Upcoming Events
IAABC Foundation Animal Behavior Conference
ASHEVILLE, North Carolina, U.S.A. OR ONLINE
IAABC Foundation is happy to be returning for our second in-person conference!
Planning is underway, so be sure you are signed up for our newsletter to receive all the updates.
We’re so excited for the opportunity to teach and learn with all of you again in 2024!
Past Events
November 18-19, 2023
Pounce! 2023
TWO-DAY VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
Pounce is the cat event of the year, covering the most current research, theory, and practice in feline veterinary medicine, behavior, and training. You won’t want to miss it!
Everyone who works with, lives with, and just can’t get enough of our feline friends will benefit from this education. If you want to learn how to work more effectively with this often-overlooked member of the household, “Pounce” on this opportunity!
Presentations and Q&A sessions will be recorded and available to you for a minimum of one year or as long as you have an active IAABC Foundation account (minimum of one purchase per year).
October 28, 2023
FLOCK! 2023
1-DAY VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
Join us for the IAABC Foundation’s first dedicated Parrot Conference!
FLOCK! is for parrot lovers, parrot trainers, parrot behavior consultants, and people who are fascinated by parrots.
What does this mean for our attendees? We’re taking a deep dive into understanding the overall needs of the parrots we work with and live with, ranging from health, nutrition, age, safety, stress, enrichment and the family dynamics. A solid understanding of the science allows us to operationalize it for our clients and improve the lives of parrots and their caregivers.
Presentations and Q&A sessions will be recorded and available to you for a minimum of one year or as long as you have an active IAABC Foundation account (minimum of one purchase per year).
May 4-7, 2023
IAABC FOUNDATION ANIMAL BEHAVIOR CONFERENCE 2023
HOUSTON, TEXAS, U.S.A. OR ONLINE
Off-site workshops and events; Individual and joint-speaking engagements; Breakfast Light Bites networking experiences; Lunch panel discussions, cross-species and cross-industry; and so much more!
IAABC Foundation is happy to be returning to our in-person conference!
March 11, 2023
Cross Cultural Cats: Comparative Studies in Pet Parenting and Cat-Human Relationships in the U.S., Japan, and India
A live online event with Drs. Kristyn Vitale and Shelly Volsche
How can we compare cats across different cultures? Which trends in how humans live with and care for cats are similar across the globe? What might learning about how other cultures see and understand cats help us in our professional lives with them? Join two researchers on cross-cultural cats for a unique presentation!
In Do Cat-Human Relationships Differ Across Cultures? A Comparison of Cats in Japan and the U.S., Dr. Kristyn Vitale will present her research comparing human perception and cat social behaviors in the U.S. and Japan. This paper is not scheduled to be published until the beginning of the summer, so we get to hear all about it before anyone else!
In Cross-Cultural Trends and the Emergence of Pet Parenting: Comparing the U.S., Japan, and India, Dr. Shelly Volsche will compare the emergence of “pet parenting” in the US, Japan and India, using survey and demographic data, the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (LAPS), and the Companion Animal RElationship Scale (CARES) which Dr. Volsche herself authored. She will conclude with a discussion on the importance of cross-cultural variation in research and where her research will take her next!
Each talk ends with a live Q&A session with each presenter. At the end of the event we will host a live panel discussion between Drs. Vitale and Volsche.
21 enero 2023
10:00am a 6:00pm (GMT -3) Chile/Arg
¡GATO-CON!
CONGRESO VIRTUAL SOBRE COMPORTAMIENTO FELINO
¡GATO-CON! 2023 es sin duda el evento sobre gatos más esperado por todos los amantes de los michis. En estas pláticas hablaremos sobre las visitas al veterinario, problemas de conducta, domesticación y lenguaje corporal. No te pierdas de esta oportunidad de aprender más sobre estos seres tan especiales de la mano del Dr. Jaume Fatjó, y las Especialistas en Comportamiento Alejandra López, Daniela Araya y Rosa Roldán, el próximo 21 de enero de 2023.
¡No te pierdas esta increíble oportunidad y compra tu entrada ahora!
Las presentaciones estarán a tu disponibilidad durante al menos 1 año después de la compra, o mientras tengas una cuenta activa de la IAABC Foundation, para esto es importante hacer al menos una compra al año.
26 y 27 de noviembre 2022
CONDUCTA 2022
CONGRESO VIRTUAL SOBRE COMPORTAMIENTO CANINO
CONDUCTA 2022, el congreso de la IAABC Foundation en idioma español, es un encuentro de los más reconocidos expertos del mundo del entrenamiento y comportamiento canino.
Acompáñanos este 26 y 27 de noviembre durante 9 horas de presentaciones más cinco horas de preguntas y respuestas en vivo con nuestros presentadores.
November 19-20, 2022
POUNCE! 2022
A two-day virtual conference featuring 12 speakers presenting on their current research, theory, and application in cat behavior and training.
Pounce! 2022 is a two-day virtual conference featuring 12 speakers presenting on their current research, theory, and application in cat behavior and training.
Professionals working with cats in shelters, rescues, veterinary practices, homes, training and consulting businesses and beyond will encounter a wealth of resources on working effectively with the often-overlooked member of the household.
We know you have been eagerly awaiting the list of speakers and their topics since our last “Pounce!” Conference, so click the Details button to see this year’s lineup!
