Pet Professional Guild Australia upcoming events

Living With a Teenage Dog (Friday, May 12, 2017)

Thu, 11 May 2017 14:00:00 GMT

Presented by Barbara Hodel

Living with a teenage dog has its very real challenges for owners and trainers alike.

The novelty of the cute puppy has worn off, puppy school is a thing of the past and the puppy now shows worrying signs of becoming an unruly dog.

It does not have to be like this. The teenage months can be the start of a lasting and fulfilling relationship between us and our dogs.

Learning Objectives

explain what a teenage dog is and how their brain works
cover common behavioural problems during this stage of a dog's life
explain solutions on how to overcome these challenges
show positive ways to make it easier for the dog, the owner and the trainer.

About The Presenter

In 2015 I completed my Diploma in Canine Behaviour Science and Technology at the Companion Animal Sciences Institute in Canada (http://casinstitute.com). But I have been involved in dog training for the last 15 years and completed a Certificate IV in Companion Animal Services as a Delta-accredited instructor in 2007. I have been running Goodog Positive Dog Training on the Northern Beaches Sydney for the last 10 years, running classes on all levels as well as workshops and agility fun classes. We also do in home consultations. I compete on excellent and master level Agility and Rally O with Shellbe my five year old German Shorthaired Pointer. Zorbas a Kelpie/Ridgeback cross is retired now but enjoys it at almost 14 years of age. I had a life before dogs and hold a Master's Degree in Modern European History and Economics from the University of Bern (Switzerland) and a MBA (Master of Business Administration) from Southern Cross University Australia. I have in-depth experience in adult education and training, having taught high school and university students in Bern, college students in Sydney, as well as middle and top management employees of a large public corporation in Switzerland.

Nose Work for Therapy and Competition (Thursday, July 20, 2017)

Thu, 20 Jul 2017 02:00:00 GMT

Presented by Peta Clarke

Nose work or scent work classes have become the latest big thing in the Canine world. This is for all the right reasons! Not only can it be an amazing therapy for dogs with special needs, it will catapult the handler's knowledge of their dog to a whole new level.

This webinar will explore the therapy side of nose work and various ways trainers can work it into their behavioural modification programs and will touch on the beginnings of the sport of nose work in Australia.

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

learn the different approaches to teaching nose work to dogs;
learn the reason for the differences;
get an understanding of the process of odour processing in dogs;
learn how to implement basic olfactory based enrichment and therapy for clients and the value of these activities;
be introduced to the sport of K9 Nosework in Australia; and
find out where to go to get more information.

About The Presenter

Peta has been training animals professionally for 25 years. Her love of nose work started 4 years ago when she began to understand and witness the therapeutic benefits of the activity for dogs.

"Watching dogs work odour is one of the most wonderful experiences of my career. There is no other activity that will allow you so fully into their world" , she says.

Peta is currently an Associate Instructor with the National Association of Canine Scent Work and as always continues to research and study the activity of nose work as widely as possible to ensure every point of view is heard and understood.

Along with Steph Mccoll and Megan Bowe, Peta proudly runs K9Scentral which offers an array of nose work activities for dogs.

To Dog Park or not to Dog Park (Tuesday, April 24, 2018)

Tue, 24 Apr 2018 09:00:00 GMT

Presented by Barbara Hodel

To dog park or not to dog park is an important question for many dog owners

A lot of owners assume the dog park is the best place to exercise their dogs. However, while dog parks can be a great place for some dogs not every dog enjoys the park or is suitable to spend time in off leash areas and engage in play.

There are many suitable alternatives for dogs who do not enjoy rough play or need a bit more space. And these are good dogs, too!

Learning Objectives

Explain which dogs are suitable for the dog parks and how to raise dogs who can go to the dog park
Cover which behaviours need to be in place for dogs to be able to join off leash play
Covers common misconceptions about dog parks
Explain problems that can arise at the off leash area and how to deal with them
Explore different set ups for dog parks and which ones are better options
Explain responsible owner behaviour at the park
Show exercise options for dogs who are not suitable
Trouble shooting and emergency recalls

About The Presenter

Barbara Hodel is the president of PPG Australia. In 2015 she completed her Diploma in Canine Behaviour Science and Technology at the Companion Animal Sciences Institute in Canada (http://casinstitute.com). But she has been involved in dog training for the last 15 years and completed a Certificate IV in Companion Animal Services as a Delta-accredited instructor in 2007. She has been running Goodog Positive Dog Training on the Northern Beaches Sydney for the last 10 years, running classes on all levels as well as workshops and agility fun classes. She also does in home consultations.She competes on excellent and master levels Agility and Rally O with Shellbe her five year old German Shorthaired Pointer. Zorbas a Kelpie/Ridgeback cross is retired now but enjoys it at almost 14 years of age. Barbara had a life before dogs and holds a Master's Degree in Modern European History and Economics from the University of Bern (Switzerland) and a MBA (Master of Business Administration) from Southern Cross University Australia. She has in-depth experience in adult education and training, having taught high school and university students in Bern, college students in Sydney, as well as middle and top management employees of a large public corporation in Switzerland.

