Seminars for Dog Trainers & Dog Enthusiasts in Seattle

We have two exciting dog training seminars coming up in 2009. Whether you're a dog trainer or just a person who wants to learn more about dog training, these presenters are both fun to learn from.

Get SMART: March 5 & 6, 2009 with Kathy Sdao and To Be Mod or Not to Be Mod? / Chill Out: Dealing with Overly Aroused Dogs on June 6 & 7, 2009 with Pia Silvani.

Seminar Title: Get SMART About Training: Learn to Use Reinforcement the Best Possible Way!

Seminar Dates: March 5 & 6, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m in Seattle, Washington State

"I am still simmering with gratitude over the fabulous job you did with everything at ClickerExpo, as usual, and especially with the ever-growing topic of cueing. I LOVED how you did it, and so did everyone else."

- Karen Pryor to Kathy Sdao

Ahimsa Dog Training of Seattle is hosting this Thursday/Friday workshop for trainers and dog-savvy owners by behaviorist Kathy Sdao, MA, CAAB.

Seminar Description: Learn to Use Your Reinforcers More Wisely

Over the last twenty years, many dog trainers have made efforts to increase their use of positive reinforcement while minimizing their use of painful or anxiety-provoking punishments. This evolution toward a more humane approach to modifying behavior has far-reaching impact on dogs and trainers alike.

But when we opt to avoid using “sticks” to motivate our dogs, we must make a commitment to become SMART about the use of “carrots” – positive reinforcers. Trainers who understand the science and practical applications of behavioral reinforcement gain the ability to be more creative and less coercive. training workshop

The acronym SMART stands for “See, Mark and Reward Training”; it summarizes the fundamental sequence of behaviors a trainer performs when using reinforcement effectively. We’ll discuss in detail each of these core skills – observation of the animal’s behaviors, pinpointing the desired behavior with a meaningful marker signal, and providing powerful rewards.

Through use of lecture, demonstrations and video, this seminar will explore all aspects of positive reinforcement: types, frequency, timing, placement, use of conditioned reinforcers, creation of new reinforcers, schedules of reinforcement, satiation, the use of distractions as reinforcers, and what reinforcement cannot accomplish.

About the Get SMART Seminar Presenter, Kathy Sdao:

Kathy Sdao is an associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist with decades of hands-on animal training and seminar-leading experience to add to her scientific understanding of dogs.

An expert in clicker training and animal behavior, Kathy Sdao regularly presents continuing education workshops for dog trainers at the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, Clicker Expo, and Guide Dogs for the Blind, among other seminar venues. Click here for Kathy Sdao's website. Dorothy Turley, CPDT will assist Kathy for this seminar in Seattle.

I-Cue Workshop Day 1

I-Cue Workshop Day 2

Brief review of operant conditioning
Operant conditioning as analogous to natural selection
Carrots and organic gardening: why choose positive reinforcement?
Unconditioned vs. conditioned reinforcers
Behavioral markers as the fulcrum
Creating new reinforcers
Preserving existing reinforcers: satiation, inadvertent chaining
Reinforcement timing

Reinforcement frequency & schedules of reinforcement
Seeing behavior: setting your filter
Maximizing reinforcement opportunities; minimizing the need for punishment
What if the environment offers better reinforcers than you have?
Limits of what reinforcement can do
Behavioral economics and the “reinforcement package”
Placement of reinforcers
Choosing types of reinforcers
What about punishment?

Other Kathy Sdao Seattle Seminar Details

Kathy Sdao's Get SMART seminar is not a working seminar, but you are welcome to bring a calm dog. The space is not giant, so please only bring your dog if your s/he is not dog or human reactive and is comfortable staying in a crate during the lecture portion of Kathy's workshop. Please take your dog's needs into consideration before you decide to bring him/her. Students with dogs should bring plenty of treats, toys, crate, and other necessary dog gear.

CPDTs: We will be applying for CEUs for this workshop and expect to get 13 CPDT CEU's. Other folks, if you want CEU's for your organization, please let me know well in advance.

This workshop will be held in the View Ridge Room at Magnuson Park. There's a dog park, with a small/shy dog park as well, just steps away from the facility where the seminar is held.
If you are bringing a dog to the seminar, please bring a fold-up crate, if possible, and a blanket to cover the crate during the seminar.
We have enough chairs for the seminar, but feel free bring your own if you have a comfy fold-up chair.
The seminar is 9 - 5 with a one-hour break for lunch and dog exercize.
Click here for a list of nearby hotels & accommodations.

Get SMART Seattle Workshop Fees & Registration

Seminar fee is $325, including lunch & snacks.
Lunch & snacks will be provided at the seminar. We will contact you as the seminar time approaches about meal preferences - otherwise, it will be vegetarian.
Registrations made less than 3 days in advance of the seminar do not include lunch.
Please see our Terms & Conditions for the cancellation/change policy.

Seminar Titles: "To Be Mod or Not to Be Mod, That is the Question!" and "Chill Out: Dealing with Overly Aroused Dogs"

Seminar Dates: June 6 & 7, 2009, 9 am - 4:30 pm

Seminar Description

Saturday: To Be Mod or Not to Be Mod, That is the Question!

This workshop includes a live consultation on an aggression case.

The phone rings, the client is ready to give up on the dog and wants to see you today! How do you know if you are ready to take the case?

dog It is critical to understand your limits and know when and how to refer the case, if need be. If you decide to meet with the client and take on the challenge, is behavior modification the only answer?

