Original Air date: 7th September 2023

Presenter Bio:

Kat has a master’s degree in both Psychology and Applied Animal Behaviour, a COAPE diploma and is an APDT trainer. 

Before she moved to the Uk she worked at Scent Imprint for Dogs in Holland training detection dogs and delivering Instructor courses. Since she moved to the UK she has worked for Dogs Trust as a Head Coach and Coach Trainer, in 2018 she worked at Dog Detectives on a FREDDS (free running explosives detection dogs) project. 

She has a company Canine Detection Solutions that provides a service of Japanese knotweed detection dogs and currently works three  operational dogs. 

Through her company K9 Behaviour consultancy she delivers training to government agencies, private detection companies and pet owners.

Presentation Details:

During this presentation we will discuss how scentwork can be used to support behaviour modification. I will talk about practical exercises that help to increase a dog’s confidence, agency and help fulfil breed specific needs. Additionally those exercises tend to be enjoyable for the owners too and give them an opportunity to have fun with their dog without focusing on their behaviour problems which is great for their relationship.

Price: APBC members £12.50 ABTC members £25 Non-members £35

The recording will be available straight after purchase. You will also receive a link direct to the webinar replay in the purchase confirmation email.

Please note: APBC and SPEAKERS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL FAILING IN THE RESULTING RECORDING. Purchases of webinar recordings are not refundable.

We kindly remind all attendees that the links provided for this event are intended for their personal use only. Sharing these links with others is not permitted and may result in the attendee losing access to the recording. We appreciate your cooperation in respecting these guidelines, which are in place to ensure the best possible experience for all participants.

Original Air date : 12th June 2023

Presenter Bio: Erica has been running her business as a Consultant in Animal Behaviour since 1990. During this time she has seen thousands of dogs and their families for behaviour consultations, along with training, socialisation, confidence, and rehabilitation classes. She has given talks and lectures around the UK and abroad. Her main interest is in working with families and their pets, helping them achieve greater peace and enjoyment together. As a member of APBC and APDT, she is registered with ABTC as a CAB and ATL. She currently has four dogs, two cats, two guinea pigs, one horse, one gecko and three children.

Presentation Detail:

Life is becoming more complex and is often stressful. Mental health issues are increasingly commonplace today, and unsurprisingly, our dogs are beginning to share similar problems, which impact on their, and our, wellbeing.

After thirty years of working with people and their dogs and especially in our post-pandemic lives, I feel that a return to games which are simple (with no way of getting things “wrong”) and fun (they make us and our dogs feel better) are incredibly effective in improving our bond with our dogs and our dog’s outlook on life.

Games we share with our dogs also make us feel happier, help our dogs learn vital life skills, and may also avoid, resolve or improve some of the behaviour issues frequently encountered.

Interacting with our dogs to make us smile, build rapport and improve responsiveness.

APBC members £12.50 ABTC members £25 Non-members £35

The recording will be available straight after purchase. You will also receive a link direct to the webinar replay in the purchase confirmation email.

Please note: APBC and SPEAKERS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL FAILING IN THE RESULTING RECORDING. Purchases of webinar recordings are not refundable.

Original Air Date: 26th January 2023

Presenter Bio:

Dr Carri Westgarth is a Senior Lecturer in Human-Animal Interaction at the University of Liverpool with a passion for understanding the relationships we have with our pets. With a background in animal behaviour and dog training she has trained in veterinary epidemiology and human public health. Her research interests focus on the implications of dog ownership for human health and wellbeing, but also how owner management of their dogs can impact dog welfare. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods are used to tackle her primary research questions of how to improve population health through the promotion of dog walking, and how to prevent dog bites. Her expertise on understanding and changing the behaviour of dog owners is sought by many organisations wishing to prevent dog bites and promote ‘responsible’ dog owner behaviour, such as her work as a consultant for Royal Mail. She is also a Full Member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors and founder of the Merseyside Dog Safety Partnership. In her spare time Carri teaches dog training classes, and previously was a professional Assistance Dog Instructor for the charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.  Her practical experience in many areas relating to dogs, combined with a multi-disciplinary academic perspective, gives unique strength and relevance to her expertise.

Presentation Detail:

Dog aggression towards people is a significant, increasing and under-recognised public health problem causing physical harm and psychological distress. Aggressive incidents also have serious consequences for the dog, from changed management and poor welfare, to relinquishment or euthanasia. The question is therefore raised of how best to prevent dog bites from occurring. Over recent decades and with the advice of dog experts, efforts to reduce human-directed dog-aggression have taken a two-pronged approach, through the use of legislation banning certain breeds and giving power to target owners of ‘out of control’ dogs, and most popular, through educational campaigns to educate about dog behavioural signs, ‘responsible dog ownership’ and the importance of supervising dogs and children. But how effective are these approaches likely to be and what can we learn from successful injury prevention strategies in other areas? In this presentation we will review the scientific knowledge about dog bites and ‘responsible’ dog ownership (in particular in the UK), apply public health and human behaviour change lenses to the problem, and brainstorm injury prevention strategies that are likely to be most effective in reducing dog bites. Spoiler: ‘more education’ is surprisingly not the answer.

Price: APBC members £12.50 ABTC members £25 Non-members £35

The recording will be available straight after purchase. You will also receive a link direct to the webinar replay in the purchase confirmation email.