The Australian $Billion Pet Industry (Monday, May 21, 2018)

Mon, 21 May 2018 09:00:00 GMT

Presented by Margaret Gray

The Australian $Billion Pet Industry:

Not always as Friendly as it Seems!

Over the past 40 to 60 years, our relationship with dogs has changed dramatically. It has gone from having a dog who was a pal, who would come home for dinner (when he had finished doing his own doggie things), who would play with us & our kids & have a great time with us (when he was around). It has gone to having animals who cost us enormous amounts of money (to buy & to maintain), who sleep in our homes every night, whom we dress up (or at least, put jackets on in the cold weather) and who cannot go out in public without us. What things have cause this enormous change & what implications do these changes have for people wanting to parent a dog and maintain her or him in the best possible health & happiness?

This webinar looks at the enormous changes in the style of dogs, in the way we feed them, in how we relate to them and how we go about buying them. In particular, it looks at the numerous pitfalls in wait for prospective buyers because of the unscrupulous people who pose as sellers or who pose as humane breeders. It also offers practical ideas as to how to navigate the hazards so as to buy only from responsible, caring breeders.

Learning Objectives

To appreciate the size & scope of the present day pet industry;
To learn how this has developed;
To become aware of the different sources of puppy & adult dog purchase;
To become aware of the safety of buying from each;
To learn to differentiate between responsible & irresponsible breeders;
To learn how to assess shelters & rescue groups;
To understand how to interview breeders & shelters to ensure you get the best dog or puppy.

About The Presenter

Margaret Gray is on the committee of PPG Australia and is the person responsible for organising our webinars. Margaret also holds a Diploma of Canine Behaviour Science and Technology from the Companion Animal Sciences Institute in Canada (http://casinstitute.com) as well as a Certificate IV in Companion Animal Services from the Delta Society. She is based in the Southern Highlands of NSW where she runs Tails Up Dog Training. Her two Poodles, Saxon & Kuzu, might not run Tails Up but they do run the household. Except when they are learning new things or performing tricks, or running around their own agility for fun setup - all of which they love, they are thought to be amazingly naughty. (She doesn't agree with this assessment.) Margaret has been involved with dog all of her life but became interested in training when she retired from teaching high school students. As well as her dog training qualifications, Margaret has a B.A & a Dip. Ed. both from the University of New England.

Enrichment for Dogs (Friday, June 15, 2018)

Fri, 15 Jun 2018 09:00:00 GMT

Presented by Louise Ginman

From puppies, to adolescents to rescues to adults - all dogs need something to do and this can be particularly so when we leave them alone while we go off to work or out for extended periods. If every time you come home, you wonder as you step through the doorway what destruction you'll find today – then your dog needs enrichment.

So what is enrichment and how do you give it safely to your dog when you are not home? Or maybe you give some enrichment already but it doesn't seem effective. This webinar will teach you everything you need to know to set up an effective enrichment program for your dog (or cat or bird), including monitoring and a whole life plan. Make enrichment a part of your dog's life – you won't regret it.

Learning Objectives

What is enrichment?
How can enrichment be incorporated into a home alone plan
What items are safe to leave with your dog and what aren't
Learn how to teach your dog to use enrichment
Understand the types of enrichment items available from free to expensive
Learn how to develop and monitor an enrichment program
Learn strategies for multi dog enrichment

About The Presenter

Louise Ginman PCT-A is a Delta Accredited and Professional Canine Trainer – Accredited Dog Behavioural Trainer who runs a dog training business ‘Positive Dogs’ in Sydney, Australia. She has served on APDT Australia committee since 2008 and been President since 2012. Louise also serves on the PPG Australia committee.

