environment where both humans and dogs can thrive and have fun!
Drawing from public speaking techniques, hospitality best practices, and lots of real-world group class teaching experience, in this presentation, Amber will provide concrete strategies for:
- Building and projecting instructor confidence (yes, it's a learnable skill!)
- Creating memorable client experiences through thoughtful hospitality
- Engaging your audience by connecting training exercises to their real-world goals
- Managing group dynamics while maintaining teaching efficiency
- Implementing sustainable teaching practices that prevent burnout.
Attendees will leave with practical tools they can immediately implement in their group classes, including techniques for remembering client names, strategies for managing challenging situations, and ideas for maintaining high-quality instruction while preserving their well-being and endurance in the industry.
This presentation combines theoretical knowledge with actionable strategies, making it ideal for dog training professionals who want to take their group class instruction from good to exceptional. Join us to discover how to make your teaching style truly POP!
Science & Applied Behavior Analysis
Creating Conditioned Reinforcers: Pairing vs. Chaining
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: Advanced
Description: How do you create new conditioned reinforcers? Most people agree that new conditioned reinforcers are established through classical conditioning. The trainer pairs the conditioned reinforcer, such as a clicker, with an unconditioned reinforcer, such as food. However, even though there are general guidelines for pairing, in practice, there is considerable ambiguity and debate about the optimal way to pair two stimuli. How many times do you need to pair the two items? Should they occur simultaneously, or how much time should elapse between them? Why is it sometimes really easy to pair two things and, other times, quite difficult to create or maintain a new pairing? Even within the scientific community, there is considerable debate regarding what happens during pairing. In this presentation, we will review current guidelines for creating conditioned reinforcers. Additionally, we will embark on a historical journey to examine alternative ways to conceptualize and build conditioned reinforcers, such as chaining. Finally, we will discuss how the process of creating conditioned reinforcers is dynamic. Once you create a new conditioned reinforcer, learning continues to occur. If you don't monitor and maintain the conditioned reinforcer, you may lose it!
Foundational Skills
Service Dogs
Science, Please: The Bedrock of Clicker Training
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: Foundation
Description: Clicker training may seem easy—just reinforce what you want, ignore what you don't, and click and treat! Right? However, like many "simple" things, a lot goes into making it look easy; it requires a solid understanding of the science that is the bedrock foundation of clicker training as well as the techniques that move it from the Learning Lab to the real world.
In this Session, we'll cover all this and more. It is a must-see Session for trainers new to positive reinforcement training or experienced trainers seeking a valuable refresher.
*This course was presented at a prior ClickerExpo. The course content will be similar, but the experience will be unique, and you'll likely learn something new!
Aggression & Problem Solving
Shelters & Dogs from Shelters
There's Safety in Space: How a Canine Safe Space Eases Anxiety and Stress
Course Type: Dem-OH!
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: For some pups, life feels like a suspense thriller—monsters behind every corner, danger lurking in doorbells, rogue vacuum cleaners on the loose. For others, it's more of a rom-com, full of joy, curiosity, and squirrel-chasing shenanigans. No matter your dog's worldview, a well-crafted safe space is a game-changer for their well-being, your training success, and the strength of your relationship. When the going gets tough (think fireworks, visitors, or Tuesdays), your dog needs a retreat—a ""panic room"" stocked with emotional bubble wrap and maybe some peanut butter. This isn't about creating a stress-free fantasyland; it's about equipping your dog to bounce back when life inevitably throws curveballs. By building a reliable, cozy, joy-sparking space where your pet can relax, regroup, and feel in control, you're not just offering comfort. You're teaching real-deal resilience. In this course, Ellen and the Dem-OH! Helpers will guide you through practical, customizable exercises to help you design and teach safe spaces that work, regardless of your setup, your dog's needs, or the curveballs life throws your way. From blanket forts to mat magic, we'll help you turn chaos into calm, one peanut butter lick at a time.
Emerging Trends in Our Profession
Cooperative Care / Veterinary
Shelters & Dogs from Shelters
The Whole Picture: Uncovering the Missing Link in Behavior Cases
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: We know that health and behavior are inextricably linked. Most of us would likely say that we'd recognize if the dogs we are working with were experiencing pain. Yet, signs of discomfort can be subtle and easy to miss when we don't know what to look for. This Session aims to empower professionals who use positive reinforcement-based approaches to expand their lens when working with behavioral cases. In this Session, you'll learn how pain impacts behavior, deepen your observations to identify signs of pain, and get practical tools to support and advocate for your clients without stepping outside the scope of your practice.
High-Performance Training
Expanding Skills
Zero to Sixty: Building Start Line Routines that Stick
Course Type: Dem-OH!
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: What happens when our dogs are TOO excited to play their favorite sport? When they are seemingly too worked up about the prospect of playing their favorite sport, or by the possibility of end-of-run reinforcement, or even if the environment is a tad too much for them? Perhaps a group of people watching might be intimidating for your dog, or the competing motivators in the environment may be sending them into a conflict-heavy frenzy! Any of these conditions, and many more, can disrupt our play, training, and competitive routines. In this Dem-OH! Session, Adam discusses the fixed and variable components to their successful crate to start line routines, such as rules for managing your dog's arousal and managing our arousal, biofeedback loops, moving from rest, through passive attention, and finally to active attention at a trial, and how to find out if your dog is in the right frame of mind to work or play. Adam will also discuss their crate-to-start-line routines, from getting out of the car at a test to what to do after the search.
