If we want to motivate people to treat their dogs more kindly, we must embrace science based anthropomorphism. A quiet revolution has taken place in the study of the cognitive and emotional similarities between humans and our best friends. The next question is what to do with that knowledge to enhance our relationships. In this session, we will explore some of the practical, everyday training and consultation techniques that can grow from what we now know about social learning and attachment in dogs. We’ll take a quick look at how far we’ve come in the last quarter century of the applied behavior analysis revolution and then reveal how anthropomorphically based empathy can take us to the next step. This experience has taught us that in the right moment with the right message and the courage to proclaim it a very few people can set big changes in motion. Applied behavior analysis has brought pet dog training and behavior modification out of the shadows of folklore and into the light of science and provided a non-judgmental way to articulate how our best friends’ behavior can be influenced without resorting to force. Still, behavior consultants are often discouraged by their clients’ frustration and impatience with their dogs’ behavior. Applying what we now know from attachment research about similarities between dogs and human children can often provide a non-confrontational way to help pet owners view their dogs’ behavior with a more empathetic eye. And what we now know about social learning in dogs can help us guide pet parents to teach their dogs in ways that seem much more intuitive to the average person, and without giving the impression that they must become master trainers themselves in order to have a satisfying bond. Ethological research is now ready to help people take the next step in compassionate relationships.

Sponsor:Pet Professional Guild
Speaker(s):Janis Bradley

Contact: Rebekah King
 Email: events@petprofessionalguild.com
 Web: https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/webinars-events/webinars/those-pet-parents-with-their-fur-babie