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SEMINAR PROGRAM
6.5 CEU's per day, 13 total
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SOCIABILITY: a vital predictor of dog adoptability and in-home good manners
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SEMINAR OBJECTIVES:
- Learn to objectively read & measure behavior scientifically;
- Participate in research evaluating a new sociability assessment; Test a "quick assessment" substitute (surrogate) for the traditional sociability test. It's done outside the kennel or crate (dog is inside) to possibly predict sociability quickly and safely. This may limit the need for lengthy, sometimes risky, in-depth tests for many dogs, allowing time for more in-depth evaluations of other dogs.
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Saturday • December 3rd • 9:00 am - 12:30 pm
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Scientific Method: observation & analysis
Learn: 1. Objective behavioral observation; 2. How to design experiments for testing ideas;
Evaluations of behavior experiments, Scientific method, experimental design & how to collect data.
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Saturday • December 3rd • 1:30 pm - 5:00 pm
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Sociability behaviors; Scoring a new "quick assessment" test
Introduction to behaviors in a "quick assessment" sociability test: Study a validated, standard sociability test. Score pre-recorded behaviors with the "quick assessment" test digitally. Compare scores to all participants. Learn consistency, as you score up to 50 "quick assessments".
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Sunday • December 4th • 9:00 am - 12:30 pm
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- Analyzing Saturday data: Does the surrogate predict sociability? Use as a model to analyze other behaviors.
- Scoring traditional sociability test: Compare your results to those of highly trained behaviorists.
- Comparing test results: "quick assessment" test vs traditional test.
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Sunday • December 4th • 1:30 pm - 5:00 pm
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- Canine brain function:
- Overview;
- How dogs take in the world;
- Behavior effects.
- Review published information on dog behavior:
- What we know;
- how well we know it;
- how little is really known.
- Invitation: to participate in on-going research project back home: videotaping behavior & collecting data.
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Sociability Hands-on Science Internship Workshop
6.5 CEU's
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Friday • December 2nd • 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
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A workshop exploring the scientific method from start to finish with live dogs & video -
- -a mini scientific research project - - from hypothesis, to observation, to experiment.
You'll deconstruct temperaments of both highly aggressive and highly sociable/friendly live dogs, specifying precise behavior and body language of both groups, from memory and opinion. Then, viewing videos of shelter dog cage presentations, you'll identify which are the most aggressive and which are the most sociable, observing and logging all body language and behaviors elements. We'll debrief that, trying out different behavior checklists to see which ones work and which do not.
You'll create a cage presentation test with less than 10 individual steps. We'll examine their pros and cons, and what body language and behaviors they might identify or miss. Interns will devise a scoring system for their selected cage presentation test.
Finally, we'll look at videos of traditional sociability tests of some dogs we previously viewed cage presentations on. Sue and Tim will explain and demonstrate sociability scoring and how it compares with cage presentation score sheets the interns have created.
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SEMINAR FEES |
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*** POSTPONED UNTIL 2017 ***
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ABOUT THE SPEAKERS |
SUE STERNBERG
founded the shelter featured in an HBO documentary: Shelter Dogs (www.shelterdogs.org). She has developed national programs, such as Training Wheels® for community shelter outreach and dedicated herself to ensuring the quality of life of animals in their communities, at animal shelters and in safe adoptions. Her 30 years of canine behavior experience, includes as an animal control officer, behavior consultant at the ASPCA, shelter owner, successful competitor in dog sports, and a teacher of dog trainers world-wide. She is the author of Great Dog Adoptions: A Guide for Shelters (Latham Foundation publication) and Successful Dog Adoption published by Wiley.
DR. TIM LEWIS is an Eco-biologist, Professor of Biology at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul MN and a widely published research scientist. In addition he is a popular lecturer on Canine Cognition at Camp Gone to the Dogs, VT and other venues nationwide.
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DOG RULES |
DOG ETIQUETTE
Due to space limitations, we will not be permitted to have dogs in the meeting rooms (other than service dogs, of course).
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MORE RULES & COMMENTS |
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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 & DVD'S, ETC. FOR SALE
A selection of books & videos will be available for sale.
PARKING
There should be ample parking at the seminar location.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Thursday, December 1, 2016
REFUND POLICY
All deposits fully refunded, at any time, in case a person needs to cancel a reservation for any reason. There is never a cancellation fee.
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| LOCATION & DIRECTIONS |
1. Saturday & Sunday
Y2K9s Dog Sports Club
601 Davisville Rd. # 150, Willow Grove, PA 19090
About 2 miles from Exit 343 of (I 276). Take Easton Rd. (Rte 611) 1 mile South to left on Davisville & #601 is about 1/2 mile on right.
DRIVING TIMES & DISTANCES:
FROM PHILADELPHIA: about 15 miles from downtown Philadelphia via Rte. 611 or I95 to Rte. 63;
FROM TRENTON NJ: 35 minutes (25 miles);
FROM WILMINGTON DE (1 Hr. / 48 miles),
FROM ALLENTOWN PA (55 miles) and PRINCETON NJ (35 miles);
FROM HARRISBURG PA and MORRISTOWN NJ: 1 1/2+ Hours
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| PLACES TO
STAY |
This is only a partial list of hotels in the area. Please check pet policies & fees before making reservations!
- Courtyard (Marriott)
2350 Easton Rd. Rte. 611, Willow Grove, PA 19090
(215) 830-0550 Approx. $149
- Hampton Inn
1500 Easton Rd. Willow Grove, PA 19090
(215) 659-3535 (Approx. $ 109)
- Fairfield Inn
2440 Maryland Rd. Willow Grove, PA 19090
(267) 607-2200 (Approx. $119)
- SpringHill Suites
2480 Maryland Rd. Willow Grove, PA
(215) 657-7800 (Approx. $118)
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