BASIC STRUCTURES & THEIR LIMITATIONS

• The evolution of mammals closely related to dogs including undomesticated wolves, bears, and cats.
• How the dog came to be as it is and why it can't be what it isn't. How is your dog really a wolf? How is it really not a wolf?
• Canine skeletal and muscular systems which provide the structural foundation of a dog's physical and athletic abilities. Specific knowledge of the bone structures and muscular arrangements to help you exploit your dog's strengths and protect your dog from unnecessary injury.
• We will answer such questions as: Does dog chiropractic do what you think it does? How does your dog's build impact the play activities and sports in which it participates? How does a dog compare to a horse or human athlete?

INTERNAL SYSTEMS; DIET & NUTRITION AFFECTS; INSTINCT & LEARNING

Many of the dog's physical systems support or limit canine athletic abilities:

• The cardiovascular, digestive, and nervous systems: how they influence a dog's physical wellbeing.
• How diet, nutrition, and fitness affect your dog's performance.
• Instinct and learning and how these can impact or limit training, with specific recommendations for your dog play activities and sport.
• Do special diets matter? How does the timing of spaying and neutering affect dog athletic abilities

CANINE'S PERCEPTION & EFFECT ON PERFORMANCE

Athletic success and highly active play depends on a dog's perception of the world, particularly the arena or environment in which it plays or competes. We will use video and audio tools to help you gain a sense of how the dog experiences the world and how that impacts training and performance.

• We will review the canine visual, auditory, chemoreception (taste and smell) and tactile sensory systems.
• How does a dog's sense of sight, hearing, or smell differ from yours? What colors work best for training? Which kinds of cues are most important for your dog?

COMBINING BODY & MIND

Putting the body and sensory systems together, we'll examine dog cognition, or what we know through scientific methods and recent reports about how a dog thinks. We will recommend specific approaches to add to your repertoire of dog training techniques. Are dogs conscious? Self-aware? Is your dog really smarter than a sixth grade honor student?

These workshops will be conducted by two professional biologists who are both award winning teachers and published scientists. Kurt Illig, PhD, is a neurobiologist who studies the science of olfaction (smell), learning and memory, and comparative neurology. Tim Lewis, PhD, is an ecobiologist who studies mammalian behavior, ecology, and evolution. Kurt shares his home with a retired greyhound and Tim lives with four border collies active in agility and herding. Tim is also among the most popular presenters on these subjects at Camp Gone to the Dogs in Vermont

DOG ETIQUETTE
Due to space limitations, we will not be permitterd to have dogs in the meeting room.

PEOPLE ETIQUETTE
During the lectures, please turn off all cell phone and pager audio alerts. Please take all private conversations outside while the speakers are presenting.

BABIES
The presence of a baby is likely to be distracting to other participants, so we ask that you refrain from bringing any babies or very young children into the lecture hall.

VIDEOTAPING
No videotaping or audiotaping is permitted. A selection of videotapes and books will be available for sale.

BOOKS & TOYS, ETC. FOR SALE
A selection of books, videos and toys will be available for sale.

PARKING
There should be ample parking at the seminar location.

SEATS
The lecture hall provides metal folding chairs. If you prefer, you may bring another chair or cushion for your comfort.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Thursday, November 21, 2013

REFUND POLICY
A full refund will be issued if requested by Wednesday, Nov. 20. No refunds or credits issued after 12:00 pm on Thursday, Nov. 21 All refunds must be requested by email or phone. There are no exceptions.

New York State Thruway (I 87) to Exit 19 Kingston (91 miles north of Accord (Kingston) or 51 miles south of Albany, NY).

After toll, stay to the farthest right at the round-about, and follow signs for Route 28 to Route 209. After about 1/4 mile on Route 28 go through one light and almost immediately thereafter take Route 209 South in the direction of Ellenville. Stay on Route 209 South for exactly 13 miles, and just past Elm Rock Bed and Breakfast, you will come to Rondout Valley Animals for Adoption on the right. Workshop will be held in the large blue training building closest to the road.

For registration inquiries, contact:
email: events@puppyworks.com