Frequently Asked Questions
If you can’t find an answer to your questions here, please reach out to us at questions@iaabcfoundation.org. We’re happy to help!
Is the conference in-person, live-streamed, AND recorded?
YES! Join us virtually from the comfort of your own home, or in-person in beautiful Portland, OR. Don’t forget all ticket purchases (including live-stream/recording) close May 2nd, 2027 at 11:59pm EDT!
All main conference sessions will be recorded with the exception of lunch activities and unplanned technical difficulties. Recordings will be available to you for as long as you have an active IAABC Foundation account (one purchase per year does the trick!)
Are CEUs available?
There are 46 presentations. IAABC and KPA have approved each presentation for 1 CEU. CCPDT has approved 32 of the presentations for 1 CEU for both Trainers (not KSA) and Behavior Consultants.
The presentations not approved by CCPDT are:
- Aging Gracefully: Helping Cats Thrive as They Age
- Back on Track!
- Beyond the Ramp: Behavioral Science and Practical Protocols for Trailer Loading Success
- Beyond Training: When Psychopharmacology Supports Equine Welfare
- Doing Better by Letting Go of Common—but Not Great—Shelter Practices for Cats
- Fabulous Pheromones: What Are They, and How Can You Use Them in Your Behavior Plan?
- Feline Cognitive Dysfunction
- From Body to Behavior: Recognizing Physical Drivers of Equine
- From Body to Behavior: Recognizing Physical Drivers of Feline Behavior Problems
- I Can Pee on That: Exploring Feline Elimination Disorders and How to Help
- Improving the Feline Arranged Marriage
- Mindful Meals: Aligning Feline Nutrition, Feeding Strategies, and Well-Being
- Organizing Socialization and Training Opportunities for Shelter Cats
- Scaredy Cats in the Home: Practical Tools for Behavior Professionals
- The Science of Cat Learning and Applications for Best Training Practices
- The Shape of Chains
If you have any questions related to CEUs, please email us at ceus@iaabcfoundation.org to see if we can help.
Can the recordings be purchased after the event?
Ticket sales will end on the last day of the conference (April 26th at 11:59pm EDT) and recordings will not be available for purchase post-conference.
Can we bring our dogs to the hotel?
Hotel Policy:
- Non-refundable fee of $75.00
- Max weight: 75 lbs
- Max size: large
- Pets cannot be left unattended in rooms.
- 1-4 nights $75 per stay; 5+ nights $125 per stay
Can people book breakfast and lunch separately, after registering for the conference?
Yes! For example, you can purchase your conference ticket on the Registration Page and then come back later to pay for breakfast, lunch, and/or pre-conference events separately. Just keep in mind that pre-conference events will sell out quickly, as there is limited availability.
What is the refund policy?
- 90% refund until January 16th, 2026
- 50% refund from January 17th – March 1st, 2026
- No refunds issued after March 1st, 2026
Do you have a health and safety policy?
The health and safety of all attendees, speakers, volunteers, and event staff are extremely important to IAABC Foundation. Because of this, we have developed the following guidelines to assist attendees in making decisions to lessen the risk of transmission of illnesses to others and themselves. Please review these guidelines prior to attending the IAABC Foundation Animal Behavior Conference. These guidelines may be adjusted prior to the event based on updated guidance from local and national health experts.
- All attendees, speakers, volunteers, staff, and anyone else participating in the conference are welcome to wear a face covering should they choose. IAABC Foundation may encourage mask wearing if the local or national public health situation changes.
- A high quality mask, respirator such as a N-95 or KN-95 respirator, or similar style face covering may provide greater protection than other options. According to CDC guidelines, masks should be well fitting without any gaps, comfortable to wear for an extended period of time, and cover both your mouth and nose. Masks should be worn at all times except briefly when eating or drinking and then repositioned so they are covering both your mouth and nose with the same side facing outward as before. Face coverings such as bandanas, neck gaiters, masks made out of thin materials, coverings with holes, or those that are damaged don’t offer as much protection.