Aggression & Problem Solving
The Business of Training
How To Support Animal Caregivers (and Ourselves) In Difficult Times
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: Behind every animal we help is a caregiver who is often overwhelmed, worried, and doing their best. This Session explores how we can be a steady, compassionate presence for both the pet and their person, while still protecting our well-being. We'll delve into trauma-informed communication, validating emotions without internalizing them, and supporting caregivers through challenging times with empathy and clarity. Using real-life examples and practical scripts, we'll highlight how to foster trust, create connection, and stay grounded, so we can truly support the human-animal bond at the heart of our work.
Foundational Skills
Expanding Skills
Service Dogs
Stimulus Control, Duration, and Other Impossible Dreams
Course Type: Learning Lab
Skill Level: Foundation
Spotlight Team Prerequisites: We will have approximately four (4) Animal/Handler Spotlight Teams. Teams should have 4-5 behaviors on cue (perfect stimulus control is NOT expected!). Dogs should be comfortable with normal handling, and be able to work on camera.
Attendees who are not part of an Animal/Handler Spotlight Team can still participate from home with their own animals, alongside the teams but without Faculty feedback. Prefer to sit back and observe? That's fine, too!
Description: Join Laura Van Arendonk Baugh in an insightful exploration of stimulus control and duration. While these concepts may seem straightforward at first glance, they require a more profound understanding for effective training outcomes. In this course, Laura will unravel the complexities associated with these concepts, dispel misconceptions, and provide practical strategies to simplify and enhance their application.
Laura will demonstrate the interconnection between stimulus control and duration, highlighting how a comprehensive grasp of both concepts contributes to more efficient and effective training practices. Participants will learn to recognize the broader scope of these seemingly simple concepts and develop techniques to improve clarity for their animal learners.
Throughout the Learning Lab, Spotlight Teams will have the opportunity to work directly with dogs, identifying gaps in understanding and developing improved skills in both stimulus control and duration. By the end of the Lab, participants will have acquired valuable habits and approaches to refine their training methods, ensuring better comprehension and performance from their animal companions.
Enhance your understanding of stimulus control and duration by joining Laura Van Arendonk Baugh in this important Learning Lab designed for anyone learning the science and practice of animal training.
*This course was presented at a prior ClickerExpo. The course content will be similar, but the experience will be unique—and you’ll likely learn something new!
Expanding Skills
Horses, Cats, Exotics, and More
Small is All - The Power of Tiny Changes
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: "Small is All" is an expression I learned from a systems analyst. The idea is that you begin with a tiny unit. The unit is sufficiently small to produce a very clean, consistent, and error-free pattern. It forms the core from which we expand and grow.
Positive reinforcement training most often presents trainers with two broad foundational paradigms. In one, you start with some movement toward, or piece of (an approximation) toward the target behavior, and then nourish (reinforce) the desirable elements, letting the others fade or wither away to get to a target behavior. In the other approach, you start with a tiny, perfect behavior "seed" and gradually grow other elements from that until you get your target behavior. "Small is All" reflects the latter approach.
This Session explores "Small is All" in a training context. As I apply this to training, it means I focus on the initiation of movement, and then follow a "loopy training" process until I reach my target behavior. I have found that starting small can reduce the learner's frustration (which is desirable and, when working with large animals like horses, is especially safe). In addition, I've found the Small is All approach has been critical in resolving long-standing balance and behavior issues with several horses.
Join Alex for an exploration of the "Small is All" approach and some remarkable case histories that demonstrate the significant changes that can be achieved by starting small.
The Business of Training
Marketing: A Lesson in Human Behavior
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: Marketing doesn't have to feel, well, in a word, gross. If you understand behavior (and if you're at ClickerExpo, you probably do), you already have the foundation to be great at it! In this Session, we'll examine marketing and branding through the lens of learning theory, as marketing is fundamentally about behavior. Branding is about classical conditioning: you're creating emotional associations. Marketing strategy is an antecedent arrangement: setting the stage for the behavior of purchasing. And effective copy? That's all about meeting your learners where they are.
We'll explore how concepts you already use every day—such as reinforcement, shaping, and clear communication—translate seamlessly into ethical and effective marketing. Expect interactive elements, relatable examples, and some lightbulb moments that make you go, "Wait…I already know how to do this!"
Whether you're a reluctant marketer or just want to nerd out about behavior from a new angle, this Session will help you feel more confident, capable, and maybe even excited about connecting with your audience.
The Connection Section Social Event
Course Type: Networking Event
Skill Level: All Levels
This isn't a livestream of a stage; it's a dynamic, multi-track, fully virtual event crafted for the online learner.
DAY 2 - Saturday, January 24, 2026
Teaching Others
Curiosity Saved the Cat: Turn Defensiveness into Client Collaboration
Course Type: Dem-OH!