Please note: APBC and SPEAKERS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL FAILING IN THE RESULTING RECORDING. Purchases of webinar recordings are not refundable

Original Air Date: 4th May 2023

Presenter Bio: Danielle is an enthusiastic and passionate Clinical Animal Behaviourist and trauma-informed rehabilitation trainer. She has been helping people to find the best way to help their animals for over 20 years. The primary species Danielle works with are dogs however, due to her background in zoology and work within zoological facilities, she is happy to see both domestic and non-domestic species. Danielle lives with her assistance dogs and often supports others with the training of their dogs for future assistance dog work. Danielle often breaks down complex neuroscience into easy-to-explain analogies featuring meerkats and founded a trauma-informed educational resource for caregivers and pet professionals called Control The Meerkat. Danielle offers professional mentoring and support for other pet professionals, particularly those wanting to progress to the role of Clinical Animal Behaviourist.

Presentation Details:

This webinar will explore the different ways in which trauma affects the brain and common techniques to help dogs that have been impacted by trauma.
In this webinar we will cover
An introduction into how trauma affects the different aspects of a dog’s brain
Common techniques useful to help dogs impacted by trauma including:
grounding
anchors
Co-regulation
self regulation
Case studies to demonstrate how to apply these principles to your clients

Price: APBC members £12.50 ABTC members £25 Non-members £35

The recording will be available straight after purchase. You will also receive a link direct to the webinar replay in the purchase confirmation email.

Please note: APBC and SPEAKERS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL FAILING IN THE RESULTING RECORDING. Purchases of webinar recordings are not refundable.

Original Air Date: 12th January 2023

Presenter Bio:

Shirley has an MSc in Equine Science from The University of Edinburgh, with a focus on equine nutrition, behaviour and welfare. She lives in Israel, where she works as an independent equine nutritionist, the first in her country. Shirley is the founder of the EQUIDA platform, aimed to make evidence-based knowledge regarding equine health and welfare more accessible in Hebrew and Arabic. And also works as a translation manager and lecturer for the ANIVADO international equine nutrition education platform. Shirley is a passionate lecturer and determined scientist, hoping to contribute to the improvement of animal welfare through scientific knowledge and tools.

Shirley has presented her research in ESVCN 2020 and BEVA 2021, on the nutrition and feeding management of horses in Israel, with an emphasis on the effects of arid climates on health and welfare. She is a member of the Royal Society of Biology (MRSB) and an associate fellow of Advance Higher Education (AFHEA) and is always excited to teach as well as learn. Shirley has recently joined the APBC as an Academic Member and sees the integration of animal nutrition, behaviour and welfare as a natural and inevitable consequence of life.

Presentation Detail:

The Microbiome and Gut-Brain axis have been the focus of exciting new research of both humans and animals. While the neurological connection between the digestive system and the Central Nervous System (CNS) is direct and well-researched, the consequent link between nutrition and behaviour is not always as clearly identified. The different signals involved in the bilateral effects on nutrition and behaviour are especially prominent with equids such as horses and donkeys. Due to their social herbivorous nature and unique process of domestication. This presentation will review recent studies on the gut-brain axis and equine microbiome, as well as discuss the principal connections and implications between nutrition and behaviour in horses.

Price: APBC members £12.50 ABTC members £25 Non-members £35

The recording will be available straight after purchase. You will also receive a link direct to the webinar replay in the purchase confirmation email.

Please note: APBC and SPEAKERS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL FAILING IN THE RESULTING RECORDING. Purchases of webinar recordings are not refundable.

Originally Aired 20th April 2023

Presenter Bio:

Genever is a small animal vet, having qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 2012. Since graduation she has worked in a number of first opinion small animal practices, including University teaching practices at the University of Liverpool and the Royal Veterinary College. She commenced her PhD at the University of Liverpool in 2019, investigating antimicrobial resistance and the public health impact of feeding raw meat diets to dogs.

Presentation Detail:

In this presentation I will discuss some of the findings from my PhD, including the results of a survey investigating owner perceptions surrounding raw and non-raw diets, and the reasons and beliefs for diet choice. I will also touch on some of the results from our microbiological analysis of raw and non-raw (cooked kibble) diets, and our investigation into the faecal carriage of antimicrobial resistant E. coli by dogs fed raw and non-raw diets.

Price: APBC members £12.50 ABTC members £25 Non-members £35

The recording will be available straight after purchase. You will also receive a link direct to the webinar replay in the purchase confirmation email.

Please note: APBC and SPEAKERS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL FAILING IN THE RESULTING RECORDING. Purchases of webinar recordings are not refundable.

Original Air Date: 15th May 2023

Presenter Information: Laura McAuliffe BSc (hons), PhD is an ABTC registered clinical animal behaviourist based in Surrey, U.K where she runs Dog Communication and specialises in anxiety and reactivity issues. Her real love in life is working with owners of reactive dogs, reducing stress in all their lives (human and canine) and helping them to find joy in the new normal of life with a reactive dog. Laura runs weekly group sessions for reactive dogs as part of a program to help dogs overcome their anxiety issues. Laura has lived with, and loved, 3 reactive dogs over the past 20 years and fosters puppies for rescue. She currently has an eclectic mix of dogs and has a Northern Inuit, a Dalmatian and a Yorkshire terrier who she handreared for rescue. She is a full member of the APBC and has a degree in behaviour, a PhD in stress responses and she recently updated her ethology knowledge with a postgraduate course at Newcastle University.