- If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 during the conference, please take a COVID-19 test.
- In the event of a positive test result, you should follow the most recent CDC guidelines on next steps. Do not reenter conference spaces in the hotel while testing positive.
- If you test negative, please retest each day of the conference that you continue to experience symptoms. Please wear a well-fitting, high quality face covering that covers your mouth and nose to reduce the risk of transmission to others.
- If you have a known or suspected exposure to COVID-19 but are not showing symptoms, you are encouraged to follow the CDC’s guidelines about isolating and reducing potential exposure to others. Per these guidelines, you are encouraged to wear a face covering for up to 10 days post exposure and get tested for COVID-19 at least 5 days post exposure. If you have a negative result and develop symptoms following the administration of your test (not the day you receive results; the day the test was performed), you should isolate and retest.
- If you test positive for COVID-19 in the days immediately leading up to the conference, you are advised to isolate per CDC guidelines. The isolation period starts on the first day you began experiencing symptoms.
- If you are within the first five days of experiencing symptoms, you should not attend the IAABC Foundation Animal Behavior Conference in-person (virtual access can be provided to you).
- If you are past the 5 day isolation period and are symptom free, you can attend the conference. You are encouraged to wear a high quality face covering for at least 10 days from when you tested positive unless you have had two separate negative tests at least 48 hours apart.
- If you test positive within 10 days of the conference, you have the option to attend virtually by live-streaming.
- In the rare and unexpected event that a local or national disease outbreak causes the conference to be canceled, you will be offered the option of transferring your registration to the rescheduled date.
Where can people coordinate ROOM SHARING?
To find a fellow conference attendee for room sharing, head to our IAABC Foundation Animal Behavior Conference 2026 official Facebook event, a convenient forum to get connected with fellow in-person attendees.
Looking for conference recordings?
Conference recordings and materials are available through your learning account. Simply log in at https://learning.iaabcfoundation.org/ and navigate to your conference course to access the content.
If you have trouble accessing your account, please contact us at courses@iaabcfoundation.org for assistance.
Dr. Wailani Sung is a Board-Certified Veterinary Behaviorist dedicated to improving the wellbeing of animals and strengthening the human–animal bond. Dr. Sung currently serves as Senior Director of Animal Admissions and Wellbeing at Joybound People and Pets in Walnut Creek, California. In this role, she oversees three key areas: the transfer of pets from municipal shelters, the assessment and management of the shelter’s behavior population, and the training classes and consultations provided to privately owned pets. She also advises animal shelters nationwide on individual case evaluations and the development of effective behavior programs.
Valli Parthasarathy, DVM, DACVB, is the owner of Synergy Veterinary Behavior, a veterinary behavior specialty practice in Portland, Oregon. She works with families whose dogs, cats, birds, horses, and other species display behavior concerns, focusing on strengthening the human–animal bond through improved understanding and evidence-based treatment.
A passion for animal welfare, canine behaviour, has been the cornerstone of Tom’s (he/him) career, spanning over 15 years in shelter and rescue. This experience, alongside a drive to better support shelter animals, led Tom to found Simplifying Shelter Behaviour.
Tabitha Kucera is an Elite Fear Free and Low-Stress Handling Certified Registered Veterinary Technician, a Veterinary Technician Specialist in Behavior, a Certified Cat Behavior Consultant, and a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner.
Susan G. Friedman, Ph.D. is a professor emeritus in the Department of Psychology at Utah State University and the owner of Behavior Works Consulting, LLC. Susan has co-authored chapters on behavior change in five veterinary texts, and her popular articles have been translated into 17 languages. Susan teaches seminars and courses on animal learning online (How Behavior Works: Living & Learning with Animals), which has been attended by students from 64 countries so far. Susan consults with zoos and animal organizations around the world and teaches yearly for the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) Animal Trainer Accreditation program. She was appointed to the Fish & Wildlife Service’s California Condor Recovery Team from 2002 – 2010, after which the team was retired due to the success of the birds in the wild. Currently, she is the Chairperson of the Scientific Advisory Committee of American Humane Association (AHA) Film and TV Unit. In 2022, Susan was honored to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.