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: In this Dem-OH!, we're going to dive into why starting with curiosity is essential for helping our clients, their pets, and ourselves as trainers and behavior professionals. We'll discuss strategies for when we find ourselves getting defensive, when we feel our client putting up walls, how to craft an empathetic, efficient, and effective questions, and how we can return our focus to the pet. After all, we're all there to help the pet!
Join Ellen and the Dem-OH! participants as they work through prompts from real cases to demonstrate what it looks like to navigate the terrain of client communication when things take us by surprise. By honing our ability to ask incisive, empathetic questions, we dismantle barriers of defensiveness, paving the way for meaningful collaboration and mutual understanding.
Expanding Skills
Aggression & Problem Solving
Shelters & Dogs from Shelters
Click to Calm Kindergarten
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: Reactivity and aggression are becoming increasingly concerning within the canine population. Although there are many possible reasons why concern is growing and case loads are rising, teaching foundational skills early on can significantly reduce the risk of behavior issues developing as young dogs grow into adulthood. Using the Click to Calm approach, this positive reinforcement program for young dogs will build confidence, calmness, and a strong connection between the guardian and their pup. It includes the following: 1) Early Intervention: Teaching puppies how to navigate new experiences before fear-based behaviors or reactivity set in. 2) Coaching: Offering clear, consistent communication to reinforce calm choices and build positive associations with a wide range of experiences, including encounters with people, other dogs, and wildlife. 3) Confidence Building: Carefully structured exposures to sights, sounds, and situations that could otherwise become triggers if mishandled. 4) Clicker-Trained Prevention Curriculum: Skills such as re-orienting, pausing before interacting, hand targeting, bubble heeling, and relaxation on cue help create the foundation for emotional regulation and future success. Regardless of temperament, this program empowers young dogs to grow into confident and resilient companions. Help both you, your clients, and their dogs with Emma's Click to Calm Kindergarten method.
Cooperative Care / Veterinary
Expanding Skills
Here Comes the Sun: A Visual Tool for Navigating Cooperative Care Stimuli
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: Intermediate
Description: This Session addresses the challenge of teaching animals to willingly participate in their own husbandry and medical care by helping trainers break down complex procedures into manageable, meaningful components. Using a creative visual tool—a drawing of a sun with radiating rays—participants learn to map out the various stimuli involved in care routines, such as tools, environments, and human actions. The approach clarifies what needs to be taught and supports combining and recombining stimulus elements in thoughtful, playful, and learner-centered ways.
This topic is especially timely as cooperative care becomes more widely adopted by caregivers and across various professions, including veterinary medicine, grooming, and physiotherapy. Many practitioners report feeling stuck—unable to find a good starting point, demotivated by plateaus in their training, and limited by a linear approach. This lecture provides practical tools to overcome those obstacles.
Participants will walk away with new insights into the multitude of different paths and starting points that exist for any given procedure. They'll learn to identify the many aspects involved in a procedure, map out stimulus components, explore creative strategies for individual adjustment, and progress along multiple paths. The result is a clearer and more flexible approach to thinking and training, accompanied by a renewed sense of optimism and motivation.
This course is designed for anyone seeking to enhance their toolbox for cooperative care. While prior experience with cooperative care training is helpful, the content is accessible to anyone. The Session does not focus on how to teach behaviors per se, but instead offers a deep dive into how to map out, break down, and creatively assemble the various stimuli in cooperative care procedures.
Foundational Skills
Expanding Skills
Service Dogs
Train that Chain: Behavior Chains
Course Type: Learning Lab
Skill Level: Foundational
Spotlight Team Prerequisites: We will have approximately four (4) Animal/Handler Spotlight Teams. The dogs should already have a solid understanding of the click/treat relationship and should exhibit at least five fluent and reliable behaviors. Dogs should be comfortable with normal handling, and be able to work on camera. Handlers are expected to have some experience with shaping techniques.
Attendees who are not part of an Animal/Handler Spotlight Team can still participate from home with their own animals, alongside the teams but without Faculty feedback. Prefer to sit back and observe? That's fine, too!
Description: Behavior chains are powerful tools for executing complex tasks and providing flexible solutions. However, they can also attract superstitious trainer behaviors and confuse them. Laura VanArendonk Baugh emphasizes that chains don't have to be as complicated as they might seem. If your behaviors are fluent and under stimulus control, you already have a chain! Let's embrace this challenge.
In this Learning Lab, we will gather individual behaviors and combine them into a chain. We will explore how to evaluate if behaviors are ready for chaining, experiment with their sequence, and delve into the important aspects of cuing and executing the chain.
*This course was presented at a prior ClickerExpo. The course content will be similar, but the experience will be unique—and you’ll likely learn something new!
Shelters & Dogs from Shelters
Expanding Skills
Teach What Matters: Shelter Training for Real-World Impact
Course Type: Dem-OH!