Louise has several qualifications including a Bachelor of Science Degree and Certificate IV in Companion Animal Services. Louise has over 26 years’ experience with both domestic and exotic species in both a training and husbandry/management capacity. Louise worked as a veterinary nurse, dog and cat groomer and animal attendant in a busy and large practice in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney for several years before moving to Taronga Zoo in 1994 to work on the Carnivore Unit where she is the Unit Supervisor. Her role is varied and covers duties such as carnivore husbandry and management, animal training and enrichment, diets and nutrition, staff training and supervision, media work, conference presentations and other forms of public speaking, research, education and conservation work.

Louise’s involvement with dogs and dog behaviour spans over 26 years. She currently is guardian of a Shetland Sheepdog and Siberian Husky and competes at both agility, Rally O and obedience. Louise is author of ‘The art of introducing dogs. A guide to conducting dog to dog introductions’ (Balboa Press, 2013). Dogs have always been Louise’s passion and she continues today to educate people about living in harmony with their dog through her writing and pet dog training courses.

Myth-busting Force Free Horse Training (Thursday, July 12, 2018)

Wed, 11 Jul 2018 23:00:00 GMT

Presented by Josephine Atkins Darcy

After a life time of horses, where Jo was always questioning "how" to train a horse and mostly coming away from every lesson feeling like it wasn't quite "right" she finally found, through her work as a Force Free dog trainer, that the same principles can effectively be applied to working with horses. Not only did she feel more at peace with her horses, but finally found they trusted her more than ever.

Previously she'd been involved in jumping, hunting to hounds, endurance, eventing, showing, and natural horsemanship. Now she's busy experimenting with what can be done with a horse’s cooperation and best interests at heart through the power of Positive Reinforcement

Learning Objectives

To help experienced and novice horse people discern between force free and pressure based horse training so they can make educated decisions about the training techniques they employ.
To explore common misconceptions about using positive reinforcement with horses

About The Presenter

Jo Atkins Darcy

Jo is a multi-faceted animal carer & trainer. She lives on a small family cattle & sheep farm in Tasmania with her husband, two children aged 9 & 7, four dogs, five horses and numerous other pets. She is passionate about harm-free dog and horse training, stress free dog grooming and stress free animal farming. Jo has been a dog groomer for 25 years, has a Certificate IV in Companion Animal Management from the Delta Society, is a Certificate IV vet nurse and has a Bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts. She runs adult dog and puppy classes and does private consultations. Jo says that what she is passionate about is "harm free dog & horse training, stress free farming of animals and stress free dog grooming.

Building a Client Focused Business (Friday, July 13, 2018)

Fri, 13 Jul 2018 09:00:00 GMT

Presented by Anita Marchesani

As small business owners, we are in the uniquely privileged position to be able to create our own utopia; to design and build our business just how we want it to be. And that's a good thing. Once we get going and find our feet, it time to start looking at ways to improve our profitability, the efficiency of the way we work, and, as always, how we improve our client's experience and the results they get by working with us.

By shifting our inquiry towards Building a Client Focused Business it opens up a fresh perspective, and a profitable one at that. This webinar will guide you through the principles involved in developing your business into one that your clients and customers will love to interact with, while delivering you more time and bigger profits

Learning Objectives

This webinar will share strategies and tactics to:

increase the customer retention rates for dog training businesses
improve customer satisfaction and engagement,
increase the profitability of the business,
get better results for the client

About The Presenter

Anita Marchesani is a geek, a writer, an obsessive and a coach. She built one business that failed, and an online business from scratch to become an international brand, by focusing on just One Thing that was of value to her customers, and getting that One Thing very, very right.

Anita teaches that success is whatever you define it to be, that "working smarter not harder" actually means being rewarded for the work you do, that the customer is NOT always right, and that self-care is really quite boring (but vital) if you want to leave a real impact on your world.

She mentors a small group of dedicated and driven business owners in the Pet and Equine industries to help them find their own One Thing, so that they can build their own business filled with purpose, profits and joy.

Ten Commandments of Dog Training (Wednesday, September 26, 2018)

Wed, 26 Sep 2018 09:30:00 GMT

Presented by Margaret Gray

Do you already have a dog that you love but that you wished would fit in a little better with your lifestyle? Or perhaps you are about to get a new dog or puppy.What sort of relationship would you like to have with your new dog? What things would you like it to be able to do and what are the activities you would like to do with your dog?

This webinar asks questions about what we really want from our dogs, what we are prepared to give to them and how we want our lives to blend. Once the questions have been asked, we will get down to answering them with solid, practical, do-able tactics. Ten steps that you can take to help shape the dog you want in your life.