Mindy is a clinical assistant professor in the Animal Behavior Program at Carroll University in Waukesha, WI and instructor at Virginia Tech. She is a board-Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB). 
Melissa, a lifelong equestrian and student of the horse, is a Certified Connection Training Coach, a Shawna Karrasch R+ Mastery Course – Santa Fe graduate, a Recognized Compassionate Equestrian member and facility owner, founder of Compassionate Horse Click and has been certified by American Riding Instructor’s Association in Dressage, Hunt Seat and Western Equitation for 25+ years.
Lindsay Palmer is a social and behavioral scientist with a PhD in Psychology and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. In her research program, she examines psychological mechanisms that impact human and animal relationships in her work. In particular, she is interested in the complexity of human behavior and social cognition in relationships with animals to inform interventions geared toward improving these relationships.
Laurie Lawless, CDBC is a nationally recognized expert in shelter dog behavior, with over 16 years of in behavior, sheltering, leadership, consulting, and animal cruelty response. Her career was sparked in 2008 when she rescued an 85‑lb Boxer named Charlie – his behavioral challenges launched her into the world of professional dog behavior work, and she’s been “blaming Charlie” ever since.
Dr. Kristyn Vitale is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB) and an internationally recognized expert in cat behavior. She is a researcher and educator in animal behavior, companion animal welfare, and human-animal interaction. Vitale received a Master of Environmental Science from Miami University (USA), where she studied free-ranging cat social behavior, and a Ph.D. in Animal Science from Oregon State University (USA), where she researched cat social cognition and human-animal interactions. She also served as a Visiting Research Fellow at Kyoto University (Japan) where she studied cross-cultural differences in the human-cat relationship. Vitale’s main area of expertise is focused on human-cat interactions, cat social behavior, and the impact of life experiences, such as cat training and socialization classes, on cat cognition. Her research has been internationally featured in media outlets such as Science and National Geographic, and in documentaries such as How the Cat Conquered the World (ARTE France) and Inside the Mind of a Cat (Netflix). She is the founder of Maueyes Cat Science and Education, an organization dedicated to enhancing cat welfare and strengthening the cat-human relationship through education, behavior consulting, and science outreach.
Dr. Spaulding has a PhD in biopsychology—the study of the biological basis of behavior—and is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist. She is the author of The Stress Factor in Dogs: Unlocking Resiliency and Enhancing Well-Being. Dr. Spaulding teaches a variety of online courses and webinars on the science of behavior through her website, www.sciencemattersllc.com. She also co-teaches the Carefree Companion Certification with Irith Bloom and serves as Vice President for the IAABC Foundation.
Katenna Jones accidentally discovered her career as a shelter volunteer in the late 90s and soon went on to earn a master’s from Brown University where she studied animal behavior, learning and cognition. Since then, Katenna has provided cat and dog behavior support to pet owners as well as educational services to various pet organizations around the World. Katenna is a published author and contributes regularly to publications, podcasts, and more. She is an Associated Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Certified Cat and Dog Behavior Consultant, and Certified Fear Free Trainer. Katenna recently relocated to northern NY with her two cats and four chickens.
Dr. Julie Churchill is a Professor at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine and a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine–Nutrition. She completed dual residencies; internal medicine and clinical nutrition, and her PhD, at the UMN before joining the faculty.
