Seminar Descriptions

Kathy offers a variety of seminars about clicker training and animal behavior. Visit the schedule page and click on your region to see the seminars coming up in your area.

• Know Way, Know How: The Science and Art of Clicker Training (3 days)

  
  Kathy at a seminar

  This hands-on workshop, with or without your dog, is an in-depth journey into studying the science and practicing the art of clicker training. Clicker/marker-based training goes far beyond using the box or word. Learn the finer points of training, expand your repertoire, increase results and improve clarity so your dog (or students' dog) learns with speed, accuracy and less stress.

  Kathy balances lecture, training experiments, demonstrations, student participation and dog training for an exciting integrated workshop. Learn the “Science” with lecture and discussion, then practice the “Art” by training/experimenting with people & dogs.(18.5 CEUs for CPDTs approved).

  Topics include:
  Learning Theory in a Nutshell; Getting Geared Up; Behavior, Get It!; Timing is Everything; Applications of Classical Conditioning; Shaping; Cues Control; Reinforcement; What’s Premack Got To Do With It?; What Criterion?; Chains and Tertiary Reinforcers; Stimulus Control; Increasing Behavioral Variability; Are You Sure You Should Lure?; and One Way, No Way!

  Kathy works with an assistant (Dorothy Turley). Dana Crevling of Dogs of Course (www.dogsofcourse.com) is the sponsor.

• Advanced Clicker Training (2 days)

  
  What can we do for you?
  Photo by Jon Smith

  The Advanced Clicker Training Workshop is designed for the experienced clicker trainer that understands and can apply this dog-training technique. Created as a follow-up to Kathy’s highly successful “Know Way, Know How” workshop, the “Advanced Clicker Training Workshop” will further your knowledge and training skills, offer insights and guide you to the next level of skill. Participate with your clicker-savvy dog or come to audit and watch these dogs solve problems and learn new skills. Expect lots of dog training, and demonstrations as well as Kathy's cogent lectures using lots of visual aids. Auditors at all levels of skill welcome.

  Topics include:
  The Core of Clicker Training; Shaping with Purpose; Technical Breakdowns; Adding the Cue and Stimulus; Chaining; When to Stop Clicking; Reliability; Advanced Concepts Dog Training

  Kathy works with an assistant (Dorothy Turley). Dana Crevling of Dogs of Course (www.dogsofcourse.com) is often the sponsor.

• Does the Name Pavlov Ring A Bell? (2 days)

  Operant conditioning is the technique trainers use to teach dogs a variety of useful voluntary behaviors. But we often underutilize or overlook the power of classical and temporal conditioning. When a dog's reflexes and emotional reactions are involved - in situations including anything from mild fear, conflict, and novelty to serious phobias, aggression and separation anxiety - skillful use of classical, or Pavlovian, conditioning is required. The similar process of temporal conditioning is essential when teaching animals to respond accurately to verbal or gestural cues.

   

  
  Happy dogs!

  As trainers and teachers we need to understand the scientific principles and core concepts of classical and temporal conditioning, but even more importantly, we must be able to develop the ability to apply these procedures in real-life, less-than-perfect settings for our students or ourselves. Because classical conditioning is always at play, knowing how to use it to our best advantage and noticing when it is overpowering operant conditioning gives us tools and power previously untapped. Not only should classical conditioning be used with “problem” behaviors but why not actively use it for rearing puppies, boosting the average dog’s learning curve or influencing his attitude.

  Spend a weekend expanding your knowledge of this powerful training technique. Cut through the jargon to get to the essential elements of classical conditioning, find simple ways to translate the science to your own dog or your clients, and examine actual case studies to develop practical training plans. Live demonstrations.

  Dana Crevling of Dogs of Course (www.dogsofcourse.com) is usually the sponsor.

• Clicking with Class: Teaching Clicker Training (1 day; could be expanded to 2 days)

  Many positive trainers have difficulty seeing how to use the clicker in the class setting. Don't the dogs get confused with all the clickers? How do beginners manage a leash, treats, clicker, and timing? How about barking and other problems? Get the skills you need to make the transition or to start your own clicker classes. If you are already teaching clicker classes, learn creative ways to re-energize yourself and put new spark into your syllabus.

  Join Kathy in a day-long workshop just for instructors. Learn her techniques and debunk the myth that beginners can't teach dogs via clicker training techniques. Discuss the pros and cons, the common pitfalls, and how to properly integrate the method into your curriculum. Includes discussion, demonstrations and practicing with some of your dogs. Lateral thinking will be strongly encouraged here.

• Cujo Meets Pavlov (1 day; appropriate for general public)

  Does your dog lunge, bark, snap, go berserk or just get out of control at the sight of another dog or person? Learn how to prevent trouble and turn anxiety-ridden walks into relaxing strolls.

  This is a full-day workshop that combines lecture on the science of classical conditioning with hands-on demonstrations using dogs that lunge, bark or snap at other dogs. Kathy will teach you how to humanely improve this behavior, using techniques that are also applicable to dogs that display aggression to people.

  Kathy works with an assistant (Dorothy Turley).

• Oh Behave! (1 day; designed for dog trainers)

   

  
  A tired dog is a good dog!
  Photo by Dave Grenier

  Dog training is an activity designed to elicit, modify and control the behaviors of dogs. It is a physical, as well as cognitive, skill, composed of hundreds of distinct movements by the trainer. Instructing dog owners to become decent novice dog trainers requires us to develop these physical skills in our students. In effect, we aim to elicit, modify and control their behaviors – the behavior of humans – as well. Therefore, getting specific behaviors to occur, reliably and on cue, in two species, is a core competency of our profession. We will review various methods for “getting behaviors,” compare the pros and cons of each, and explore implications each has for the future learning aptitudes of dogs and owners.

• Design Your Own Seminar!

  
  Kathy teaching a goat trainer

  Kathy can design something specifically to meet your needs. She has presented a one-day-long introduction to clicker-training (science & practical skills) for several dog-training organizations (e.g., Guide Dogs for the Blind; New England Assistance Dogs). This can be modified/expanded as necessary.