Presentation Bio: Laura will discuss the importance of emotional safety when we are working with anxious and reactive dogs and how ‘feeling safe’ is crucial to a dog’s ability to learn. Focussing on moving past an approach based in training to one of changing emotional responses and how this can help to reduce owner frustration and increase compliance.  Helping owners to recognise safety and practical examples of how and how not to work to ensure feelings of safety are discussed. How we can help dogs to feel safe when we are working on reactivity and the crucial importance of a safe and secure relationship with the owner are discussed.

APBC members £12.50 ABTC members £25 Non-members £35

The recording will be available straight after purchase. You will also receive a link direct to the webinar replay in the purchase confirmation email.

Please note: APBC and SPEAKERS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL FAILING IN THE RESULTING RECORDING. Purchases of webinar recordings are not refundable.

Original Air Date: 9th February 2023

Presenter Bio:

Amber qualified from the Royal Veterinary College, London in 1999 and has worked in clinical vet practice ever since. Within her first year in practice, she developed a desire to understand animal behaviour in more detail and began undertaking a variety of courses so she could incorporate behaviour in her day to day veterinary work and offer behaviour consultations. 

In 2007, Amber set up her business Understand Animals, with the intention to improve the understanding and practical application of behaviour knowledge for all those involved in animal care from legal guardians, to rescue workers, trainers, behaviourists and those in the veterinary community.  

Today Amber provides education on dog, cat and equine behaviour worldwide as well as continuing to work as a vet and behaviourist and as a legal expert witness in animal welfare cases.

Presentation Detail:

This one hour webinar will look at the most recent research on stress in the equine, what happens in body and brain, the causes, the long term impact and how we can modify environment and management and training plans to minimise stress as part of a more effective approach to behaviour modification.   The webinar will aim to combine a modern science approach with practical application for use in the equine world.

Price: APBC members £12.50 ABTC members £25 Non-members £35

The recording will be available straight after purchase. You will also receive a link direct to the webinar replay in the purchase confirmation email.

Please note: APBC and SPEAKERS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL FAILING IN THE RESULTING RECORDING. Purchases of webinar recordings are not refundable.

Sharing link: https://www.apbc.org.uk.fixed-staging.co.uk/Events/de-stress-for-success/

Original Air Date: 10th November 2022

Presenter Bio: Kim Brophey, CDBC, CPDT-KA, FDM ®, is an applied ethologist and owner of The Dog Door Behavior Center. Kim’s commitment to Family Dog Mediation has been recognized internationally, awarded the APDT Outstanding Trainer of the Year in 2009 and the Best Dog Trainer of WNC seven years in a row. She is a member of the International Society for Applied Ethology and the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, and a certified member and past board member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. Kim Brophey’s Dog L.E.G.S.® model of comprehensive canine science has been endorsed by prominent canine scientists such as Raymond Coppinger and embraced by reputable dog trainers worldwide. From her applied ethology content in Michael Shikashio’s Aggression in Dogs Master Course to her upcoming Applied Ethology & Family Dog Mediation ® Course, Kim’s work is a celebrated contribution to the field. Her groundbreaking book, MEET YOUR DOG, and TED talk have made profound waves and become favorites among both dog professionals and the public. Kim continues to build bridges and invite others to contribute to a new conversation about dogs- one that challenges us to redefine how we perceive, talk about, and treat our canine companions as a society

Presentation Information of part 2: The second part of this session will take a deep dive into the ten genetic working groups of dogs, exploring their original historical purpose and the resulting selective forces on behavior for specialized perceptions and responses in various conditions. We will examine how many of the erroneously labeled “behavior problems” commonly observed in pet dogs are the natural consequence of the friction created by modern conditions – the preservation of genetic keys (niches) that no longer fit the environmental locks (habitats) in which they find themselves. Through a greater understanding of the behaviors for which the various working groups were designed, we will appreciate how readily these artificially selected patterns manifest problematically in the average pet dog lifestyle, and how paramount certain adjustments to our expectations and common practices of stewardship need to be in our profession and culture

Price: APBC members £12.50 ABTC members £25 Non-members £35

The recording will be available straight after purchase. You will also receive a link direct to the webinar replay in the purchase confirmation email.
Please note: APBC and SPEAKERS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL FAILING IN THE RESULTING RECORDING. Purchases of webinar recordings are not refundable.

The Power of the Pattern: Pattern Games from Control Unleashed

Original Air Date 8th December 2022

Presenter Bio:

Leslie McDevitt, MLA, CDBC, is the author of the internationally popular Control Unleashed series of  books and DVDs. Her books have been translated into many languages; people all over the world have  learned how to use her evidence-based and empowering methods to help companion, performance,  and working dogs learn how to functional optimally without stress in very challenging environments.  If you have a dog that worries about stuff—other dogs, people, noises, the unexpected—Leslie has  many fun counter-conditioning games just for you. Leslie is a popular conference speaker and now  hosts her own virtual Conference Unleashed to teach more about her methods and showcase trainers  she has certified to be CCUIs, Certified Control Unleashed Instructors. Leslie has CCUIs all over the  world.