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: With limited time, staff, and resources, every moment spent on training in a shelter setting needs to count. While it's common to focus on basics like "sit" or "down", those skills can often wait. In this Dem-OH! Session, we'll explore a different approach: one that prioritizes the behaviors animals need right now to navigate shelter life and increase their chances of adoption. Drawing on research about adopter preferences and animal behavior in shelters, we'll examine teachable skills that help animals connect with potential adopters, such as approaching the front of the kennel, resting calmly near a person, or responding to play invitations. We'll also cover practical strategies to help animals cope with the unique stressors of shelter environments, like walking past other barking dogs or entering unfamiliar spaces. Through real-time demos with shelter animals, you'll see how these targeted behaviors can be taught efficiently and compassionately, even in high-demand environments. Whether you're a staff member, volunteer, or trainer supporting shelter teams, this Dem-OH! Session will help you focus your efforts where they have the most significant impact for the animals and the people who care for them.
Emerging Trends in Our Profession
Cooperative Care / Veterinary
Shelters & Dogs from Shelters
Behavioral Euthanasia: Fact and Fiction
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: Behavioral euthanasia is an important topic for behavior consultants, shelter workers, and the animal welfare community as a whole. Still, there has been very little research on the topic over the years. More practitioners are talking about behavioral euthanasia, despite the stigma that has prevented these discussions from becoming mainstream. However, without a broader understanding and research, many professionals are left with only their personal experiences and anecdotes when discussing this complex topic.
This talk will cover the research on behavioral euthanasia to provide professionals with a better understanding of what we actually know about the topic. We'll specifically focus on separating fact from fiction: Is behavioral euthanasia mostly for young dogs? Is it primarily about access to resources or funding? How often does it happen? Is it about convenience, or safety, or quality of life?
Attendees will leave this presentation with a clearer understanding of what we know about behavioral euthanasia and what we still need to learn. They'll also leave with some tips and tricks for handling conversations around behavioral euthanasia and how to help clients who are making these difficult decisions.
Expanding Skills
Aggression & Problem Solving
Shelters & Dogs from Shelters
Click to Calm Kindergarten - In Action!
Course Type: Learning Lab
Skill Level: All Levels
Prerequisite Session: Click to Calm Kindergarten
Spotlight Team Prerequisites: We will have approximately four (4) Animal/Handler Spotlight Teams. Each Team should have a basic foundation of clicker training skills, and dogs should be comfortable with normal handling, and be able to work on camera. To participate in this Lab, you are expected to attend the prerequisite session: Click to Calm Kindergarten.
Attendees who are not part of an Animal/Handler Spotlight Team can still participate from home with their own animals, alongside the teams but without Faculty feedback. Prefer to sit back and observe? That's fine, too!
Description: Is your young dog just starting in life? Now's the perfect time to set the stage for calm, confident behavior. With reactivity and aggression on the rise in today's canine population, early intervention is key. This Click to Calm Kindergarten Learning Lab provides young dogs the tools they need to thrive, building focus, resilience, and self-control before problems ever begin. Let's raise well-mannered dogs from the very start.
In this Learning Lab, Emma will teach the Spotlight Teams to refine essential canine handling skills, such as teaching a deliberate pause and applying it in everyday scenarios. We will also work on approaching other dogs in a slow and direct manner and greeting people with confidence and composure. Additionally, a tailored application of the Click to Calm protocol will be introduced to help puppies navigate unfamiliar sights and sounds with assurance.re
Cooperative Care / Veterinary
Expanding Skills
Doing the Splits: Cooperative Care Style
Course Type: Dem-OH!
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: Ever wish you were flexible enough to do the splits? Me, too! The good news is we can all do them. One key to successful cooperative care training is refining our ability to split procedures into creative and attainable steps and categorizing criteria in a way that makes sense to the learner. In this Dem-OH! Session, we will discuss how to split common procedures and handle goals, including demonstrations of a cooperative care session with the decision-making process around splitting narrated in real-time.
High-Performance Training
Expanding Skills
Service Dogs
The Spoken Cue: Context Proofing
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: Intermediate
Description: Once you've cleaned up all the ways you can move and position your body to cue a behavior, and it's on a nice, neat verbal cue, you're done, right? Wrong. We speak with so many nuances, it's just the beginning!
So while most trainers know and teach when to add a cue, the question of how and whether to teach variations for the "same" behavior in different contexts often goes unexamined. How many variations do we need to teach? What criteria do we use to make a decision? When is less more, and when is more actually more?
Join Camilla and explore what you should consider when using a verbal cue, context-proofing verbal cues, and how to train for the variety of contexts you'll need them in, including competition rings, vet clinics, echoing arenas, people-filled stadiums, quiet hotel conference rooms, and more!
Emerging Trends in Our Profession
Teaching Others
How do We Know What We Know? Better Learning and Epistemology
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: Epistemology may be a big, pretentious-sounding word, but it simply means the study of knowledge. So, what does that have to do with positive reinforcement training and teaching? Everything.
In an age of information overload and conflicting narratives, in training contexts and many others, epistemological skill is more critical than ever. Epistemology helps us answer questions like: How do I discern what is true? How do I sort through conflicting information? How do I move beyond mere opinion to genuine understanding? How do I know that I'm effective at my job? How do I navigate difficult conversations with clients and colleagues? How do I help others do the same?
This course delves into how epistemology equips you with essential skills to help you answer these questions and others. These skills will enable you to become both a more effective learner and a more effective teacher.
