Welcome to the APBC

Presenter Bio: Dr Patrizia Piotti DVM MSc PhD MRCVS is a veterinarian specialised in clinical animal behaviour. Patrizia graduated in Veterinary Medicine at the University of Milan, in Italy, and holds a MSc in Clinical Animal Behaviour from the University of Lincoln and a PhD on canine cognition from the University of Portsmouth. She has worked as researcher at the Family Dog Project in Budapest. Currently she is working as post-doctoral researcher at the Department of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Milan in Italy and she is practicing as behaviourist in private practice. Her current interests are studying the link between cognition and personality to better understand behaviour problems and improve companion animals’ quality of life across the lifespan. 

Presentation Details:In the latest years, companion animal research has been focusing on the personality differences between individuals. Personality reflects the choices that dogs will make in a variety of situations, and personality traits shape the underlying motivation and emotional state of dogs when facing relevant triggers. However, it is possible to recognise individual differences also in canine cognition, or dogs’ ability to interpret and understand the world. Cognitive traits contribute to the differences in areas that are fundamental to dog-human interactions, such as impulsivity, communication, and memory. Understanding how personality and cognition interact in shaping dogs’ internal and external responses to events and circumstances, helps not only in predicting pet dogs’ behaviour in various circumstances, but also in understanding the constraints and strengths of a behaviour modification plan. 

Public webinars and live events will be recorded and a link sent to all registrants.

The APBC and Speakers cannot be held responsible for any technical failing in the recording

Purchases of products, events or the webinars either live or recorded are not refundable.

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Presenter Bio:

Valerie is an Irish Veterinarian who graduated from the Veterinary College of Ireland in 2003. Valerie has worked in Wales, Belgium and India. She currently lives and works in The Netherlands where she has been for the past 11 years. Valerie has worked in farm animal, companion animal and equine practice. She has a Masters in Laboratory Animal Science (Ghent University, Belgium) and a Certificate in Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law (Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, UK). Valerie is a Diplomate of the ECAWBM (subspeciality Behavioural Medicine) and also of the subspeciality Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law. Valerie is a member of the Editorial Board for the Journal of Veterinary Behavior and the Fear Free LLC Advisory Board. 

After her time in India, Valerie spent almost 4 years at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University in the Netherlands where she worked as a behaviour veterinarian, behaviour/welfare researcher and lecturer. 

Valerie then set up Animalytics, her own Veterinary Behavioural Medicine and Animal Welfare Consultancy (www.animalytics.nl). During her seven years with Animalytics, she also consulted at the Dutch Specialist Veterinary Referral Clinic de Wagenrenk (www.wagenrenk.com). In 2019 Valerie became Head of Behaviour and Welfare for IVC Evidensia The Netherlands. Valerie sees companion animal behavioural medicine cases at Evidensia Animal Hospital Nieuwegein. Other species (horses, research animals, zoo animals and farm animals) are seen for behavioural medicine or welfare consultations on location. Valerie currently teaches behavioural medicine and animal welfare science in the IVC Evidensia Academy and is also very well known in the international lecturing circuit. 

Presentation Detail: Along with part 1 this lecture is designed to give the equine veterinary practitioner a basic understanding of how the brain can be influenced by psychopharmacological and other interventions to facilitate desirable behaviour change in horses. Although only a veterinarian can diagnose and treat medical conditions in animals, it will be of interest to equine behaviour practitioners as well. As although non-veterinarians may not diagnose and prescribe medical conditions in animals, it is important than equine behaviour practitioners have an understanding of these matters.

Public webinars and live events will be recorded and a link sent to all registrants.

The APBC and Speakers cannot be held responsible for any technical failing in the recording

Purchases of products, events or the webinars either live or recorded are not refundable.

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Presenter Bio:

Debbie works with referring vets to resolve complex behaviour problems in horses and dogs.  She is a Clinical Animal Behaviourist registered with the UK’s Animal Behaviour and Training Council, a full member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Councillors and a Certified Horse Behavior Consultant with the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants.  Debbie supervises university students on behaviour courses at masters level and mentors new behaviourists coming through professional routes.  She practices as a psychotherapist within a Transactional Analysis framework, using this modality to support her animal behaviour clients in implementing the changes that she recommends through her consultations.

Debbie has just finished her first year of Doctoral research in horse-human relationships in the Faculty of Business and Law at Manchester Metropolitan University, looking into the sustainability of horse riding in the contexts of training methods, welfare and social licence to operate.  She recently gave her first presentation of her PhD research methodologies at the Equine Cultures in Transition conference at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala.

Debbie writes articles and books on all aspects of behaviour and consulting, and presents talks and workshops internationally, both as an equine behaviour specialist and as a supporting expert in the Human Behaviour Change for Animals team, collaborating on psychology-themed projects.  She wrote the chapter on Equestrianism in the book Equine Behaviour in Mind, edited by international welfare consultant and behaviourist Suzanne Rogers, and has co-authored a book on equine evolution, behaviour and horse-human relationships, The Horse, A Natural History, published by Princeton University Press.  Debbie answers ‘Ask the Experts’ questions in Horse and Rider and Your Horse magazines, two of the UK’s best-selling equestrian monthly magazines.  

Debbie holds a first class BSc (Hons) in Psychology and an MSc with distinction in Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare and is a graduate member of the British Psychological Society, and member of the British Veterinary Behaviour Association, Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour, Equine Behaviour and Training Association, International Society for Equitation Science, British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, UK Centre for Animal law (A-Law) and UK Register of Expert Witnesses.

