Training With Love + Science: Essentials of ABA for Dog Professionals

This one-day conference is dedicated to exploring what it is to be an applied behavior analysis-based dog trainer, what it means to teach and manage animals within an overarching behavior analytic framework. With many exciting developments happening in the world of applied animal behavior analysis, including the launching of the field's new scientific journal, the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis in Animal Training, the time seemed right to hold a conference dedicated to the topic.

The event will open with a panel discussion about just who ABA-based animal trainers are, starting with an overview of the seven dimensions of ABA: generality, effective, technological, applied, conceptually systematic, analytic, and behavioral and other essential elements of contemporary teaching practice. Panelists will include Kiki Yablon, MA, KPA-CTP, KPA Faculty, CPDT-KA and owner of Kiki Yablon Dog Training; Debbie Jacobs, CPDT-KA, RBT, author of A Guide to Living With and Training a Fearful Dog; Annie Grossman, CPDT-KA, KPA-CTP, owner of School for the Dogs in New York City, and author of How to Train Your Dog With Love + Science: A Dog Lover's Guide to Animal Behavior and Positive Reinforcement Training; and Sarah Owings, KPA-CTP, ClickerExpo Faculty, Tromplo Faculty.

The panel discussion will be followed by a number of individual presentations, including:

• Debbie Jacobs on the functions of behavior and synthesis of contingencies.
• Sarah Owings on how an ABA-based approach to behavior change honors the individual.
• Kiki Yablon on an operant approach to stimulus-stimulus pairing.
• Mary Hunter, MA, of Behavior Explorer and the University of North Texas, demonstrating the Portable Operant Research and Teaching Lab.
• And Kelly Lee, MA, CTC, of Dogkind, defining "confidence" behaviorally.

CEUs pending.

Host or Publisher Training Matters LLC