Learning Objectives

To be able to decide exactly what it is you want in your dog;
To understand that your dog has preferences too, and how the two of you can come to a happy understanding about any differences;
To put your relationship with your dog in harmonious perspective with your life as you actually live it;
To learn how to establish rules & guidelines for your dog, yourself, your family & friends;
To be able to choose activities suitable for you & your family to do with your dog.

About The Presenter

Relationship and Focus (Wednesday, October 31, 2018)

Wed, 31 Oct 2018 08:30:00 GMT

Presented by Barbara Hodel

Relationship and Focus

We all would love to have that mutual understanding with our dogs, a dog that has just eyes for us, comes every time when called and is calm when home alone. However, often it is just the opposite, the dog ignores the owner, coming back is an unknown concept and the dog cannot be left alone without destruction or neighbours’ complaints.

This webinar explores the definition of a good relationship and how we can improve our relationship with our dogs. I will start with the needs of our canine friends and how we can meet these so they can become the best companion they can be and reach their full potential. Dogs are social animals and need to be part of our family. They really don’t like to spend most of the day home alone.

I will be talking on how to develop a relationship that is based on trust and mutual understanding and how to develop effective communication tools and hot to translate this into focus.

I will also cover communication and stress signs, play and games as well as age appropriate training.

Learning Objectives

Define a ‘good’ relationship and how it applies to the human – dog relationships
Look into reasons why people get dogs and what do dogs get in return
Explore what makes dogs happy and how to cater to their needs
Look at the role of play and playing games in our interaction with them and what the difference is
Show how communication works effectively and how stress interferes with clear communication
Explain forced and free choice and bond based approach in dog training and daily life with dogs

About The Presenter

The Top Ten Most Important Dog Training Knowledge Concepts You Need Your Clients To Understand (Thursday, January 17, 2019)

Wed, 16 Jan 2019 17:00:00 GMT

Helping Clients Get It Right! with Niki Tudge

CEUs: PPAB 2, IAABC 2

Registered for the live event, get busy and cannot make it!

No worries you will automatically receive a recording!

As professional dog trainers and behavior consultants, we know that training a dog requires a combination of knowledge and mechanical skills; after all, dog training is a hands-on project. We also recognize that there are several ways to train a dog, lots of different methods, and many conflicting and varied philosophies about how training should be approached. So, let’s learn the important concepts that can help us to help our clients in a fun and easy way.

In this webinar we will review what we believe are the Top Ten Knowledge Concepts that as professional trainers we need to transfer to our clients in support of, and as a foundation to the key skills we teach them.

Key Topics Covered

1.     How to help clients make the best decision in choosing a dog trainer. We know that training a dog requires a combination of knowledge and mechanical skills; after all, dog training is a hands-on project.
2.     How your skill training programs can be supported with the necessary concept knowledge to help you help your clients train their dogs
3.     How to communicate to clients why we use +R training methods amongst all the conflicting and varied philosophies out there
4.     Learn how to make it easy for your clients to choose you as a professional dog trainer, these 10 recordings can be used on your website, social media or in emails to promote the Top-Ten Knowledge Concepts.
5.     Learn how these concepts can also be used to support lesson plans, homework emails and the transfer of important knowledge.
6.     How the supportive eBook can be used to promote your services and your philosophy to potential clients and those who have signed up for class

With registration of this webinar you will receive a code to download the following:

1 x 24 page eBook detailing each concept. This can be used on your website or forwarded to your clients
1 x PDF of the full color PowerPoint slides
10 Individual Video Files

These are your ten individual short video files. They are not branded and can be used however you need in support of your training programs and business growth

#1 Your Best Decision

#2 +R Rocks

#3 “No!” isn’t a Behavior.

#4 Management for Success

#5 You’ve Got It

#6 Your Training Gear

#7 The Training Steps

#8 What Will You Name It?

#9 Train-Test-Train

#10 Practice Makes Perfect!

About Your Presenter

Niki Tudge M.B.A, PCBC-A, CDBC, CDT

Niki is a certified in dog and people training and has spent the last 18 years teaching dogs and people across many disciplines. Niki is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt which gives her a unique perspective to training and teaching people. To ensure each person learns and effectively trains their dog, Niki uses her skills and experience as a Six Sigma Black Belt working in data analysis to baseline, monitor, chart and analyze the training process and its results. Data and statistics are used to baseline, track and improve changes in behavior and processes. When these skills are collectively grouped together it makes for a very fun, scientific and strategic approach to training and behavior change.
Niki is the President and Founder of The Pet Professional Guild, DogNostics Career Center and The DogSmith, Dog Training and Pet Care Licensing. Niki also serves as the President for Doggone safe.