Presentation Details: Training techniques using positive and negative reinforcement are widely used by horse trainers and behaviourists seeking to develop new behavioural repertoires or to modify unwanted behaviour in horses.  Debbie will discuss other psychological principles of learning and explore where these fit within training and behaviour paradigms.  She will give examples how these principles can benefit training plans and behaviour modification and where they might be a preferable choice over the operant quadrants.

Public webinars and live events will be recorded and a link sent to all registrants.

The APBC and Speakers cannot be held responsible for any technical failing in the recording

Purchases of products, events or the webinars either live or recorded are not refundable.

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Presenter Bios:

Jules Morgan – Jules has lived with dogs all her life and has been fortunate enough to work as a trainer for over three decades. 

During her early training career, Jules taught puppy, adolescent, and behaviour training classes for pet dogs alongside teaching gundog training classes for those looking to work their dogs on shoots. 

Within a few years of starting out, Jules started to feel uncomfortable with some of the methods she had originally learnt, particularly as she was unable to explain them on a theoretical level and some seemed unfair on the dogs. So began her journey to learn about more science backed, positive reinforcement training methods. 

As dog training education was not the same as it is today, much of her learning was independent and very much based on trial and error. As such, Jules’ journey to find new gundog training methods took some time and was not always supported by the people she was training with. Nevertheless, in 2006, Jules became accredited with the APDT.

Jules today still feels very strongly that dogs and owners should be supported and encouraged by their trainer with empathy and understanding as well as being properly qualified. 

Understanding that there is always more to learn about dogs, Jules considers two working cocker spaniels, Buckle and Raffle, and Labrador, Otter, three of her greatest teachers. She continues to keep up her studies and remains up to date with research into behaviour, psychology, neuroscience and physiology which further expands her understanding of dogs and what motivates them. 

Most recently, Jules had lectured to dog trainers, behaviourists and veterinary professionals on remedial training protocols for specific behaviour problems. She believes that her training history and experience as a ‘crossover’ trainer enables her to be extremely sympathetic to, and understanding of, the hurdles involved in that process, as well as having first-hand experience of what an incredibly rewarding experience it is to train this way. 

Jules’ main passion is for working and training gundogs. Over the years she has gained a wealth of experience in all aspects of lowland shooting from large estates, through to small farm shoots, and rough shooting including beating, picking up, shooting, and shoot management. 

Today, Jules specialise in gundog training for pet dogs, working dogs and those looking to participate in competition from her base in Surrey. Courses available through Teach Your Gundog include The Gundog Club graded training scheme, as well as bespoke workshops and courses covering specific topics at all levels. She also hosts her ever-popular series of Gundog Games workshops held around the country which enables people to find out about the world of gundog training using only ethical, choice based methods and to start to build their foundation skills. Jules also hosts more advanced Gundog Games camps twice a year in Cumbria. 

Currently, Jules is the secretary, and co-founder, of the Vale & West Gundog Club which offers a safe stepping-stone into competition through its annual working tests and working gundog certificate (KCWGC) assessment days. She has also organised, judged and competed at many working tests, assisted at field trials, and helped at numerous Kennel Club Working Gundog Certificate assessments both on dummies and game. 

Qualifications and accreditations: 
•Member of The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) •Accredited Animal Training Instructor with the Animal Behaviour & Training Council (ABTC) 
•Accredited Trainer and Assessor for The Gundog Club 
•BASC Safe Shot Certificate 
•LANTRA Shooting Assistant/Loaders Certificate 
•Qualified First Aider (Emergency First Aid at Work/Rural Skills Certificate)

Helen Phillips – Helen has been shooting and working dogs in the field for over thirty years. Having owned a variety of breeds from crosses, to Spaniels and HPRs, Helen has an extensive understanding of living with and working with hunting dogs.

Currently, Helen owns Vizslas, Jack and Dibble, and English Springer Spaniel, Wren. All the dogs work in a variety of roles on the shoot from beating, picking up to partner on the peg. Helen has also achieved the Kennel Club Working Gundog Certificate on Dummies and on Game, has competed in working tests and participates in grouse counting.

Over the last decade through her training business, Clicker Gundog, Helen has developed a range of workshops and seminars to help teach the essential skills to both the handler and the dog. Her focus is on promoting the use of positive reinforcement training techniques and strategies within gundog training and field sports in general. She is also the author of the popular ‘Clicker Gundog’ training book.

Helen has a strong ethical stance in respect of this and endeavours to promote this within the shooting field. One of the UK’s most qualified gundog trainers, Helen has a Distinction in Canine Training and Behaviour from Warwickshire College and, as a City and Guilds level 5 qualified teacher, taught the same Canine Training and Behaviour course at two levels for nearly a decade. She also obtained the Clicker Trainers Competency Assessment Programme levels 1, 2 and 3 with Distinction.

Helen is a member of the Special Council for the Pet Professional Guild (PPG), is a registered ABTC Animal Training Instructor, and is an Instructor and Assessor for The Gundog Club, an organisation that declared its force free policy in 2018 and runs courses each year for all levels.

Presentation Details: The aim of this webinar is to provide some background information on the natural behaviours and instincts of gundog breeds and how they can manifest and become problematic in pet homes.  We will look at how we can provide activities suitable to these breeds to enable expression of these natural behaviours. We will also share some of our training exercises and games that can be incorporated into pet training classes and behaviour modification programmes.  There will be video footage included in this presentation.

Public webinars and live events will be recorded and a link sent to all registrants.

The APBC and Speakers cannot be held responsible for any technical failing in the recording

Purchases of products, events or the webinars either live or recorded are not refundable.

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