Public Day

 

 

2018 Public Day: Giving Pets The Good Life: The Science of Animal Behavior Shows Us How!

Saturday, August 4th | Lapham 101 | Time: 2:00 PM- 6:00PM
Free and open to the public. No registration required.

Organized by the ABS Applied Animal Behavior Committee and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists

We all want what's best for our animals. But "what's best" has changed dramatically as the science of animal behavior and allied fields have revealed more about their behavioral, emotional and cognitive lives. Pets and other animals are far more behaviorally complex, sensitive and cognitively sophisticated that ever imagined. Join us for a stimulating afternoon of lectures by four internationally renowned applied animal behaviorists covering the newest research and how we can use it to provide today's version of The Good Life for our animals.

Intro: Giving Pets the Good Life
Dan Estep, PhD, CAAB
Almost all of us who work with, care for, or live with animals want what’s best for them. But over the years “what’s best" has changed dramatically. Well into the 20th century, many people thought non-human animals to be “dumb, unfeeling brutes,” and they were treated in unkind ways. Until relatively recently, it was routine to withhold post-operative pain medications from animals because it was thought they did not feel pain in the same way as people. But all of that has rapidly changed, as the science of animal behavior and allied fields have revealed more about the behavioral, emotional and cognitive lives of non-humans. We now know that our pets and other animals are far more behaviorally complex, sensitive to their world and cognitively sophisticated than many people ever imagined. Join us for a stimulating afternoon of lectures by four internationally renowned applied animal behaviorists as they show us what we have learned from this new research and how we can use it to provide today’s version of The Good Life for our animal companions.

The Science Behind Happy, Healthy, and Well-Adjusted Dogs
Emma K. Grigg, PhD, CAAB
What can the results of recent scientific research tell us -- as dog professionals, caretakers and companions -- about how to give dogs the best possible quality of life? The sheer volume of recent research into how dogs think, what they feel, and why they behave in the ways that they do, can be overwhelming, and it can be hard to keep up with it all. Nonetheless, this new information can add greatly to our understanding of the most effective, most ethical ways to train them, care for them, and keep them happy and healthy. This talk will summarize some of the most important new (and improved) information to help you make the most well-informed choices for your work and life with dogs.

Happy Horse, Safe Steed
Robin Foster, PhD, CAAB, CHBC & Tammy Donaldson, PhD, CAAB
Horse owners and professionals are demanding alternatives to traditional management, handling, and training methods. Fear-based behaviors, including flight and fight, are of particular concern. Low-stress, positive approaches for preventing and modifying fear-based behaviors can improve the horse's physical and emotional well-being and reduce the risk of injury to both horses and humans. A low-stress, positive approach is particularly useful for horses enduring environmental stressors such as those experienced in horse rescue or during injury rehabilitation.

Lost in Translation? Your Dog is Talking to You!
Patricia McConnell, PhD, CAAB
Our dogs are communicating with us all the time, but we aren’t always adept at understanding them. But everyone wants to be heard, even our dogs, and the best way to help them live a good life is to master the canine “language" of subtle facial expressions, body postures and vocalizations. Join Patricia McConnell, PhD, CAAB, for a video and slide presentation, based on the work of animal behaviorists from all around the world, that can help us become more fluent in all things dog.

Panel Discussion with Q & A
Speakers will open the floor for questions and a panel discussion.


CEU's offered.