Enrichment doesn't mean Expensive (Monday, February 25, 2019)

Mon, 25 Feb 2019 08:30:00 GMT

Jude Tuttleby

Tired of spending a fortune on things to keep your dog busy? Then this is the webinar for you. We will discuss how to make/provide your own enrichment items, how to introduce them to your dogs and the purpose of each item.

We all know that we need to provide enrichment for our dogs - but what exactly do we need to provide? Where do we get it, can we make our own, how much do we need to spend?
This 30 minute webinar is aimed at providing the pet owner with specific examples of various enrichment options, and all for under $50. Ideas for your dogs birthday or Christmas gifts, or just to keep them busy, it includes options you can buy (and where to purchase them from) as well as showing some homemade options (finished products only)

Learning Objectives

Learn how to provide enrichment options for your dog for $50 or less
- Providing both inside and outside ideas
- Focusing on both store bought and DIY options
- Options suitable for complete beginners

About The Presenter

Feline Psychology & Behaviour (Wednesday, March 20, 2019)

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 08:30:00 GMT

Dr Eleanor Parker

Photo by Kari Shea on Unsplash

This webinar will be a roller-coaster ride through the basics of feline psychology and behaviour. Normal and abnormal cat behaviour will be discussed with an emphasis on how to read body language and recognize signs of fear and anxiety. Common behavioural problems and diagnoses will be covered.
We will focus on how to live harmoniously with our domestic cats and provide for their needs to ensure they live optimal, happy and healthy lives. Recommendations for addressing behavioural problems in cats via multi-modal, scientific and ethical interventions will be a core component.

Learning Objectives

The aim of this webinar is to provide education and practically applicable information on the basics of feline behaviour and psychology with emphasis on feline behavioural needs and common pathologies such as fear and anxiety.

About The Presenter

Dr Eleanor Parker
BSc MVMS (Hons) MANZCVS (Veterinary Behaviour)

Elle graduated from Murdoch University in Western Australia in 2010.
After first working in emergency and critical care, she then moved to general practice.
Having always been fascinated by both human psychology and animal behaviour, she quickly found her niche in the blossoming field of veterinary behaviour. She is grateful that she has been able to combine her two great loves of psychology and animals to enthusiastically follow a unique and rewarding career path.

Elle undertook further study in the field of veterinary behaviour through the University of Sydney and then gained membership through examination to the Australia and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in 2016.

She is most passionate about improving animal welfare and the human-animal bond through increasing education and understanding of our pets.

She now lives in Adelaide South Australia where she consults as part of the team at Adelaide Vet as well as running her private business "Pawly Understood.

Her guiding words are: "Compassion, communication, co-operation, co-habitation"

Co-operative Care Training for Vet Visits (Thursday, May 23, 2019)

Thu, 23 May 2019 09:30:00 GMT

Presented by Louise Ginman

Photo by Ivan Rojas Urrea on Unsplash

Do you dread visits to the vets because you know how much your dog or cat hates to be poked and prodded? Do you get stressed just thinking about having to restrain your pet for any kind of examination or treatment? If so, this presentation is vital for you – and your dog or cat will love you even more for attending it.

Vet visits used to be stressful for our animals as they were restrained for all procedures large and small. Having your freedom of movement taken from you when you feel uneasy or unsure can increase your stress levels. This is exactly what we do to our pets every time we go to the vets. That's why I love co operative care training for vet visits. Co operative care is all about giving choice back to our animals. You are going to learn skills that will change the way you handle your dog or cat. This presentation will explore the world of co operative care behaviours that are essential for vet visits. You will also learn about setting up the perfect consult and anaesthetic while also exploring new business opportunities.

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

Gain an understanding of co operative care behaviours - what are they and why use them
Learn about the essential behaviours and how to teach them
How to set up the perfect consult for your pet
How to set up the perfect anaesthetic for your pet
Learn how to work with the stressed/fearful pets
Vets and professional trainers working together
See new business opportunities – co operative care classes for dogs and cats

About The Presenter

Decoding Animal Morality (Monday, June 17, 2019)

Mon, 17 Jun 2019 09:30:00 GMT

Harriet Alexander

Do animals have a sense of right and wrong? Do they understand fairness? How can we tell and how does this impact on behaviour, particularly for dogs?