This course will delve into some of the fundamental aspects of epistemology, you will practice some basic epistemological skills, and you will take away practical life hacks to use in both your professional and personal lives- hacks that enhance your decision-making, improve your communication, and strengthen your ability to discern truth in an increasingly complex world.
Discover how to:
Validate Your Beliefs: Learn practical strategies for assessing the accuracy and integrity of the information you encounter daily.
Cut Through the Noise: Develop critical thinking tools to sort through contradictory claims and identify what truly matters.
Master Difficult Conversations: Gain insights into fostering productive dialogue and understanding diverse perspectives with clients and colleagues.
Measure Your Impact: Learn how to evaluate your performance and grow in your professional life.
Build Trust: Explore the foundations of self-trust and trust in others, crucial for both personal and professional success.
Join Emily and unlock the power of knowing how you know.
Aggression & Problem Solving
Emerging Trends in Our Profession
Play it Cool: Using Play to Treat Aggression
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: Foundation
Description: Starting with the premise that play is underutilized in influencing behavior, Karen will discuss various ways that play can be used to improve the behavior of aggressive dogs. Play isn't one solution to one problem—it's a lot of different solutions to a lot of different issues. This Session covers multiple ways that play can be incorporated into plans to treat aggression in dogs, whether as the primary procedure or an auxiliary part of the process. With case studies and videos, Karen will cover why play is so powerful at treating canine aggression, the advantages of using play when working with aggressive dogs, how it helps clients get on board with a program, and the many reasons it's so effective. These include its ability to change a dog's emotional state, people's buy-in to a program based on play, and the many skills that playful dogs already possess, which can be utilized in plans to change their aggressive behavior. The goal is for ClickerExpo attendees to observe various ways that play can be used to manage aggression. This Session will offer ideas attendees can take away to use with the dogs they work with.
Science & Applied Behavior Analysis
But Why Would That be Reinforcing? Beyond the Quadrants and the Single ABC
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: Have you ever noticed that a particular consequence is reinforcing at some times but not others? Or recognized that some outcome is maintaining a behavior, but then wondered, why the heck would that be reinforcing? These mysteries don't mean that we must go "beyond operant conditioning" for answers, but rather that operant conditioning is more complex than just "the quadrants" or the analysis of a single antecedent-behavior-consequence unit that many of us have learned about so far. In this Session, Kiki will introduce some relevant behavioral concepts and principles and discuss how trainers might incorporate this understanding into their assessments of puzzling behavior.
Aggression & Problem Solving
Expanding Skills
Shelters & Dogs from Shelters
A Safer Way Forward: Using Protected Contact with Aggressive Dogs
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: Intermediate
Description: When working with animals that exhibit aggression, safety is paramount for everyone involved. But prioritizing safety doesn't mean pausing progress or compromising meeting needs. Protected contact—commonly used in zoos and shelters—is an underutilized but invaluable tool in private work with aggressive dogs. It allows us to begin behavior modification immediately, without first "getting in" with the dog, and without compromising safety or welfare.
Protected contact isn't just about minimizing risk; it's a way to provide more clarity, reduce stress, and increase agency for the animal. With thoughtful setups, dogs can choose to engage or not, allowing us to meet their needs while respecting their boundaries. From playing fetch through an exercise pen to building reinforcement histories from across a gate, protected contact offers flexibility and creativity, even in home environments with limited resources.
We'll explore different types of protected contact, how to coach clients through using it successfully, and why it deserves a permanent spot in your training toolbox. You'll leave with practical strategies, real-world examples, and a renewed confidence in working safely and ethically with aggressive dogs.
High-Performance Training
Expanding Skills
Herding Start Right: The 5 Essential Skills to Teach Away From Stock
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: Intermediate
Description: Herding performances frequently inspire awe. Watch an expert handler and their dog herding together, and you see unusual levels of "flow"! Herding teams are constantly in flux, with a stream of behavioral interchanges: changes in position, speed, intensity, distance, body language, and more. These performances appear so smooth, beautiful, and continuous that they are often labeled as "instinctual" or "natural." However, like many fluent behavioral repertoires that appear to be innate, herding partnerships at the top level aren't based on instinct alone—they are learned behaviors. In even better news, despite their complexity, you can build these outstanding performances on just five essential skills! Plus, you can teach all five of these skills without ever needing access to livestock. Whether you want to become a herding champion, learn a new hobby that you can enjoy with your dog, challenge your training chops, or learn how to break a complex, natural-looking performance into bite-sized pieces, join Maia and learn to turn the impossibly complex into the straightforwardly possible. Don't be sheepish!
Emerging Trends in Our Profession
The Business of Training
Know Better, Do Better: A Values-Based Approach to Your Training Business
Ran Courant-Morgan, Stephanie Keesey-Phelan
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: Maya Angelou said, "When you know better, do better."
Sometimes, we know better, but it's hard to do better because we're already doing the best we can with what we have! Given the state of the world, it can feel impossible at worst and challenging at best to thrive and operate our small businesses in ways that deeply reflect our values.
Like many trainers, we operate a small training business, so we know that it's easy to internalize "small" as limited. Limits are real, for sure, especially when considering the time and resources available to someone running their own business, often on their own. However, our experience has been that we could indeed "do better" than we had thought, even within these constraints.