Presentation Detail:

Pattern Games are a group of operant counter conditioning games that provide predictability and  structure for dogs who are learning to manage themselves through strong feelings. The games utilize  “startbutton” behavior to give dogs control over their own learning experience. Control and  Predictability are what make these patterns so powerful. These games are very simple to teach and  to generalize onto a variety of contexts. Both you and your dog will feel better using these reliable  and effective tools for behavior change.

Price: APBC members £12.50 ABTC members £25 Non-members £35

The recording will be available straight after purchase. You will also receive a link direct to the webinar replay in the purchase confirmation email.

Please note: APBC and SPEAKERS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL FAILING IN THE RESULTING RECORDING. Purchases of webinar recordings are not refundable.

Original Airdate: 28th October 2022

Presenter Bio:

Dr Claire Guest obtained a BSc in Psychology in 1986, followed by an MSc in Psychology by research. She is a member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors and was Director of Operations & Research at Hearing Dogs for Deaf People. Claire directed one of the first studies in the world to train dogs to identify cancer by odour publishing a robust proof of principle in the BMJ September 2004. Claire became Co-Founder of Medical Detection Dogs (MDD) in 2008 a charity that trains both Bio-detection and Medical Assistance Dogs and is the Chief Executive and Chief Scientific Officer. In 2011 Claire was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the development of new approaches for the detection of life-threatening diseases. In January 2015 she was awarded a British Citizen Award for health and in 2016 received the CBI National First Women award for Science and Technology. Claire is also a frequent peer reviewed author in scientific journals, and in 2016 she wrote “Daisy’s Gift”, about the formation of the charity and her remarkable dog ‘Daisy’, who indicated her own breast cancer. Claire regularly presents at conferences around the world, and frequently appears on national television and radio to discuss and promote the pioneering work and research of MDD. Claire’s current work includes detection of bacteria, prostate cancer and COVID-19 among other conditions and diseases

Presentation Information:

Throughout history, dogs have fulfilled a range of different functions and more recently canine roles have grown to a range of medical support and disease detection tasks, with growing evidence of elevated levels of a ‘signature’ volatile organic compound (VOCs) associated with disease.  As medical usage expands, it is imperative that the value of these dogs is objectively assessed, their potential capabilities are optimised, and these abilities are used to further understanding of disease diagnostics.   Medical Detection Dogs (MDD) a leading charity, pioneers both medical assistance and disease detection and is committed to carrying out empirical research to improve operations and to inform future medical technologies. To further this aim, MDD have worked on NHS approved clinical trials, exploring dogs’ ability to detect cancer, the malaria parasite, Parkinson’s disease, and bacteria.  In addition, our Medical Alert Assistance Dogs use olfactory alerting ability for day-to-day support for people living with chronic conditions. More recently MDD has been researching the canine ability to detect the virus COVID-19. This work has provided evidence that dogs can detect the odour of an individual with the disease from a collected piece of clothing, and we are now assessing the accuracy of dogs when screening people in real world settings. The possibility that dogs could provide a rapid accurate non-invasive screening tool for deadly virus in the future is an exciting and realistic.

Price: APBC members £12.50 ABTC members £25 Non-members £35

The recording will be available straight after purchase. You will also receive a link direct to the webinar replay in the purchase confirmation email.
Please note: APBC and SPEAKERS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL FAILING IN THE RESULTING RECORDING. Purchases of webinar recordings are not refundable.

Original Air Date: 1st November 2022

Presenter Bio:

Gemma has lived a life with dogs of various breeds growing up in a house full of show dogs, but initially studied at Hartpury College for a career with horses, going on to work at show jumping and event yards along with hydrotherapy centres.

In the early 2000’s she started growing an interest in how pain affects movement & behaviour after one of her own horses developed gastric ulcers, this then became an obsession when returning to her love of dogs and attending dog classes could see dogs from an early age already experiencing difficulties.

Wanting to expand on her observational skills she trained as a Practitioner in various alternative hands-on therapies, before deepening her knowledge of canine anatomy, physiology & movement alongside Canine Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation.

Gemma now combines her passion for canine behaviour (level 5 dip) and movement to help dog guardians get to the bottom of their dogs problematic behaviours using science based analysis techniques to shine a light on potential issues, she is often called in by other canine professionals to work with their clients for additional support and advice.

Quite often what Gemma observes can be a direct cause or adding to a behavioural issue which could go on to be resolved or managed & supported to lessen the outward behaviour.

More recently Gemma now teaches other canine professionals to do what she does so that more help and support can be given to guardians and their dogs as possible through her Dynamic Dog Practitioner Programme. This is the very first training of its kind that teaches Dog Professionals the skills to spotting physical discomfort in dogs, and how to put it in terms the Vet can make a more informed diagnosis.

Presentation Detail:

In this webinar, Gemma will discuss why canine professionals should be observing physical aspects of the dog as part of an assessment and training programme. She will identify key areas to look at when working with dogs including conformation, posture and movement and will share a case study about a dog with troubling behaviours and how Gemma’s Dynamic Dog protocol transformed things for the dog and the owner.

Price: APBC members £12.50 ABTC members £25 Non-members £35

The recording will be available straight after purchase. You will also receive a link direct to the webinar replay in the purchase confirmation email.
Please note: APBC and SPEAKERS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL FAILING IN THE RESULTING RECORDING. Purchases of webinar recordings are not refundable.