During this webinar Harriet will be exploring these questions and discussing how current understandings of morality shape our interactions, thoughts and behaviour towards animals. She will examine research which aims to understand how animals see the world and how they relate to one another. She will look at social rules that govern interactions between animals, particularly dogs.

Join us to find out more about this fascinating topic and reflect on how we relate to both the human and non-human world around us.

Learning Objectives

Understand different definitions of morality and how they relate to animals and humans
Examine research that explores animal morality and emotions
Explore ethical questions relating to our treatment of animals and obligations towards them
Discuss canine communication and the ways in which dogs use social codes with each other and with humans

About The Presenter

Harriet Alexander is a dog behaviour consultant based in Melbourne, Australia. She spent six years living and working in London, and was fortunate to learn from some of her dog training heroes, including Winkie Spiers, Turid Rugaas and Anne-Lill Kvam. She is the founder of All Dogs Are Good (www.alldogsaregood.com), a platform which aims to make education about dogs accessible and engaging for everyone. She also worked at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, one of the oldest rescues in the world that cares for over 7,000 animals each year. She belongs to a number of a professional organisations and is passionate about connecting with the global community of dog lovers and finding new ways to explore the canine-human history and bond.

Games to Play in Class (Wednesday, June 26, 2019)

Wed, 26 Jun 2019 09:30:00 GMT

Presented by Jude Tuttleby

Are you wanting some ideas of games to play in group classes? Maybe it's a game to make skills practice more interesting, or perhaps its a novel way of presenting a skill for Graduation. Or maybe its something your clients to practice at home as 'homework' to make practice more fun.

This webinar is aimed at offering some ideas of games or novel presentations of skills to make class more engaging. With games aimed at basic skill levels, they can also be adapted for those in more advanced classes.

Learning Objectives

Learn how to provide more interesting classes with games:
- Present skills learning in novel ways;
- Make basic skills more exciting;
- Adapt the games for more advanced classes;

About The Presenter

Cat in a Box: Litter Tray Problems & Solutions (Wednesday, August 14, 2019)

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 09:30:00 GMT

Dr Jen Nesbitt-Hawes

Photo by Alicja Koczaska on Unsplash

Toileting outside of the litter box is one of the most common problems encountered in cat behaviour consulting. It’s a serious issue as it results in conflict, breakdown of the human-cat bond, rehoming and even euthanasia. You can make vast improvements to the lives of your clients and their feline friends by helping solve house-soiling problems.

Dr Jen will examine the various causes of this problem, environmental, social, and medical and will then outline a strategic approach for the detective work required to get to the bottom of the issue. What do cats prefer when it comes to litter trays, and do all cats agree? (Hint: no, they do not.) Would a cat ever subtly harass another cat to the point where the companion started having to think ‘out of the box’? (Hint: certainly.) What medical conditions could impact a cat's litter tray usage? (Hint: many.)

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

Gain an understanding of what cats prefer when it comes to litter boxes.
Establish a process for identifying and resolving common litter box problems.
Gain an overview of medical conditions that must be ruled out when tackling house soiling problems in cats

About The Presenter

Dr Jen Nesbitt-Hawes graduated as a veterinarian from Sydney University in 2001 with a strong interest in animal behaviour. She completed the CVE course in Veterinary Behaviour in 2003. A brief detour to Africa led her to complete a Masters in wildlife medicine. Her thesis involved catching urine and faeces from released captive orangutans in Sumatra (where she quickly discovered that it’s not the orangutan you are watching who is most likely to be aiming in your general direction).

Dr Jen returned to Australia to work in general practice, mainly with small animals, and susscessfully gained Membership of the ANZCVS Veterinary Behaviour Chapter in 2014. She served as Chapter President from 2016 to 2018.

Dr Jen currently runs Pet Perspective- a Veterinary Behaviour practice focusing on behaviour education. She has been involved with:
presenting online for the Australian Veterinary Behaviour Interest Group.
moderating a Facebook page for veterinarians interested in behaviour.
running reactive dog classes on the Central Coast of NSW.

Collaborative Care - For All Animals in Human Care (Thursday, October 31, 2019)

Thu, 31 Oct 2019 08:00:00 GMT

Presented by Dr Kat Gregory

Collaborative Care - For All Animals in Human Care

A vital aspect of living alongside any animal is to facilitate each individual to be an active voluntary participant in their own care. What is useful to teach? How is it taught? When should you begin? Who and what should be part of the training?
When the animal's needs are more immediate -some medications may help too.
The animal (learner), their "guardian", and veterinary professionals can all collaborate for the best outcomes in animal care and welfare.

