Of course, we’ll discuss a different sort of force than Obi-Wan Kenobi referred to in Star Wars! In this webinar, we’ll examine the use of coercion in animal training. While we aim to minimize our use of aversives, it’s essential that we understand the science of punishment and be aware of its potential side effects. Is negative punishment always preferable to positive punishment? Are secondary punishers safer than primary punishers? Admitting that punishment can “work,” what are the behavioral costs to the animal and to the punisher? How can we help our clients manage interactions with their pets to decrease their use of aversives? Our overall goal will be to bring more clarity and mindfulness to choices surrounding the use of force with our learners.

About The Presenter

Kathy Sdao, MA, ACAAB.

Kathy is an associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist based in Tacoma, Washington and has spent the past two decades as a full-time professional trainer for dogs and other animals.

For her first ten years as an animal trainer, Kathy trained marine mammals at a research laboratory for the University of Hawaii, in the open-ocean for the US Navy and at a zoo in Tacoma Washington. Since 1995, Kathy has focused on training land-dwelling animals: dogs and their people.

She has been honored to be on the faculty of Karen Pryor’s Clicker Expos since 2003. She also has trained animal actors, written for The Clicker Journal and the APDT Newsletter, served as a subject-matter expert for the Delta Society's Service Dog Education System; conducted rat-training camp for Terry Ryan's DogSense, instructed at Dogs of Course’s Instructor Training Course and appeared as the "Way Cool Scientist" on an episode of Bill Nye the Science Guy!

Kathy meets with dog owners in Tacoma, Seattle, and other areas in the Puget Sound region to design behavior modification plans, to teach basic manners to their dogs and to prepare for competition. She also travels extensively to lead dog training and behavior workshops that make the science of animal training accessible and practical for dog trainers and owners alike.

www.KathySdao.com