May the Force Be With You – or Not

Saturday, July 20, 2024
11 AM to 12:30PM EDT (USA and Canada)

Of course, we’ll discuss a different sort of force than Obi-Wan Kenobi referred to in Star Wars! In this webinar, we’ll examine the use of coercion in animal training, with the goal of bringing greater clarity and mindfulness to choices surrounding the use of force with our learners.
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The webinar is suitable for pet owners, veterinary professionals, animal trainers, animal behaviorists, pet guardians, shelter and rescue staff and volunteers, and anyone with an interest in evidence-based behavior and training.

In this Webinar: 

While we strive to minimize our use of aversives, it’s essential we understand the science of punishment and be aware of its potential side-effects. Is negative punishment always preferable to positive punishment? Are secondary punishers safer than primary punishers? Acknowledging that punishment can “work,” what are the behavioral costs to the animal and to the punisher? And how can we help our clients manage interactions with their pets to decrease their use of aversives?

1.5 CEUs pending:
  • KPA
  • PPAB
  • CPDT
  • IAABC

Tuition:
  • General Admission Tickets – after June 20: $45
  • Early Bird Tickets – before June 20: $29
  • Shelter/Rescue/Vet Student/Vet Tech Tickets - no expiration date: 30% off general admission ticket (discount code is SDFWBV)


Discounts are available for groups of 5 or more - please contact Webinars@BehaviorVets.com for more information.

Cancellation policy: No refunds
Meet the instructor

Kathy Sdao, M.A.

Kathy Sdao is an applied animal behaviorist. She’s been a full-time animal trainer for forty years, first with marine mammals and then with dogs. At the University of Hawaii, she received a master’s degree working with a research team that trained dolphins to understand sign-language. She then worked for the United States Navy training dolphins for open-ocean military tasks. Kathy also worked as a marine-mammal trainer at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma Washington. After leaving the zoo world, she co-created Tacoma’s first dog-daycare.

Kathy launched Bright Spot Dog Training in 1998. Services include consulting with families about their challenging dogs and mentoring professional trainers who want to maximize the power of positive-reinforcement training. Kathy is proud to be an original faculty member for Karen Pryor’s ClickerExpos; she’s taught at more than forty of these popular conferences. Kathy has lectured at venues across the United States, Canada and Europe, and in Australia, Israel, Japan and Mexico. In 2012, she published her first book, Plenty in Life Is Free: Reflections on Dogs, Training and Finding Grace.
Patrick Jones - Course author
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