We wanted our business to do more than just serve our clients and their dogs. We aim to have a positive impact on our community, focusing on areas that are important to us, and operating in a manner consistent with our values.
In this Session, we will provide specific examples of some of those values and how we strive to operate our business consistently in accordance with them. We'll share our sliding scale model (which has been adopted by several other dog training businesses), our community collaborations and support, and more.
We certainly have a lot of room for growth, and we don't claim to know it all, but we hope that our model can serve as a starting point for you. You don't have to care about everything we care about; instead, this Session will be a starting point for your reconceptualization of the impact you might have with your small business and how you can achieve it.
The Business of Training
Let's Talk: Being a Business Badass
Juliana DeWillems, Allie Bender, Andre Yeu, Amber Quann, Stephanie Keesey-Phelan
Course Type: Let’s Talk! (Panel Discussions)
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: Join this discussion on navigating the challenging world of managing a training business in today's world. These panelists have achieved success in managing their businesses, and they will discuss the challenges and rewards of working and being successful in a competitive market. Join Juliana DeWillems and panelists Stephanie Keesey-Phelan, Amber Quann, Allie Bender, and Andre Yeu for this lively discussion.
Cooperative Care / Veterinary
Proactively Treating the Emotional Wellbeing of Veterinary Patients
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: Fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS) have profound impacts on veterinary patients both emotionally and physiologically. Mitigating these effects through environmental, interactional, and pharmacological strategies enables veterinary professionals to provide safer and more effective veterinary care. Developing proactive protocols, including training plans, pre-visit pharmaceuticals, and in-clinic sedation, to minimize FAS in all patients allows the veterinarian to practice medicine in a manner that is emotionally and physically protective for the client-patient-veterinary team. Learning Objectives: 1. Recognize how fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS) affect patients and diagnostics. 2. Identify environmental and interactional strategies to minimize FAS. 3. List common triggers of FAS. 4. Identify which patients and situations would benefit from pre-visit pharmaceuticals and/or in-hospital sedation. 5. Recognize strategies to minimize FAS while providing sedation within the veterinary hospital. 6. Ascertain physiological and emotional parameters to monitor with in-clinic sedation or anesthesia.
High-Performance Training
Expanding Skills
V for Versatility & Victory: Essential Puppy Prep for Any Sport
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: Puppy preparation is key for fun and success in canine sport. Future rally champion? Obedience? Scent work? Herding? You don't have to choose your sport focus with puppies; instead, you can raise a versatile puppy—one ready for whatever future activity becomes their sport of choice.
Join Ayoka and learn how to effectively guide your puppy from 8 weeks to 6 months, focusing on essential skills for both canine and human partners. Ayoka will delve into effective positive reinforcement techniques, canine enrichment strategies, and the crucial balance between your puppy's needs and your own. These same strategies are also useful for general dog training, as they teach practical exercises that keep the fun and joy in the training sessions, whether you are sport-minded or not.
Whether you're new to dog sports or an experienced hand, join Ayoka and learn to raise a well-rounded, joyful puppy that’s ready, willing, and able for sport!
Teaching Others
Treat Everyone Like a Dog
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: Positive dog trainers are amazing—able to influence the behavior of individuals of another species, effectively and kindly, in ways that build strong relationships. What we, as dog trainers, collectively know is valuable and should be shared as widely as possible, rather than confined to our interactions and training with dogs. Karen will share how to use a variety of concepts and skills regularly used in positive dog training to influence the behavior of people and improve interactions with them. Attendees will learn to incorporate the skills and knowledge they already possess and utilize on a daily basis as positive dog trainers to achieve the desired behavior and eliminate unwanted behaviors in the dogs they work with. Sharing practical examples in various contexts, Karen will offer participants ways to apply the strategies they have learned from training dogs to people, leading to positive outcomes even when dealing with challenging individuals or difficult situations.
The subjects discussed in this Session will include positive reinforcement, classical conditioning, putting undesirable behavior on cue, teaching an incompatible behavior to replace an undesirable one, using the voice to influence the behavior and emotions of others, and accounting for distractions. Karen will also discuss giving a job to those who need them, startling and redirecting, the skill of getting another individual's attention, setting others up for success, physical connections and proximity cues, boundary training, the importance of repetition and practice, and lessons from ethology. The critical importance of building and maintaining strong relationships, as well as the beauty of applying dog training techniques to people for the benefit of all, will be overriding themes.
Join Karen London as she shares many of the lessons that she learned and wrote about in her successful book, Treat Everyone Like a Dog.
The Connection Section Social Event
Course Type: Networking Event
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: Gain valuable knowledge and insights, address training challenges, and connect with like-minded peers who share your interests through The Connection Section social event. Attendees will have the opportunity to choose from a variety of dedicated rooms, each exploring different topics and delving into more detail about areas of mutual interest.
DAY 3 - Sunday, January 25, 2026
All times are Pacific Time Zone
Horses, Cats, Exotics, and More
Expanding Skills
Innovation Through Collaboration: What’s New at the Zoo 5 –Grizzly Bears & Otters!
Course Type: Dem-OH!
