dogs

Would you like to improve your communication and animal training skills? How about doing that at an incredible location in the Caribbean?

WHO: Join Dr. Susan Friedman, Lori Stevens, and host, Terrie Hayward for a weekend filled with informative talks, interactive learning, and professional networking.

WHAT: Join industry leading animal behavior and training experts for an intimate three day event to strengthen your understanding of the science of behavior, animal training, and effective communication.

Space is limited! Early bird pricing for registration prior to January 7, 2017 is $349. Starting January 7, 2017 the price will increase to $365. Local pricing is available for Puerto Rico residents—please enquire directly.

REGISTER NOW: https://www.picatic.com/event14815565697441

Rate includes three full days of workshop talks, morning snack and coffee, and welcome gathering (Saturday evening).

Informative topics including the following:

• Learning from the Science POV: presented by Susan Friedman

• WTF? What’s the Function!: presented by Susan Friedman

• Strengthening Behavior Without Steroids: presented by Susan Friedman

• Solving Problem Behavior Situations: A Double Bullseye Approach: presented by Susan Friedman

• Provide to Thrive: presented by Lori Stevens

• De-stress that Pup: Giving Animals Choices & Voices: presented by Lori Stevens

• Foundation Behaviors that are Useful in Everyday Life: presented by Lori Stevens

• The Joy of Movement & Sharpening our Observation Skills: presented by Lori Stevens

• Alternatives for Communication/Working with Dogs with Unique Gifts: presented by Terrie Hayward

• Party or Panic? (Separation Anxiety): presented by Terrie Hayward

WHEN: November 10, 11, & 12, 2017

WHERE: Rincon, Puerto Rico. (Americans-no passport needed!)

Come to learn and expand your knowledge and deeper understanding of behavioral science and training. Then stay for a few days of holiday. Rincon is known for its incredible sunsets, remarkable beaches, and vibrant snorkeling. It is a quiet town on the West coast of Puerto Rico (US Territory).

Rincon is a short 2 hour flight from Florida or a quick 4 hour direct plane ride from New York. Puerto Rico is the hub of the Caribbean.

WHY: Expand your animal behavior knowledge and training skills. Learn to train better by acquiring new skills! Learn to train smarter via a more in depth understanding of the science of behavior! Learn to communicate more effectively by considering choices and responses in your repertoire!

Come to learn, stay to play! Enjoy the diverse culture of the island, wonderful food, and great temperatures.

REGISTER NOW: https://www.picatic.com/event14815565697441

Event Specifics:

AIRPORT: San Juan International (SJU) is 2.5 hours by car or a 30 minute flight to Rincon. Connecting flights run via Cape Air (https://www.capeair.com/) from SJU to Mayaguez. Then a taxi, Uber, or rental car to Rincon (15 minutes). A rental car is recommended to get around Rincon.

Aguadilla airport (BQN) is located on the west side of the island and is a 30 (approximate depending on time of day/night) ride to Rincon. Taxi or rental car to Rincon from Aguadilla Airport. United & JetBlue service this airport. Note often flights are overnight, so *double check* arrival/departure dates.

WEATHER: November is warm and sunny. Puerto Rico is located in the tropics, so expect humidity. The event venue is air conditioned, so you may want a light sweater for this space (only). Temperatures for November range from 75-90’ F, so accommodation with air conditioning is suggested. As Rincon is in the tropics, mosquito repellent for dusk/dark may be handy.

VENUE: The behavior and training event is located at our local community activity center (“salon de actividades”). Bring a pen and notebook and/or your tablet or laptop. Still photos are fine, however please refrain from videoing the event. Rincon is a very relaxed, beach-side community, so casual wear is perfect.

ACCOMMODATIONS: As a thriving town with a diverse tourism market, Rincon boasts many options for accommodation. From vacation rentals, to small guesthouses, to some larger (no chain) hotels there are many choices for various budgets.

The following link provides a good cross section of options: http://www.rincon.org/hotels/

Please email with any questions you may have about local accommodations.