Dr. JoAnna Platzer is an animal trainer and Zoos, Exotics, and Companion Animals lecturer in the department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at the University of Vermont. She earned her PhD in the Applied Animal Behavior and Welfare lab at Virginia Tech under Dr. Erica Feuerbacher. Her research interests spanned several facets of behavioral and welfare and included studies with pet dogs, shelter animals, horses, and dairy cattle. Before that, she attended the University of Florida where she majored in Zoology with an emphasis on animal behavior. After graduation, she participated in research on site fidelity of Mockingbirds with the University of Florida, social behavior of Fairy-wrens with Cornell University, and comparative cognition of canines with Yale University. She has worked as a professional dog trainer for pet and shelter dogs and has trained various domestic and exotic animal species for enrichment and low-stress husbandry in zoos, conservancies, and sanctuaries.
Jessica Wheatcraft is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant and professional dog trainer who has worked with thousands of dogs for over 18 years. She specializes in dog to dog leash reactivity cases, with an emphasis on understanding each dog as an individual and thinking outside of the box to implement the most effective and humane training solutions. She mentors other trainers via her Leash Reactivity Mentorship for Professionals and works with pet parents virtually from all over the world. She is the founder and host of the Rethinking Reactivity Podcast and is passionate about helping reactive dogs and their humans live better lives together.
Irith Bloom helps people create choice-rich environments that enable companion animals to live in greater harmony with humans and make the entire household happier. She is faculty at both Victoria Stilwell Dog Training Academy and Fenzi Dog Sports Academy, on the Board of Directors of the IAABC Foundation, a member of the Advisory Board for Pets for Vets, Chair Emeritus of the Education Committee of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), and a former CCPDT Board Member. She is a sought-after presenter, and her writing has been published many times, including in her book “Your Puppy and You: A step-by-step guide to raising a freak’n awesome dog.”
Dr. Gabriel Lencioni is a veterinarian and PhD student in Animal Welfare at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (FMVZ) of the University of São Paulo (USP). His passion for the study of animal behavior and welfare ignited during his college years, prompting him to actively engage in organizing seminars, symposiums, courses, and other educational activities on the topic. Under the guidance of Professor Adroaldo José Zanella, Gabriel had the privilege to develop scientific projects and interact with esteemed professionals in the field. His research focuses on various aspects of animal welfare, with a particular emphasis on assessing affective states in horses using artificial intelligence, learning theory, ethical training for solving unwanted behaviors, and fear-free methodologies for veterinary interventions.
Since 2014, Dr. Berger has been a licensed and Board Certified Behavior Analyst providing a variety of behavior change services to human clients. In 2020, she completed her Ph.D. in Applied Behavior Analysis, and in 2021 published research on combined therapy interventions for health and behavior. Dr. Berger has worked in the field of psychology as a clinician for over a decade, and has served as a psychology professor for many years. Dr. Berger additionally completed her study of positive reinforcement training strategies at the Victoria Stilwell Academy and became a VSA certified and Fear Free certified dog trainer. She currently runs a training private practice and serves as Director of Research for the IAABC Foundation.
Erin Jones, PhD, is a scholar-practitioner in canine behaviour and ethics based in Aotearoa New Zealand. As founder of the Merit Dog Project, Erin helps organisations and practitioners design agency-centred approaches to education and care. She is a Certified Dog Behaviour Consultant (IAABC ADT, CDBC; CANZ-ABC) and is an international speaker.
Emily Lewis has 24 years of professional experience as a dog trainer, shelter behavior consultant and vet tech. She is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant with the IAABC and operates Vermont Dog Behavior, LLC. She specializes in a wide variety of behavior issues, including human directed aggression. Due to the nature of the cases that she sees, Emily is often faced with families who have experienced trauma due to their dog’s behavior. She loves working with these clients to repair and improve their relationship with their dog, with an emphasis on meeting the needs at both ends of the leash. 