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: "Nobody can whistle a symphony. It takes an orchestra to play it." (H.E. Luccock) These wise words reflect our ongoing goal as collaborators at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo to improve animal welfare through innovative training programs. In this lecture, Behavior Curator Rick Hester and applied behavior analyst Susan G. Friedman, Ph. D., invite you to observe their live behavior consultations with zookeepers teaching grizzly bears and American River otters to actively participate in husbandry and medical care.
Expanding Skills
It's A Slam Dunk! Training Complex Behaviors Made Simple
Course Type: Learning Lab
Skill Level: All Levels
Spotlight Team Prerequisites: We will have approximately four (4) Animal/Handler Spotlight Teams. The dogs should have a foundation with basic obedience, interest in toys, holding items in their mouth, and some retrieve training is helpful but not mandatory. Dogs should be comfortable with normal handling, and be able to work on camera.
Attendees who are not part of an Animal/Handler Spotlight Team can still participate from home with their own animals, alongside the teams but without Faculty feedback. Prefer to sit back and observe? That's fine, too!
Description: When a great trainer is willing to slow down and share with us her steps, decisions, behavior criteria, trade-offs, and approach to teaching a complex behavior with different animals, should you tune in? Of course! It's a slam dunk!
In Melissa's case, it really is a Slam Dunk, because that's the behavior. The go-to-pick-up-bring-put-in basket behavior chain is perfect for examining some of the least obvious but most essential trainer skills—how to create a training plan, break down behaviors, how long to reinforce a behavior before raising the criteria, and put it all together!
Whether you call it Slam Dunk a basketball or want to teach it's tamer sister Clean Up Your Toys, you won't want to miss this Learning Lab and experience just how many ways a behavior can be broken down.
Watch Melissa Millett work with the Spotlight Teams to train their dogs to retrieve items to a location and demo the slam dunk in real-time at ClickerExpo LIVE with her dogs.
Aggression & Problem Solving
Horses, Cats, Exotics, and More
Decoding Feline Fury: Understanding and Managing Cat Aggression
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: Aggression in cats can create significant challenges not only for caregivers and adopters but also for the overall well-being of the cats themselves. However, there are practical, evidence-based strategies that can be used to manage and reduce aggressive behaviors in feline companions. This Session will delve into identifying the potential causes of aggression in cats—including environmental factors, medical issues, and social dynamics—and provide practical, actionable tips for managing and preventing these behaviors. By equipping attendees with this knowledge, the goal is to empower caregivers and adopters to support their cats better, ultimately helping to keep more feline companions in safe and loving homes. While this Session focuses primarily on cats, many of the strategies discussed are also applicable to dog behavior cases, making it valuable for a wide range of animal care professionals.
Emerging Trends in Our Profession
Teaching Others
High-Performance Training
Service Dogs
Picture This. How To Turn The Dream Life with Our Dogs into Reality
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: When you envision a life with your dog, what do you see? Is it a picture of joyful companionship, shared adventures, and seamless understanding? Often, these beautiful, slightly rosy dreams form the very foundation of our expectations, especially when we have a new puppy. But how do we bridge the gap between that heartfelt vision and the daily reality? What happens if we need to alter our thinking about those dreams? This Session with Emelie is your guide to transforming those cherished dreams into a tangible, achievable reality. By bringing your ideal life with your dog into sharp focus and being flexible in understanding the differences between dreams and reality, you'll uncover the precise skills to build and the fundamental cornerstones that'll support you in every aspect of your shared journey. Far more than just a theoretical exercise, exploring your dream vision is a powerful first step. Emelie will equip you with practical tools to define, prioritize, and actively work towards your unique vision, offering invaluable insights for both competitive sports and everyday life. If you're an instructor or consultant, you'll also gain expert guidance on how to empower your clients to harness the transformative power of their dream vision. Don't just dream it – discover how to live it!
Science & Applied Behavior Analysis
Skinner in 90: Reflections on Behaviorism and Society
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: Intermediate
Description: What happens when the founder of radical behaviorism turns his focus toward the larger questions of science, ethics, and society?
In this Session, Chirag Patel dives into B.F. Skinner's gem, "Reflections on Behaviorism and Society."
Through selected essays from this powerful collection, we'll explore Skinner's views on a variety of topics, allowing us to delve into this book together.
Blending video, storytelling, and real-world applications, Chirag brings these essays to life, helping us see how Skinner's reflections remain as relevant today as when they were written. This is your chance to explore the deeper layers of behavioral science and ask, "What kind of world could we build if we truly understood behavior?
Aggression & Problem Solving
Let's Talk: Aggression
Juliana DeWillems, Emma Parsons, Alexandra Kurland,Tabitha Kucera, Karen B. London, Ph.D.
Course Type: Let’s Talk! (Panel Discussions)
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: Join this discussion on problem-solving and animal aggression with moderator Juliana DeWillems and panelists Tabitha Kucera, Alexandra Kurland, Karen London, and Emma Parsons. Don’t miss the lively discussion, unique perspectives, and the expertise of these authorities on aggression. Let’s Talk!