AREA INFO: “Rincon” translates to “corner” in Spanish, a nod to the town’s location at the corner of the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Rincon is famous for its picturesque sunsets and miles of beaches, and is a haven for surfers of all ages and skill levels. The relaxed coastal town hosts an array of annual festivals and events, and although a small and intimate town by nature, Rincon boasts a medley of divergent atmospheres and venues, from the charm of secluded beaches to the active triathlon and surfing communities.

Some helpful websites: http://www.rincon.org/, http://www.rincon-pr.com/

CANCELLATION POLICY: For cancellations made more than 60 days prior to the event, a refund (less a $50 dollar processing fee) will be given. Because of the financial commitment necessary as the event date approaches we cannot offer refunds within 60 days of the event.

PAW Positive Animal Wellness reserves the right to cancel the event, if necessary, because of circumstances beyond our control or in the rare circumstance when enrollment is deemed insufficient. In this case, ALL deposits, tuition and processing fees will be fully refunded. Participants are encouraged to consider flight and hotel insurance.

REGISTER NOW: https://www.picatic.com/event14815565697441

I came to know Miki as a wonderful resource via my work with deaf dogs. Miki has provided fantastic training advice for blind dogs and our audience/questions and answers often overlapped. Miki lives in Japan and has published in both English and Japanese!

What was your route to positive reinforcement training?

I learned about dog training at first and got certification of dog training instructor at one of associations in Japan which use positive reinforcement. The association says their training is based on “science” and “humane”. But I had doubts about their ways and what founders say. And I had to find new ways to make it easier for blind dog to learn new behaviors and perform those without fear. It’s because my dog went blind at 6-yrs. I tried to find good ways to help and teach them but there were very few information and also those weren’t helpful for me. I started learning about behavior analysis and animal centered training. I learned English in order to understand the information from overseas. I got certification of CCPDT and tried to contact those who share good information on the internet. Luckily, I met Dr. Susan Friedman, Ken Ramirez and other great trainers!!! I think training is to enrich the lives of animals and necessary the point of view of animals. My such opinion was denied in the association I learned. But when I looked at other countries than Japan, there are lots of people who have the same opinion as me! The fact encourage me also now!

Were you always interested in science or did behavioral science peak your interest at a later time & how?

I am ALWAYS interested in science! The more I know the behavior analysis, the more I get interested more in it.

Are there specific skill sets from previous career paths which have aided you in your current role?
I used to do a various of jobs, PR of apparel industry, technical and consumer support of Apple, technical writer of semiconductor of NEC, web planner. So I can use computer and internet easily and create my website, simple graphics, business card and so on by myself. The knowledge of internet marketing is also helpful.

What is one piece of advice from someone that you consider a “mentor” that you’d like to share?
“There are no problem behaviors: there are problem situations, in which behavior is just one element.” (Susan Friedman, Ph.D)

What is your favorite part of your day?
When my dog Nono was alive, I love snuggling up to her. But she crossed the rainbow bridge about 4 month ago. I can’t have such time now. I miss her.

What do you find to be the most challenging in working with people & animals?
It’s very hard for people to have new point of view. For example, seeing what happens without labeling.

What are some key skills required for animal trainin?

• Training plan based on constructional approach
• Seeing what really happens without labeling
• Mechanical skills
• Understanding frustration of being in extinction (operant) contingency

Anything else you’d like me to know/mention.
I’d like to thank you to all trainers including you Terrie and professors who accepted me, became friends, and shared their information with me to educate Japanese people. If I couldn’t meet them, I would have given up keeping learning and teaching, and my students couldn’t have had great information for animals in their care.

For more about Miki, you can find her website, youtube channel, and Facebook information here:
http://BlindDogTraining.com (English & Japanese)
http://MarkandReward.com (Japanese)
http://www.youtube.com/tdfn (English)
https://www.facebook.com/mikisaitocpdtka/ (Japanese)

A heartfelt thanks to Miki for sharing more about her journey to positive reinforcement training!

