Mid-Atlantic Animal Behavior Conference 2025

Join us for our fourth MAABC, an education and networking event for animal behavior professionals. Our theme this year is "Grey Matters: Because Animal Behavior Isn't Black & White". We continue our commitment to open, engaging dialogue by inviting presentations that spark curiosity and invite conversation. We want to discuss the unresolved questions and the topics that make us pause and think.

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 PRESENTATIONS

10:15 am - Delivering Advice So Clients Can Understand

Stacie Nyhuis, LVT, CPDT-KA, PMCT-1, FFCP

Behavior Solutions for Pets (https://www.behaviorsolutions.guru)

10:35 am - Loving Your Clients, Even the Hard Ones

Jennifer Thomas, KPA-CTP, CPDT-KA

WOOFS! Dog Training Center (https://woofsdogtraining.com)

10:55 am - A Different Approach to Behavioral Concerns: What To Do When It’s Not Enough

Meghan Connolly, DVM

Atlantic Veterinary Behavior (https://www.atlanticveterinarybehavior.com)

11:45 am - Impact of Early Trauma on Canine Behavioral Health

Leslie Sinn, DVM, DACVB, CPDT-KA

Behavior Solutions for Pets (https://www.behaviorsolutions.guru)

12:05 pm - Socialization, Handling Training, and Low-Stress Techniques for Veterinary Procedures in Dogs and Cats

Jackie Watson, MLAS, ACAAB

Merck Animal Health

12:25 pm - My Way or the Highway? NOT!

Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA

Peaceable Paws LLC (https://peaceablepaws.com)

1:45 pm - Do R+ Trainers Have an Over-Reliance on Food?

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 for Pets, LLC)

3:00 pm - Non-Associative Learning in Equine Practice

Anna Boger, DVM

Misty Step Stables (https://mistystepstables.com/)

3:20 pm - Beyond the Breed Standard: Evaluating Temperament Predictability in Working Dogs

Brianna Artz Fish, PhD

George Mason University

3:40 pm - What Learning About Lemurs Can Teach Us About Ourselves

Palmer Johnson

CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS (CEUs)

CCPDT - Trainers: Pending

CCPDT - Behavior Consultants: Pending

IAABC: 3 credits

KPA: 3 credits

PMCT3 & PMCT4: 5.5 credits

PPAB: 3 credits

Host or Publisher Leslie Sinn, Laura Sharkey & Erica Pytlovany