Learning Objectives

To appreciate that all trainers should facilitate the animals in their care to learn at least some basic foundation behaviours to support their animals when veterinary care is needed.
To appreciate how much can be achieved to improve animal welfare if time and effort is given to training these behaviours.
The behaviours required are simple - and the benefits of teaching animals that calm stillness can be positive, that novelty is not scary, and that human's can be trusted - ripple far beyond the vet clinic or hospital.

About The Presenter

Dr Kat Gregory

Dr Kat Gregory initially trained as a vet – working a large part of her career in emergency, critical care and anaesthesia. She is now primarily a consultant in applied animal behaviour & training.
Over the past 20+ years she has worked with people’s pets, but particularly in the zoo and aquarium industry, locally and internationally, to facilitate the creation of positive resolutions to a diverse range of problems and challenges in animal behaviour and training. She has a large focus on cooperative proactive veterinary care, in which the animal is a confident voluntary participant.
A collaborative approach is key – and is facilitated by her unique understanding of the combined needs & goals of veterinary teams and keeper/training staff. Katrina has been privileged to work (perhaps) every species of which any child has ever dreamt (elephants, falcons & parrots to seals dolphins, sharks, cheetahs, lions and more) and the humans who passionately care for them.

“Good training”- it’s not just about “perfect” behaviour, the goal is to nurture reliability and confidence, and ultimately a positive resilience in the human- animal relationship. Resilient relationships, based on mutual trust, pay off most, when life doesn’t go quite as planned. In her opinion ethical animal care, welfare and conservation must continue to evolve and improve – Education is the key.

Dr Kat Gregory BVSc.MANZCVSc.(animal behaviour; anaesthesia & critical care)

Low Stress Farming (Thursday, October 31, 2019)

Thu, 31 Oct 2019 08:30:00 GMT

Presented by Josephine Atkins

Low Stress Farming

Farm management and training of domestic farm animals can be done with the least invasive intrusive, minimally aversive techniques using positive reinforcement as the basis for teaching.

Understanding species ethology and specific ethograms will help to minimise stress in management and improve safety in training for both the human and the animal.

The use of appropriate equipment for handling and training of specific behaviours & essential husbandry requirements is essential for the well being of farm animals.

Learning Objectives

· Understand the definitions of:

LOW STRESS,

LIMA,

ETHOLOGY

ETHOGRAMS

DOMESTICATION (and how this term is irrelevant to the “taming” and training of any species- all individuals deserve to be understood in their own right

· Brief over view of the following species’ ethograms that can make handling and training more challenging: Sheep, cattle, horses, chickens

· How understanding the ethogram of a species helps us to create environments that lessen stress and create calmer, happier animals

· Farm infrastructure and what works to aid in all of the above

· To gain some understanding of how to use Operant & Classical Conditioning with large animals in respect to having singular animals or a herd of animals

· The farm dog, another “set of hands”. Training of your dog and alternatives to using a dog to help muster/ herd stock.

· Why choose low stress farming practices

· What this talk is not going to discuss: the ethics of producing animals for food

About The Presenter

Josephine Atkins

Jo grew up on a mixed farm in Northern Tasmania.Weekends and holidays were very hands, on with herself and two sisters tagging along after their dad, herding and milking cows and all that accompanied work on a dairy farm. Hay carting, cleaning the dairy, moving irrigation, feeding out and tending to the calves on a daily basis during calving season.

The farm diversified into keeping pigs, and there were many pet pigs over the years along side tame dairy cows and pet sheep.

Even though it was a serious farming enterprise the girls were able to form relationships with many of the animals including their horses, the farm dogs and the feral cats that made their way to the sanctuary that was the huge hay shed on the farm.

Once leaving home to study Art at university, Jo moved her horses with her into the city and bought home her first real pet dog.

Skip forward to today and Jo and her new family have an 87 acre farm in Southern Tasmanian’s Huon Valley in Wattle Grove.

The farm is home to horses, Speckle Park cattle, some sheep including four pet ones & chickens.

Over the past ten years there has been a move towards making a conscious effort to manage and handle the farm animals in ways to minimise stress to the animals.

Gentle handling and management techniques are integral to the farms success.

When individual animals require teaching skills positive reinforcement is employed.

The farms’ horses are trained with the principles of Force Free training and live out doors all year in a herd of five.