Original Air Date 5th August 2022

Presenter Bio: Tamsin Durston is presenting this webinar on behalf of Dogs Trust and the British Veterinary Behaviour Association. Tamsin is a member of their Dog Friendly Clinic Project team, a combination of veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, veterinary behaviourists, clinical animal behaviourists and dog trainers. Tam works as Dogs Trust’s Veterinary Engagement Manager, leading a team of veterinary and clinical animal behaviour professionals designing interventions which ai to embed canine behavioural principles in veterinary practice to improve human and animal welfare alike.

Presentation Details: Tamsin Durston is presenting this webinar on behalf of Dogs Trust and the British Veterinary Behaviour Association. The organisations have collaborated on a membership scheme for veterinary professionals which aims to embed canine behavioural principles within veterinary practice. The presentation will cover the development of the scheme, using applied human behaviour change science, from concept to launch. Full details of how the scheme will operate from the veterinary perspective will be shared.

Price: APBC members £12.50 ABTC members £25 Non-members £35

The recording will be available straight after purchase. You will also receive a link direct to the webinar replay in the purchase confirmation email.

Please note: APBC and SPEAKERS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL FAILING IN THE RESULTING RECORDING. Purchases of webinar recordings are not refundable.

Original Air Date 21st July 2022

Presenter Bio: Gemma combines her time between research and outreach on behalf of the The Horse Trust and seeing clinical equine behaviour cases where she is based at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh. After working in ambulatory practice Gemma moved to the Dick Vet where she completed a rotating residency programme in the equine hospital, becoming an advanced practitioner in equine medicine, alongside an MScR investigating horse veterinarian interactions. Subsequently she completed her CCAB (certified clinical animal behaviourist) and her PhD thesis ‘Investigating the stress responses of horses undergoing veterinary care’. As the Veterinary Liaison Officer for the International Society for Equitation Science, Gemma is passionate about improving interactions between horses and people, specifically regarding the application of learning theory. In her spare time she has competed up to advanced level endurance on a homebred horse as well as enjoying competing in affiliated dressage and eventing.

Presentation Details: Adverse early life experiences in children are well recognised risk factors for poor mental health and even increase likelihood of a prison sentence as adults. We also have an increasing body of evidence of their long term negative effect in a range of species from rats to cattle. This webinar will explore the science of how early life experience impacts neurophysiological development in a range of species, including the horse. We will then focus in on how we can maximise healthy neurophysiological development in foals and youngsters, including evaluating critical periods such as weaning.

Price: APBC members £12.50 ABTC members £25 Non-members £35

The recording will be available straight after purchase. You will also receive a link direct to the webinar replay in the purchase confirmation email.

Please note: APBC and SPEAKERS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL FAILING IN THE RESULTING RECORDING. Purchases of webinar recordings are not refundable.

Original Air date: 18th January 2022

Presenter Bio: Jessica Hekman, DVM, PhD, is a veterinary genetics researcher who is fascinated by dog behavior. She works at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard as a postdoctoral associate, studying the genetics of behavior in pet dogs through the Darwin’s Ark project and the Working Dogs Project. She also teaches online and consults with breeders about genetic testing and breeding choices. Recently, she founded the Functional Dog Collaborative (functionalbreeding.org) to provide support to ethical breeders of healthy and behaviorally solid dogs. Jessica lives in Raymond, NH with her husband and three dogs. You can follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/dogzombieblog.

Presentation Detail: Probiotics are starting to be recommended by veterinarians to help manage behavioral issues in dogs, either as support in addition to behavioral medication or just on their own. Are they actually effective? How could adding bacteria to the GI system affect the brain? How long term must they be given? What changes might you expect, and what diagnoses are they helpful for? Are there side effects? What’s the best brand to buy, or can you make your own? Join Jessica Hekman, DVM, PhD, a research scientist who specializes in the biology of behavior, for a deep dive into the crazy new findings coming out about probiotics and behavior in dogs.

The recording will be available straight after purchase. You will also receive a link direct to the webinar replay in the purchase confirmation email.

Please note: APBC and SPEAKERS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL FAILING IN THE RESULTING RECORDING. Purchases of webinar recordings are not refundable.

Original Air Date 19th April 2022

APBC Members – Free (You will find the correct discount code in the members area of the website)

ABTC Member – £25

Non- Members – £35

We recommend you purchase and watch the first webinar to get the full benefit: https://www.apbc.org.uk.fixed-staging.co.uk/Events/evidence-based-practice-for-animal-professionals-part-1/ and also read the paper: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0102722

Presenter Bio:

Dr Morag K Heirs, PhD, MSc, MA(hons)(SocSci), PGCAP, ABTC-CAB, ABTC-ATI

Morag is a practicing Clinical Animal Behaviourist, proud member of the APBC and an enthusiastic academic with particular interests in research, evidence based practice, scentwork and deaf/blind dogs. Morag divides her time between academic study and clinical practice.

Academic activities: Morag is currently a lecturer in Psychology (Open University), Human Factors in Behaviour Counselling & Advanced Dog Training (Bishop Burton) and a visiting lecturer for the University of Edinburgh (MSc in Clinical Animal Behaviour). She supervises a range of MSc research students from Clinical Animal Behaviour to Acupuncture and Advanced Oriental Medicine.

Clinical activities: Morag is a Director of Well Connected Canine Ltd, based in York (UK) and manages a small team providing canine behaviour services to private clients, local government organisations, and national animal rescue organisations. She specialises in risk assessment, treating phobias and working with deaf and/or blind dogs. Morag also includes skills from her previous career as a myofascial release and remedial massage therapist in many consultations.

