Practical Premack

Saturday, August 24, 2024
11 AM to 12:30PM EDT (USA and Canada)

Learn how Premack’s laboratory-derived theory can help you and your clients expand your animals’ motivational menus. After reviewing real-life training applications of this scientific principle, you’ll be inspired to think about positive reinforcement more creatively.
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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: 

To maximize the power of positive reinforcement, a trainer must thoroughly understand what reinforcement means. Too often, we equate positive reinforcement only with a piece of food. While this often works, it’s not very useful when an animal is too full, frightened or aroused to eat.

Many trainers talk about “life rewards,” those everyday goodies (e.g., the opportunity to go outside, to sniff a tree or to greet an approaching dog) which can be used to reinforce desired behaviors. This approach is similar to the Premack Principle, but doesn’t fully take advantage of this revolutionary insight. Dr. David Premack said much more than, “If you eat your vegetables, you can have dessert” (a paraphrase of his principle commonly used by trainers).

Learn how Premack’s laboratory-derived theory can help you and your clients expand your animals’ motivational menus. After reviewing real-life training applications of this scientific principle, you’ll be inspired to think about positive reinforcement more creatively.

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

Tuition:
  • General Admission Tickets – after July 24: $45
  • Early Bird Tickets – before July 24: $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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