As owners and trainers, we make numerous decisions for our animals (and for those of our students and clients) every day. Some of these decisions are simple and mundane, while others are of much greater importance to animals’ emotional and physical well-being. In today’s world, the amount of information that we are exposed to and that influences our dog training decisions is vast and often overwhelming. In this webinar, viewers learn to identify and critically evaluate the various types of information that influence both professional trainers and dog owners about training and behavior. In particular, we examine the role that science should play in a dog professional’s decision-making process and how to use critical thinking skills to make evidence-based choices for training practices. The webinar begins with a review of the scientific method and then applies it directly to studies of canine cognition, behavior, and training. Following this, a detailed (hypothetical) case study is used to illustrate research study designs, the selection of study groups, use of controls, data measurement and collection, inclusion of statistical tests, compilation of results and making appropriate conclusions. Following completion of this webinar, participants will appreciate and understand the way in which the scientific method is applied to studies of dog behavior and training, and will be able to identify and assess the essential components of a well-designed research study. Viewers will have the skills to critically evaluate different types of information sources for reliability, and discuss the role that evidence-based training and behavior knowledge play in their own training practices.

Sponsor:International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants
Speaker(s):Linda Case, M.S.

Contact: International Association of A
 Email: courses@iaabc.org
 Web: https://m.iaabc.org/courses/