Expanding Skills
High-Performance Training
Discover the Power of Strategic Reinforcement Events
Course Type: Learning Lab
Skill Level: Intermediate
Spotlight Team Prerequisites: We will have approximately three (3) Animal/Handler Spotlight Teams. Teams should come with at least two behavior options to train from or improve upon from the start. They also need a selection of food rewards that range from "rewarding to the individual" to "VERY rewarding to the individual" Dogs should be comfortable with normal handling and be able to work in front of a camera.
Attendees who are not part of an Animal/Handler Spotlight Team can still participate from home with their animals, alongside the teams, but without Faculty feedback. Prefer to sit back and observe? That's fine, too!
Description: Michele Pouliot is a leading figure in multiple training fields, recognized for her in-depth understanding and hands-on work with hundreds of animals. A passionate advocate for strategic reinforcement, Michele helps trainers make intentional reinforcement choices that enhance communication and accelerate progress.
Each year, Michele continues to refine her training through lessons taught by the animals themselves—lessons that highlight the power of strategic reinforcement.
At the core of her approach is a thoughtful arrangement of what, how, and where reinforcement is delivered. This includes reward selection, reward stash placement, and delivery location, together known as the "reward event."
While a well-timed marker identifies the behavior being reinforced, it's the nuances of the reward event that shape how clearly that message is received. An animal's response to the marker and their reaction to reinforcement delivery offer valuable feedback. These moments can guide the trainer's next steps and offer insight into how the animal is experiencing the session.
Details like the learner's environment and reinforcement history are crucial, as is how reinforcement is acquired—each element holding powerful communication potential.
Strategic reinforcement can dramatically boost learning and engagement. It's a vital part of clicker training that many have yet to fully explore.
Join Michele as she works with the Spotlight Teams to demonstrate the impact of strategic reinforcement and show you how to make every reward more meaningful, effective, and communicative.
*This course was presented at a prior ClickerExpo. The content will be similar, but the experience will be unique—and you’ll likely learn something new!
Science & Applied Behavior Analysis
Studying the One: Why Single-Subject Research and Training Belong Together
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: Advanced
Description: How do we know what works for our learners? The answer can be found where you least expect it, in the principles that underlie single-subject design.
For those working with individual learners, single-subject design is crucial for understanding meaningful behavior change, both in research and in practical applications with animals and clients.
Single-subject design is a cornerstone of behavior analysis, and its unique design approach. Despite this, it is frequently misunderstood as having narrow applicability, often confused with case study approaches, and is considered best suited for lab settings or challenging to use in practical settings.
A single-subject approach applied "in the field" will show you how to know what is working (or not!), as the principles that make single-subject designs robust for researchers are equally valuable in the field for determining what is effective in any given situation and for any learner.
Join Maia and learn how single-subject design strategies empower you to become a more effective practitioner as well as help you critically evaluate research.
Horses, Cats, Exotics, and More
Expanding Skills
Hoof Beats: How Rhythm and Timing Unlock Horse Training
Course Type: Dem-OH!
Skill Level: Intermediate
Description: Discover the often-overlooked power of rhythm and timing in shaping communication and learning between horse and trainer. Regardless of the context—riding, leading, cooperative care, or husbandry—rhythm and timing are crucial to effective communication and progress. You will leave this Dem-OH! Session with practical tools you can apply immediately—tools to better "read" your horse and create training experiences that are fluid, responsive, and grounded in the awareness that rhythm influences everything, everywhere, all the time. This dynamic Dem-OH! Session, led by Peggy Hogan, with her Dem-OH! Helpers Anat Shalev and Monty Gwynne feature live demonstrations and video examples that bring these subtle yet powerful training elements to life. We'll explore how rhythm, repetition, and predictability shape learning—and how we can harness them to support clear communication and lasting progress. We'll also examine how intentional shifts in rhythm open the door to new learning opportunities and increased adaptability. Join us for this insightful exploration and come away inspired, informed, and equipped to bring greater clarity and harmony to every interaction with your equine partner.
Emerging Trends in Our Profession
Aggression & Problem Solving
Science & Applied Behavior Analysis
Service Dogs
Teen Spirit: Brains and Behavior in Adolescent Dogs
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: Intermediate
Description: Adolescence is a wondrous stage of development. During this period, the human brain undergoes major reorganization, and behavioral changes are evident. Many of our laws and social norms recognize that adolescent brains are not fully developed. But what about adolescent dogs? The science tells us that human teenagers engage in more 'risk-taking' or 'impulsive' behavior, show changes in social behavior, and it's at this time that mood and anxiety disorders may first become evident. These behavioral changes correspond to changes in brain areas important for emotional regulation, decision-making, and reinforcement learning. We know less about the details of canine adolescent brain changes, but we observe numerous behavioral changes that are consistent with what we see in human adolescents. As dog trainers, we often work with clients who are puzzled or frustrated with their adolescent dog's behavior. In this Session, we'll discuss what the science says about teenage behavior and what function the behavior might serve. We'll also discuss how early life experiences affect adolescent brain development and behavior, and why dopamine has such a powerful influence at this time. While this information may not alter your training approach, it might help you approach a dog's teenage spirit with more humor and empathy.
Closing Session
Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: All Levels
Description: Close out ClickerExpo LIVE with inspiring words from Ken Ramirez.
Train Together—Now and Later.