Mid-Atlantic Animal Behavior Conference 2024

Join us for our third MAABC, an education and networking event for animal behavior professionals. Our theme this year is "Heroes and Villains: Controversial Topics in Animal Behavior. We hope to stimulate constructive (and kind!) conversations about a variety of topics that aren't always easy to discuss.

Your day includes nine (9) 15-minute presentations and one (1) 45-minute presentation with ample breaks for Q&A, discussion, and social conversations. Lunch, beverages and snacks are included with your registration.

At the end of the day, we invite you to keep the conversation going with us at MAABC After Hours. Bar service will be available until 6:30pm (cost not included with registration).

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

9:00 - 10:00 am Doors open for registration, coffee and morning refreshments
10:00 - 10:15 am   Opening Remarks
10:15 - 11:15 am   3 Presentations
11:15 - 11:45 am   Presentation Q&A and Break
11:45 - 12:30 pm   Discussion on Use of Food in Training
12:30 - 1:30 pm   Lunch (included)
1:30 - 2:30 pm   3 Presentations
2:30 - 3:00 pm   Presentation Q&A and Break
3:00 - 4:00 pm   3 Presentations
4:00 - 4:20 pm   Closing Remarks
4:30 - 6:30 pm   MAABC After Hours

OUR SPEAKERS

10:15 am - Pitfalls of Classic Counter Conditioning for Leash Reactivity
Jessica Wheatcraft, CDBC
jessicawheatcraft.com

10:35 am - Treating Separation Anxiety via Classical Conditioning
Jenn Gavin, BA, CPDT-KA, FPPE
A Pleasant Dog (apleasantdog.com)

10:55 am - Does Pain Impact How Horses React to Noise?
Rebecca Thompson, Ph.D. Candidate
Virginia Tech

11:45 am - Let’s Talk ‘No K*ll’ vs. Reality
Pat Miller, CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA
Peaceable Paws LLC (peaceablepaws.com)

12:05 pm - Behavioral Euthanasia: When Is It Time?
Esther Eng, DVM, Clinical Behavior Resident
Animal Behavior Wellness Center (abwellnesscenter.com)

12:25 pm - Maybe It’s the Genetics
Laura Sharkey, Ph.D., KPA-CTP
WOOFS! Dog Training Center (woofsdogtraining.com)

1:45 pm - Should We Use Food in Training? A Spirited Discussion
Erica Pytlovany, KPA-CTP (WOOFS! Dog Training Center)
Laura Sharkey, Ph.D., KPA-CTP (WOOFS! Dog Training Center)
Leslie Sinn, DVM, DACVB, CPDT-KA (Behavior Solutions, LLC)

3:00 pm - Does ‘Force Free’ Dog Training Need an Image Makeover
Laurie Williams, CPDT-KA
Pup ‘N Iron Canine Enrichment Center (pupniron.com)

3:20 pm - Neurodiversity: Does That Dog REALLY Have ADHD?
Leslie Sinn, DVM, DACVB, CPDT-KA
Behavior Solutions, LLC (behaviorsolutions.guru)

3:40 pm - THREE: Three Questions, Three Minutes - GO!
Wendy Weirich, DVM, MSc

CEUs
CCPDT: pending
IAABC: pending
KPA: pending
PMCT2 and PMCT3: pending
PPAB: pending

Host or Publisher Leslie Sinn, Laura Sharkey & Erica Pytlovany