When not attempting to convince practitioners that a scientific journal club really is the most exciting way to spend a Saturday morning, Morag enjoys canicross ultra running with her two collies and a large German Wire-Haired Pointer.

Presentation Detail:

The aim of this session is to read the set paper and apply one of the basic appraisal tools covered in part 1. Come to this webinar with your judgements, comments and most importantly, your questions.

We will discuss the set paper in detail (including the statistics!) and try to come to a group conclusion on the reliability and validity of the author’s conclusions.

The recording will be available straight after purchase. You will also receive a link direct to the webinar replay in the purchase confirmation email.

Please note: APBC and SPEAKERS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL FAILING IN THE RESULTING RECORDING. Purchases of webinar recordings are not refundable.

Original Air Date: 8th February 2022 1.5 hrs

FREE FOR APBC MEMBERS- PLEASE USE THE 100% DISCOUNT CODE THAT YOU WILL FIND UNDER WEBINAR CODES IN THE MEMBERS AREA.

ABTC £25

PUBLIC- £35

Presenter Bio:

Dr Morag K Heirs, PhD, MSc, MA(hons)(SocSci), PGCAP, ABTC-CAB, ABTC-ATI

Morag is a practicing Clinical Animal Behaviourist, proud member of the APBC and an enthusiastic academic with particular interests in research, evidence based practice, scentwork and deaf/blind dogs. Morag divides her time between academic study and clinical practice. 

Academic activities: Morag is currently a lecturer in Psychology (Open University), Human Factors in Behaviour Counselling & Advanced Dog Training (Bishop Burton) and a visiting lecturer for the University of Edinburgh (MSc in Clinical Animal Behaviour). She supervises a range of MSc research students from Clinical Animal Behaviour to Acupuncture and Advanced Oriental Medicine.

Clinical activities: Morag is a Director of Well Connected Canine Ltd, based in York (UK) and manages a small team providing canine behaviour services to private clients, local government organisations, and national animal rescue organisations. She specialises in risk assessment, treating phobias and working with deaf and/or blind dogs. Morag also includes skills from her previous career as a myofascial release and remedial massage therapist in many consultations.

When not attempting to convince practitioners that a scientific journal club really is the most exciting way to spend a Saturday morning, Morag enjoys canicross ultra running with her two collies and a large German Wire-Haired Pointer.

Presentation Detail:

Evidence-based practice is a relatively new buzz word for the animal behaviour and training world, but it’s been around a long time in human health care and research. When we’re trying to decide what strategy to take for a specific client, or justify a decision to the animal shelter, wouldn’t it be great to have some solid scientific back up?  Even if it turns out that there’s not much evidence, that can help inform our decisions too. 

We’re going to start by assuming you have some primary research papers saved on your computer or printed out on your desk. Journal articles can look intimidating, and very few make good bedtime reading material. Understanding the scientific form and language is a skill in its own right, and improves with practice.  Rather than skimming the abstract, or just reading a summary of the paper on a blog, this session is all about digging into the juicy innards of research articles. 

Critical appraisal really means working out how much we can trust the results of a study. Did the researchers use the most suitable methods to answer their question? How reliable will those answers be? How useful are the findings in relation to your practice and experiences?

Core Learning Outcomes

1. Learn the key words and essential sections to look for in an article
2. Create an outline of the paper using PICOS (using a real life example paper)
3. Critically read the findings AND decide if it’s worth changing your practice

The recording will be available straight after purchase. You will also receive a link direct to the webinar replay in the purchase confirmation email.

Please note: APBC and SPEAKERS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL FAILING IN THE RESULTING RECORDING. Purchases of webinar recordings are not refundable.

Original Air Date 13 th January 2022

Presenter Bios:

Jules Morgan – Jules has lived with dogs all her life and has been fortunate enough to work as a trainer for over three decades. 

During her early training career, Jules taught puppy, adolescent, and behaviour training classes for pet dogs alongside teaching gundog training classes for those looking to work their dogs on shoots. 

Within a few years of starting out, Jules started to feel uncomfortable with some of the methods she had originally learnt, particularly as she was unable to explain them on a theoretical level and some seemed unfair on the dogs. So began her journey to learn about more science backed, positive reinforcement training methods. 

As dog training education was not the same as it is today, much of her learning was independent and very much based on trial and error. As such, Jules’ journey to find new gundog training methods took some time and was not always supported by the people she was training with. Nevertheless, in 2006, Jules became accredited with the APDT.

Jules today still feels very strongly that dogs and owners should be supported and encouraged by their trainer with empathy and understanding as well as being properly qualified. 

Understanding that there is always more to learn about dogs, Jules considers two working cocker spaniels, Buckle and Raffle, and Labrador, Otter, three of her greatest teachers. She continues to keep up her studies and remains up to date with research into behaviour, psychology, neuroscience and physiology which further expands her understanding of dogs and what motivates them. 

Most recently, Jules had lectured to dog trainers, behaviourists and veterinary professionals on remedial training protocols for specific behaviour problems. She believes that her training history and experience as a ‘crossover’ trainer enables her to be extremely sympathetic to, and understanding of, the hurdles involved in that process, as well as having first-hand experience of what an incredibly rewarding experience it is to train this way. 