Formal qualifications of a certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing and a certificate IV in Companion Animal Services have helped give Jo an insight into how her goals can be attained.

Learning and studying further to help humans and animals live along side each other is so important to make all lives worth living.

Guide to Starting Your Own Small Pet Industry Business (Wednesday, January 22, 2020)

Wed, 22 Jan 2020 08:30:00 GMT

Presented by Kathy Reidy

A Guide to Starting Your Own Small Pet Industry Business

Many members have great ideas and talents in working with animals and would love to run their own business. This informative webinar will help to get you started in establishing your own pet related business whilst still adhering to legislative, taxation, and animal welfare requirements. It is also suitable for people already running a business to make sure they are complying with the requirements under Australian regulations and it also covers basic marketing of your industry business.

Learning Objectives

To give members up to date information on creating a pet industry related business whilst adhering to their legal obligations on starting and running their own small business.

About The Presenter

Kathy Reidy

Involved professionally in the industry for over 30 years and personally a lifetime working with animals, Kathy owns her own small business as well as being a part time TAFE teacher. She have worked as a workplace consultant, staff training for industry businesses, run group training classes as well as private behaviour modification consultations and have been teaching Animal Science subjects for TAFE NSW since 2008. Kathy believes in lifelong learning and continues to learn and update her skills in all aspects of the industry.

Qualifications of presenter:
Certificate IV in Companion Animal Services
Certificate III in Canine Behaviour and training
Certificate IV in Small Business Management
Certificate IV in New Small Business
Certificate IV in Financial Services (Accounting)
Certificate Iv in Training and Assessment
Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching

The Behaviour Of Posture (Thursday, January 23, 2020)

Thu, 23 Jan 2020 08:00:00 GMT

Presented by Dr Jaime Jackson

The Behaviour Of Posture

This webinar is for anyone who comes into contact with dogs in a personal or professional setting. This is an important information session for anyone who is involved in assessing behaviour and during training for high level activities such as sports, assistance dog training and even a regular game of fetch. Good posture reduces the risk of injury. It improves precision and endurance. It allows us to assess fatigue levels and your pets physical health on a daily basis.

We will begin by looking at posture as a behaviour that reflects the external environment, the internal environment and learning history. There are predictable patterns to external stimuli that can help us identify an animals strengths and weaknesses. We can use the dogs response to stimuli to determine if there may be underlying conditions that should be assessed by a Veterinarian prior to continuing training. Once we have the all clear by the Veterinarian we can start to modify the external environment to encourage good posture from young dogs through to our more mature animals.

Learning Objectives

Identify Posture as behaviour in response to the internal and external environment.
Identify normal posture.
identify posture that is not normal and should be investigated further
Create changes in the environment to improve posture after the dog has been cleared by a veterinarian.

About The Presenter

Dr Jaime Jackson

Dr Jaime Jackson BVSc CCRT is a Veterinarian who has done advanced training in Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. She has explored both the Veterinary and the Animal Physiotherapy perspective across the globe. The highlights have been visiting the Veterinary Rehabilitation and Sports medicine clinics: VOSM, and PUPrehab the University of Georgia in the USA, Uppsala University in Sweden, and Eläinsairaala Evidensia Hattulain in Finland.

For over five years Jaime has been practicing Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation exclusively. To meet the growing demands for high quality, science based practice she has been traveling across Australia and Internationally for private consults and seminars. Jaime has also been involved in education of Veterinarians and other industry leaders to improve patient outcomes in many different clinics.
The passion for Veterinary sports medicine and rehabilitation evolved during Jaimes experiences in the world of competitive dog sports. With her Australian Kelpies and Finnish Lapphunds they have successfully competed in Agility, Flyball, Herding, Obedience, Rally, Conformation Showing and Tracking.
Jaime believes strongly in addressing the mental health needs of pets while meeting their physical needs. She was one of the first group of Australian Veterinarians to complete the Fear Free qualification to ensure the highest standards are met during every consult.
There is never just one path to reach your pets optimal health. Jaime tailors each program to fit in with your pets physical and emotional needs and also you their owners needs and abilities.

Qualifications of presenter:

Bachelor of Veterinary Science- University of Sydney
Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist- Canine Rehabilitation Institute.
Fear Free Certified Practitioner- Fear Free LLC
Certificate in Canine Myofunctional Therapy- National college of Traditional Medicine
Certificate in Nutrition in Canine Rehabilitation- Canine Rehabilitation Institute.