Note: For anyone out there who is looking to become a certified, professional, positive trainer, come and join me in Miami! Applications being accepted now: https://www.karenpryoracademy.com/dog-trainer-professional/national/miami-fl

I met Lori in my quest to learn more about TTouch. Lori is a certified Tellington TTouch® (TTouch) practitioner and professional animal trainer.  She is also a certified canine fitness trainer.

According to Linda Tellington-Jones, “An animal’s posture influences its behavior.” And “physical, mental, and emotional balance are inextricably linked.”

Lori is also the creator of the Balance Harness.

What was your route to positive reinforcement training?

I was never comfortable with any kind of force. I recall, many years ago, being in a puppy class and the instructor telling me to keep jerking on my pup’s leash. I just couldn’t do it, however, I did use a prong collar until I started Tellington TTouch Training. That is when I removed the prong collar for good and learned to use a harness with various leash configurations, including either one or two points of contact. Along with TTouch Training, I started taking classes that were using primarily R+. I was hooked after that.

Were you always interested in science or did behavioral science peak your interest at a later time & how?

I have a BS is in Computer Science and a minor in Mathematics. I was one of two women in the Computer Science Department–this was in the late 70s and early 80s. So yes, I’ve always been interested in science.

I intended to study medicine but then decided to work a bit first. Also, a couple of years before I went to school in Computer Science, I was studying and working in Occupational Therapy and this is what sparked my interest in medicine and movement (I was working in a rehabilitation clinic with spinal cord injuries). As a side note, I grew up dancing and I was a member of the University dance company which is where I got my love of movement.

Instead of studying medicine, I continued to work in the IT field and I’m currently an IT Director, part-time at the University of Washington. I’ve been at UW for over 25 years.

I love Behavioral Science. Studying Behavioral Science has helped my animal practice and my IT Director work. I continue to audit Susan Friedman’s 8 week course just so I can stay fluent in her incredible work. Also, I’m on the Advisory Board for the University of Washington Applied Animal Behavior Certification. And I’m certified in the IAABC.

Are there specific skill sets from previous career paths which have aided you in your current role?

Dancing, working in Occupational Therapy, being an IT Director, coaching IT leaders, and IT consulting all require skills that are useful in the animal training profession.

I have been a professional in the roles of software engineer, manager, project manager, coach, and IT Director for many years–all of my experiences and previous skill development contribute to my work now.

What is one piece of advice from someone that you consider a “mentor” that you’d like to share?

“Treat others as you’d want to be treated.” This was from a PhD in Computer Science and someone I worked for and with, at the University, for many years. He also happens to be an animal lover 🙂

What is your favorite part of your day?

Hmmm, seeing my happy 11 yr old Cassie when I walk through the door and her happy face and enthusiasm when we wake up in the morning.

What do you find to be the most challenging in working with people & animals?

I have the best clients! It doesn’t happen very often but no-shows are tough ones..these are usually new clients.

With animals, the most challenging are the ones that you just know something is not right physically and there isn’t a diagnosis yet. These cases, of course, I refer to veterinary specialists.

What are some key skills required for animal training?

Understanding Behavioral Science and how to apply it, using both operant and classical are key skills.

Setting the animal up for success and breaking things down so that people can see what is happening–explaining how to get different behaviors is an important part of the repertoire.

Other important pieces are being able to read the body language of animals, having good timing, understanding reinforcers, placement, and timing of reinforcers, and having good teaching skills in order to help people learn are key components.

Knowing when to stop and finally, when to refer to someone else are also important skills.

What a pleasure it was to get to know Lori better! Thank you for sharing! If you would like to learn more about Lori you can connect with her at: SeattleTTouch.com or via lori@seattlettouch.com.

Note: For anyone out there who is looking to become a certified, professional, positive trainer, come and join me in Miami! Applications being accepted now: https://www.karenpryoracademy.com/dog-trainer-professional/national/miami-fl