Jules’ main passion is for working and training gundogs. Over the years she has gained a wealth of experience in all aspects of lowland shooting from large estates, through to small farm shoots, and rough shooting including beating, picking up, shooting, and shoot management. 

Today, Jules specialise in gundog training for pet dogs, working dogs and those looking to participate in competition from her base in Surrey. Courses available through Teach Your Gundog include The Gundog Club graded training scheme, as well as bespoke workshops and courses covering specific topics at all levels. She also hosts her ever-popular series of Gundog Games workshops held around the country which enables people to find out about the world of gundog training using only ethical, choice based methods and to start to build their foundation skills. Jules also hosts more advanced Gundog Games camps twice a year in Cumbria. 

Currently, Jules is the secretary, and co-founder, of the Vale & West Gundog Club which offers a safe stepping-stone into competition through its annual working tests and working gundog certificate (KCWGC) assessment days. She has also organised, judged and competed at many working tests, assisted at field trials, and helped at numerous Kennel Club Working Gundog Certificate assessments both on dummies and game. 

Qualifications and accreditations: 
•Member of The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) •Accredited Animal Training Instructor with the Animal Behaviour & Training Council (ABTC) 
•Accredited Trainer and Assessor for The Gundog Club 
•BASC Safe Shot Certificate 
•LANTRA Shooting Assistant/Loaders Certificate 
•Qualified First Aider (Emergency First Aid at Work/Rural Skills Certificate)

Helen Phillips – Helen has been shooting and working dogs in the field for over thirty years. Having owned a variety of breeds from crosses, to Spaniels and HPRs, Helen has an extensive understanding of living with and working with hunting dogs.

Currently, Helen owns Vizslas, Jack and Dibble, and English Springer Spaniel, Wren. All the dogs work in a variety of roles on the shoot from beating, picking up to partner on the peg. Helen has also achieved the Kennel Club Working Gundog Certificate on Dummies and on Game, has competed in working tests and participates in grouse counting.

Over the last decade through her training business, Clicker Gundog, Helen has developed a range of workshops and seminars to help teach the essential skills to both the handler and the dog. Her focus is on promoting the use of positive reinforcement training techniques and strategies within gundog training and field sports in general. She is also the author of the popular ‘Clicker Gundog’ training book.

Helen has a strong ethical stance in respect of this and endeavours to promote this within the shooting field. One of the UK’s most qualified gundog trainers, Helen has a Distinction in Canine Training and Behaviour from Warwickshire College and, as a City and Guilds level 5 qualified teacher, taught the same Canine Training and Behaviour course at two levels for nearly a decade. She also obtained the Clicker Trainers Competency Assessment Programme levels 1, 2 and 3 with Distinction.

Helen is a member of the Special Council for the Pet Professional Guild (PPG), is a registered ABTC Animal Training Instructor, and is an Instructor and Assessor for The Gundog Club, an organisation that declared its force free policy in 2018 and runs courses each year for all levels.

Presentation Details: The aim of this webinar is to provide some background information on the natural behaviours and instincts of gundog breeds and how they can manifest and become problematic in pet homes.  We will look at how we can provide activities suitable to these breeds to enable expression of these natural behaviours. We will also share some of our training exercises and games that can be incorporated into pet training classes and behaviour modification programmes.  There will be video footage included in this presentation.

The recording will be available straight after purchase. You will also receive a link direct to the webinar replay in the purchase confirmation email.

Please note: APBC and SPEAKERS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL FAILING IN THE RESULTING RECORDING. Purchases of webinar recordings are not refundable.

Original Air Date: 24th January 2022

Presenter Bio : Elaine Henley is a Clinical Animal Behaviourist who has been working with humans and their pets for well over 20 years. 

Along with her dogs and human family, Elaine lives with two Grey parrots: Milo who has lived with her for 12 years; Roy, a 34-year old Congo Grey parrot, joined her 8 years ago; and Sparky is a 12-year-old rehomed Timneh Grey parrot who has lived with her for 7 years.

Elaine feels privileged to share her home with three of these magnificent creatures, and she is one of very few Clinical Behaviourists to have studied them in the wild. This has given her a much deeper understanding of their behaviour in the domestic context, and Elaine is passionate about educating people in their behaviour and welfare.

Trained to Post-Graduate level in Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling at the University of Southampton, Elaine attends conferences and seminars worldwide to share ideas and lead on best practice across the industry.

Elaine is skilled in applying modern, hands-on training methods and, critically, in demonstrating and explaining those techniques to owners. She has written and lectured extensively on animal behaviour and training and she offers a range of Continuous Professional Development opportunities to veterinary practices, local and national governments, independent CPD providers, re-homing organisations and charities, including Guide Dogs for the Blind and The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA). Elaine is also an experienced Expert Witness for courts and animal welfare organisations; she undertakes risk assessments for adoption and fostering agencies across Scotland.

Presentation Information *

This webinar will explore common behavioural problems that are often experienced by caregivers who live with Parrots in their home. 

Debunking the myth that behavioural problems can simply be trained away, whilst exploring the use of behaviour modification techniques in combination with a dollop of common sense, this webinar aims to provide practical solutions for caregivers, professionals and veterinary teams.

The recording will be available straight after purchase. You will also receive a link direct to the webinar replay in the purchase confirmation email.

