Through a Dog’s Eyes, Ears and Nose: Sensory Biology for Better Communication and Learning with Dean Hart

Webinar Description

Dogs don’t perceive the world the way we do, their senses gather, prioritise and interpret information in different proportions and through differently tuned neural pathways. Understanding their sensory biology can transform the way we train, communicate and support them. In this one-hour webinar, we explore how smell, sight, sound and touch enter the canine brain, how each sense is prioritised, and how dogs use these sensory channels to interpret everyday situations. You’ll learn what dogs notice first, what they filter out, and how sensory strengths and limitations shape learning, focus and understanding. Designed for trainers and behaviour professionals, this session offers practical ways to adapt training, environments and interactions to match how dogs experience the world.

Learning Objectives

1. Biology. Understand how smell, sight, sound and touch are processed in the canine brain and use this knowledge to interpret a dog’s responses more confidently during training and everyday interactions.
2. The dog as an individual. Identify individual sensory strengths and limitations in dogs, and tailor communication, cue delivery and training setups to support clearer learning and better outcomes for both dog and handler
3. Recognize how different environments shape a dog’s sensory priorities and design training sessions that minimize competing sensory input and maximize focus and comfort.
4. The trainer / behaviourist. Apply sensory-aware training strategies, including handler positioning, cue choice and reinforcement delivery, to help dogs learn more confidently and reduce confusion during real-world training.

Your Presenter: Dean Hart, PhD

Dr. Dean Hart is a clinical behaviorist with more than 23 years of experience working on veterinary referral, specialising in the biological foundations of learning, emotion, and welfare in dogs. His research spans heart‑rate variability (HRV) in canine stress assessment as well as cross‑species studies exploring how animals process and respond to their environments. Dean is known for translating complex neuroscience into clear, practical concepts that help trainers and behavior professionals understand not just what dogs do, but why they do it.

His teaching blends scientific clarity with real‑world welfare practice, offering evidence‑based tools that support humane, effective training and behavior modification. Dean’s work focuses on making the science of learning accessible, engaging, and directly applicable to everyday professional work.

PPG Members

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