The morning session will deal with a self-evaluation and self-assessment to help you decipher what types of cases you are ready to handle, as well as helping the client detect and prevent problems to avoid injury through risk assessment and management tips. You will be challenged and so will the client. Pia will teach you how you can become a team.

After lunch, Pia will conduct a live behavior consultation, followed by a debriefing session with the group of trainers (without the client present).

Do you give it all away in the first session? How much is too much? Behavior modification programs take time. How will you get buy-in and keep them coming back? To achieve success with their dogs, your behavior modification programs must meet clients' needs and be within their ability to achieve.

Sunday: Chill Out! Dealing with Overly Aroused Dogs

What is the difference in behavior modification and obedience training? Do they go hand in hand? What comes first? Many dogs may do extremely well in obedience class, yet still have behavior problems at home. Dogs that are stressed, anxious or conflicted will have trouble learning a new behavior to replace an old one. The dog may become overly aroused, frustrated and exhibit total lack of impulse control, with little or no ability to make good decisions or self-regulate himself. The decision could end up being a dog bite!

PUPPIES: Recently, we are seeing more and more pups coming into class completely out of control. Are these pups simply not getting enough exercise or is there something else going on? Being able to identify red flags as early as possible is critical to the well-being of the dog. Pia will conduct and comment on a live puppy play session at the seminar. When is the pup simply being “a brat” and when is it a serious problem that needs to be dealt with quickly before a serious bite occurs? Pia will go over exercises that she conducts in her puppy classes as well as exercises for pups in the shelter environment.

ADULTS: The afternoon session will deal with adult dogs that lack self control. “He won’t stop biting me!” “I’ve tried time out but it doesn’t work!” “He is beginning to growl at me and we are becoming afraid.” “My children no longer like the dog since they cannot walk into the room without being attacked.” What do you do?

Video cases will be shown and discussed, along with live demos. How do you know what type of program to put these dogs on and what are the risks, if any? Find out at this seminar in Seattle!

About the Be Mod / Chill Out Seminar Presenter, Pia Silvani

silvani Pia's love of teaching began over 30 years ago as a private trainer, dance instructor, track, field and swimming coach for the Special Olympics and Regional Clinician for an international aerobics corporation where she trained new instructors in the field. After 13 years of para-legal/office management work, she decided to make her part-time teaching career a full-time dream. She combined her love of teaching people with her other fondness, dogs.

Pia is Director of Training and Behavior at St. Hubert's Animal WelfareCenter, Madison, New Jersey. She has developed various courses focusing on positive, reward-based techniques, which are extremely effective in the enhancement of the bond and relationship of the dog and her human companion.

The result of her efforts is an astounding 100+ classes per week, which includes 8 levels of pet training classes, specialty courses designed for dogs with extreme behavioral problems and much more. She has written six training manuals, which are being used around the country as a resource guide for other trainers.

Pia also developed a behavior department and conducts private consultations specializing in aggressive and anxiety-related problems for dogs and cats. She writes behavior articles for the shelter's newsletter and library; has been written up many times in national, State and local newspapers and made numerous guest appearances on television and radio. She has spoken at various conferences and forums internationally (from Belgium to Japan) and routinely consults with various shelters to assist them in improving and expanding their programs. Her newly published book "Raising Puppies and Kids Together - A Guide for Parents" for a Franklin Roosevelt Award by being voted into the top 3 for parenting books for 2005. She is co-author of "Professional Standards for Dog Trainers: Effective, Humane Principles, sponsored by Delta Society. and contributing author to APDT's first published book "The Dog Trainer's Resource" as well as The Dog Behavior Answer Book by Arden Moore.

Other Pia Silvani Dog Seminar Details

Please do not bring your dog to this seminar. We will be having many dog demos and must take the needs of the demo dogs into account. Exception: You may bring a calm dog on Saturday morning if you have some way to get them out of the seminar for the afternoon (drive them home, have a dog walker come get them, etc.)
CPDTs: We will be applying for CEUs for this workshop and expect to get 13 CPDT CEU's. Other folks, if you want CEU's for your organization, please let me know well in advance.
This workshop will be held in the View Ridge Room at Magnuson Park in Seattle, Washington state. There's a dog park, with a small/shy dog park as well, just steps away from the facility where the seminar is held. It's a great place to observe dog play in action.
We have enough chairs for the seminar, but feel free bring your own if you have a comfy fold-up chair.
Both days of the seminar are 9 - 4:30 with a one-hour break for lunch.
Click here for a list of nearby hotels & accommodations.

Dog/Play Seminar Fees & Registration

Single-day attendance is $200.
You can register for both days of the seminar for $325.
Lunch & snacks will be provided at the seminar. We will contact you as the seminar time approaches about meal preferences - otherwise, it will be vegetarian.
Registrations made less than 3 days in advance of the seminar do not include lunch.
Please see our Terms & Conditions for the cancellation/change policy.

REGISTER!

Class Name	Info	Fee	Status	Register!
Advanced Dog Seminar	Be Mod and Chill Out	$325	open
Advanced Dog Seminar - One Day	Be Mod - Sat Only	$200	open
Advanced Dog Seminar - One Day	Chill Out - Sun Only	$200	open
Kathy Sdao Seminar	Get SMART	$325	open

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