Please note: APBC and SPEAKERS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL FAILING IN THE RESULTING RECORDING. Purchases of webinar recordings are not refundable.

Original Air date: 10th May 2022

Presenter Bio: After completing a degree in Zoology at the University of Liverpool (UK) and a PhD in abnormal equine behavior at the University of Edinburgh (UK), Dr Sebastian McBride continued his research at Aberystwyth University looking specifically at the neurophysiological mechanisms underpinning repetitive behavioural disorders. This line of investigation extended towards attributes of learning behaviour and computational models of brain systems as a way of better understanding some of the underlying mechanisms involved.  He later worked at the University of Cambridge developing cognitive tests as markers for normal and abnormal brain function in large animal species as part of a Huntington’s disease project. Sebastian has recently returned to Aberystwyth University to establish a research group on the effects of stress and ageing on ovine and equine cognition. He has presented several papers at international conferences and written a number of articles for both the scientific and popular press on the neuroscience of equine behaviour.

Presentation Details: This webinar gives provides a basic understanding of how the mammalian brain works and identifies specific anatomical and functional characteristics of the equine brain. Factors affecting brain function are also discussed with a focus on how neurophysiological changes can manifest as changes in perception, cognition and behavioural output. The webinar also presents current equine neurophysiological research and discusses this work in relation to abnormal behaviour, learning mechanisms and implications for training the horse.

The recording will be available straight after purchase. You will also receive a link direct to the webinar replay in the purchase confirmation email.

Please note: APBC and SPEAKERS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL FAILING IN THE RESULTING RECORDING. Purchases of webinar recordings are not refundable.

Originally Aired 21st February 2022

Presenter Bio: Kim Brophey, CDBC, CPDT-KA, FDM ®, is an applied ethologist and owner of The Dog Door Behavior Center. Kim’s commitment to Family Dog Mediation has been recognized internationally, awarded the APDT Outstanding Trainer of the Year in 2009 and the Best Dog Trainer of WNC seven years in a row. She is a member of the International Society for Applied Ethology and the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, and a certified member and past board member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. Kim Brophey’s Dog L.E.G.S.® model of comprehensive canine science has been endorsed by prominent canine scientists such as Raymond Coppinger and embraced by reputable dog trainers worldwide. From her applied ethology content in Michael Shikashio’s Aggression in Dogs Master Course to her upcoming Applied Ethology & Family Dog Mediation ® Course, Kim’s work is a celebrated contribution to the field. Her groundbreaking book, MEET YOUR DOG, and TED talk have made profound waves and become favorites among both dog professionals and the public. Kim continues to build bridges and invite others to contribute to a new conversation about dogs- one that challenges us to redefine how we perceive, talk about, and treat our canine companions as a society

Presentation Detail: Ethically and effectively working cases as a canine behavior professional requires us to perform both  initial and ongoing comprehensive analysis of all contributing elements to a dog’s behavior. Participants  will be introduced to Kim Brophey’s widely celebrated and endorsed L.E.G.S.® system of Applied  Ethology as a simple and practical framework for doing so – bridging multiple scientific disciplines and  delivering new depths of understanding by organizing the critical components of all animal behavior.  Learn how to identify, understand, and integrate the full scope of potential factors influencing behavior  – Learned, Environmental, Genetic, and unique internal conditions of the individual animal’s own Self – in order to prevent misunderstandings and incorrect assessment of cases, obstacles to the progress of  behavior modification, inadequate safety and management provisions, and even life-threatening  circumstances for both animals and people.

The recording will be available straight after purchase. You will also receive a link direct to the webinar replay in the purchase confirmation email.

Please note: APBC and SPEAKERS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL FAILING IN THE RESULTING RECORDING. Purchases of webinar recordings are not refundable.

Original Air Date: 10th March 2022

Presenter Bio :

Meghan Durno – I am a profoundly deaf registered veterinary nurse who qualified in 2016. I have a keen interest in feline behaviour and I also have a passion in raising deaf awareness in the veterinary industry as I have experienced first-hand the struggles of being deaf in a fast-paced profession. This struggle has increased during the pandemic with the introduction of face masks and the influx of locum staff in workplace, many whom have never met a deaf person before.

Laura Adkins is a behaviourist and trainer who has worked and volunteered with animals and people for 11 years through behaviour consultations, private training, group classes, veterinary surgeries, and rescue centres. She also worked at the assistance dog charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf people as a Partnership Instructor. She has been in a very privileged position over the years to meet a large number of people who are Deaf and hard of hearing and was opened up to a whole new world of awareness, communication, connection and education. A big part of this awareness was how difficult interactions can be with people who are not Deaf aware and what an impact it would have if more people took the time to learn and adapt how they work and communicate. With her background in a range of animal centred workplaces she hopes to bring this experience together to create a more inclusive animal industry.

Presentation Information :

An introduction to Deaf awareness and mindful communication for anyone working with animals and people, but particularly those who are behaviourists, trainers and those working in the veterinary field. 

Laura and Meghan will highlight some important and interesting information to not only help you improve the inclusivity of your work, but potentially open you up to a whole new view of our world.

Price: APBC members £12.50 ABTC members £25 Non-members £35

The recording will be available straight after purchase. You will also receive a link direct to the webinar replay in the purchase confirmation email.

Please note: APBC and SPEAKERS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TECHNICAL FAILING IN THE RESULTING RECORDING. Purchases of webinar recordings are not refundable.