Dr. Courtney L. Sexton is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Population Health Sciences at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine and member of the Dog Aging Project research consortium. With a background in evolutionary biology and the human-dog relationship, her current canine science research centers One Health and One Welfare principles. As a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB), Courtney focuses on guiding people toward intentional living and bond forming with dogs. Courtney is a member of AAAS, the Animal Behavior Society, and the International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ). She also serves as a member of the Communications and Community Building committee for ManyDogs Project. An accomplished writer, Courtney is passionate about scientific outreach and journalism, and often ropes her hound, Sonder, into helping out. As both a researcher and a communicator, she works with a diverse cadre of humans, animals, institutions, agencies, and organizations. She is a Virginia Tech Research & Innovation Scholar (2024), Diverse Intelligences Summer Institute Fellow (2022), AAAS Mass Media Fellow (2020), and DCCAH Arts & Humanities Fellow (2018; 2023; 2025; 2026).
Catja lives with a retired older cocker spaniel, who still loves to work, and a younger Australian Koolie, who is starting his first competitions. Since 2009, where she finished her instructors’ course via Canis academy, Catja has been working full-time with teaching on the topic of training, both online and at in-person workshops and at conferences. She is always on the path of continued education and curious to learn.
Amy Learn, VMD, DACVB is a board-certified specialist through American College of Veterinary Behaviorists.
Lawrence was born and raised in Washington, D.C. before relocating to NC to earn his bachelor’s degree in business management at North Carolina A&T State University. Upon graduating he was commissioned as an Army officer, where he served in duty stations in Arizona, Germany, and Iraq. While at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to recover from an illness during deployment, Lawrence became one of the first Servicemembers to complete the inaugural Dog Tags Program under the Humane Rescue Alliance (HRA; then-called the Washington Humane Society).
Michelle Mullins CDBC, KPA CTP is the owner of Honest To Dog, LLC in Richmond, Virginia, USA and currently serves as the President of the IAABC Foundation Board of Directors. Michelle has been training dogs for 20 years and all of her work has the same objective – developing long, enriching relationships between pets and their people. In addition to her work in the pet product industry, she has worked with private clients for basic manners, puppy socialization, cooperative care training and through aggression issues. Michelle is passionate about a team approach, working closely with other trainers, certified behavior consultants and veterinary professionals.
Catja Pedersen lives with 2 Australian Koolies that develop her skills every day. Since 2009, when she finished her instructors’ course via Canis clicker training academy, Catja has been working full-time with teaching on the topic of training, both online and at in-person workshops and at conferences. She is always on the path of continued education and curious to learn. 
Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and Certified Cat Behavior Consultant who has been working with cats professionally for almost 25 years. She worked as a cat behavior specialist at the San Francisco SPCA for eight years before co-founding Feline Minds, where she offers assistance for cat owners, animal shelters, and corporations.
Dilara Göksel Parry was raised in Istanbul, Turkey and holds degrees in Psychology and in Comparative Literature from Oberlin College. She has worked in the animal welfare field for the majority of her professional life, including 12 years as the Cat Behavior Coordinator at the San Francisco SPCA. In 2008, she co-founded Feline Minds with Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado, where they focus on private consultations to help cat guardians live harmoniously with their cats and consult with animal welfare organizations with an emphasis on improving cat sheltering practices. In addition to staying busy with Feline Minds, Dilara works part-time at Cat Town Oakland, an innovative, cage-free rescue for cats deemed unadoptable in traditional shelter settings.
Dr. Kristina Spaulding has been in the dog training and behavior profession for over 20 years. She has a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology and a PhD in Biopsychology—the study of the biological basis of behavior—and is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist. She is particularly interested in stress, neurobiology, cognition, emotion, and well-being and how to apply these concepts to the prevention, early intervention, and treatment of behavior problems in dogs. She is an adjunct professor for Virginia Tech’s graduate program in Animal Behavior and Welfare. In addition, Dr. Spaulding teaches a variety of online courses and webinars on the science of behavior through her website and for the IAABC Foundation. She is the author of The Stress Factor in Dogs: Unlocking Resiliency and Enhancing Well-Being and regularly presents on canine behavior science at conferences and other events.