Understanding Genetics Through the Behavioural Toolkit Analogy & Genetics in Practice: Behaviour, Arousal, Sensitivity, and Motor Patterns wiht Dean Hart
Two Live Webinars. Register and Receive Both Sessions – Live or Recorded- Your Choice!
Webinar One: November 9, 2026 Understanding Genetics Through the Behavioural Toolkit Analogy
This session introduces genetics in a way that trainers and behaviour consultants can immediately use. Instead of heavy biology, we explore DNA, genes, alleles, polygenic traits, and protein production through the “behavioural toolkit” analogy a practical model that explains how inherited instructions shape the tools dogs start life with. We look at how the blueprint (DNA), development, environment, diet, and epigenetics influence the building and use of those tools. The session includes a guided Q&A addressing common genetics questions trainers encounter in practice.
Learning Objectives Participants will be able to:
- Understand DNA, genes, alleles, and polygenic traits using the behavioural toolkit analogy.
- Explain how the genetic blueprint influences the behavioural and emotional tools dogs begin life with.
- Describe how development, environment, diet, and epigenetics shape how those tools are built and used.
- Distinguish between proteins made by the dog’s DNA and proteins supplied through diet.
- Use analogy‑based explanations to communicate genetics clearly to clients.
- Apply genetic literacy to real‑world behaviour cases through structured Q&A discussion.
Webinar Two: November 30, 2026Genetics in Practice: Behaviour, Arousal, Sensitivity, and Motor Patterns
This session builds on the toolkit analogy to explore how inherited tendencies influence behaviour in everyday training and behaviour work. We examine arousal regulation, sensory sensitivity, motor patterns, frustration tolerance, stress recovery, and emotional stability as “tools” shaped by genetics and refined by development and experience. The session focuses on practical application: how to recognise inherited tendencies, how to support fragile tools, and how to explain these concepts to owners. A Q&A‑driven format allows participants to explore real‑world questions about behaviour, inheritance, and training outcomes.
Learning Objectives Participants will be able to:
- Identify key behavioural tools (arousal, motor patterns, sensitivity, frustration tolerance, stress recovery).
- Explain how genetics contributes to the strength, sensitivity, or fragility of each tool.
- Understand how diet, stress, learning, and environment influence gene expression and tool function.
- Recognise inherited tendencies in behaviour cases and integrate them into assessment and planning.
- Communicate genetic influences to owners using clear, analogy‑based language.
- Apply the toolkit model to Q&A scenarios involving behaviour modification, breed tendencies, and individual variation.
Your Presenters- 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.
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