Presentations and Q&A sessions will be recorded and available to you for a minimum of one year or as long as you have an active IAABC Foundation account (minimum of one purchase per year).
September 24, 2022
Making Pets Happy: The Role of Positive Experiences in Good Animal Welfare
Zazie Todd, PhD
What do pets need in order to be happy? How can thinking about their welfare help to prevent and resolve behavior issues?
Join us for an ALL LIVE interactive event with Zazie Todd on modern approaches to animal welfare and how they relate to training, behavior, and enrichment. We’ll look at how we know that animals feel emotions, why positive experiences are an important part of good welfare, how to give dogs and cats opportunities to engage in normal behaviors, and the best ways to guide pet guardians towards important practices like reward-based training methods and an enriched environment.
June 25, 2022
Understanding, Managing, and Resolving Reactivity in Dogs
Dr. Lore Haug
What is reactivity?
How do we define it, acknowledging that reactivity looks different from dog to dog?
How do we manage and resolve it in an effective and long-lasting way?
Join us as Dr. Lore Haug gives us new and critical ways to enhance our training and behavior modification plans. She will discuss recent case studies, medical considerations, realistic management in a family’s everyday life, leash-specific reactivity, and how to foster an environment that sets reactive dogs up for success.
The afternoon will end with a live Q&A session with Dr. Haug and attendees.
APRIL 24, 2022
The Learning Bond Series
The Science of Cat Training and Behavior: Current Work and Future Directions
Kristyn Vitale, PhD & Dr. Saho Takagi
Are cats untrainable?
Are dogs smarter than cats?
Leading-edge researchers and educators Kristyn Vitale and Saho Takagi will host a half-day live event on current work and future directions of cat training and behavior.
They’ll discuss how to best apply learning principles to these brilliant, sensitive animals, how to prepare for success in training sessions, how the environment, other pets in the home, and human behavior all affect a cat’s learning, and how best to deal with unwanted or problematic behaviors when they arise.
The afternoon will end with a moderated discussion with our presenters and attendees.
2 ABRIL 2022
Perros Reactivos: Enfoque científico y soluciones prácticas
Astrid Concha DVM, MSc, PhD y Pablo Novoa MV, MSc, CDBC
¿Qué es la reactividad? ¿Cómo se define y cuál es la mejor manera de resolverlo y prevenirlo? Únase a nosotros para echar un vistazo a la investigación actual sobre este importante tema y cómo podemos ser proactivos en la prevención y el manejo de la reactividad.
Los expertos Astrid Concha y Pablo Novoa expondrán sobre la evidencia científica actual y profundizarán en los diversos enfoques para la resolución de casos, incluyendo la salud, el papel de la familia, la gestión, la formación y el medio ambiente tan importante para los perros reactivos.
Además de dos conferencias completas y detalladas, el evento incluirá una mesa redonda con los oradores incorporando sus preguntas e integrando toda la información presentada durante el día.
Este evento es adecuado para entrenadores, consultores de comportamiento y profesionales en activo de todos los niveles.
The Lemonade Conference 2022
We’re back for a third year and we’ve stepped it up again! This year we have 50+ presenters and *THREE* rooms running simultaneously throughout the conference from 7 a.m. PST ’til 8 p.m. PST! If you’re not available to attend live, no problem! All conference attendees will have access to a free “library” of presentations from the conference included in their registration fee (conference must be purchased before registration ends; videos are then available for at least a year in your library). Watch the recordings from the comfort of your living room in the months following the conference — always at your leisure.
POUNCE! 2021
Professionals working with cats, dogs, in shelters, and in rescues will find rich resources on working effectively with the often-overlooked member of the household.
Pain and behavior, training and socialization, fostering, toileting, enrichment in colony cats, applied behavior analysis in work with cats, understanding factors that influence individuality and much more will be discussed by this expert group of presenters and researchers.
Conducta 2021
Lo mejor en conducta y entrenamiento canino en español.
CONDUCTA 2021 presentó a entrenadores, veterinarios, otros profesionales y amantes de los perros dos días completos de conocimientos y actualización. Expertos de Argentina, Chile, España, Estados Unidos y México compartieron las experiencias de su trabajo diario y respondieron las preguntas del público sobre sus respectivas especialidades: diferentes tipos de agresión y sus tratamientos, el manejo amigable en la veterinaria, el trabajo con perros que conviven con bebés, la capacidad olfativa del perro eran solo algunos de los temas.
June 6, 2021
How Genetics Relate to Behavior: Uncovering the History of Dogs
May 7-9, 2021
The Lemonade Conference 2021
An International Gathering of the Best in Dog Sports, Training, and Behavior
The first Lemonade Conference was such a community-building experience that we had no choice but to do it again. We’re back with the Refill and it won’t disappoint. Once again, over 50 speakers, CEUs aplenty, and fantastic education. Scholarships are also back to continue helping our community in a time of need.
Two tracks, amazing content, in the comfort of your home – and access to the presentations for a minimum of 1 year. Still makin’ Lemonade out of these life-Lemons!
May 23-25, 2020
The Lemonade Conference 2020
An International Gathering of the Best in Dog Sports, Training, and Behavior
Retired Lieutenant James W. Crosby (Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville, FL, USA) has extensive canine behavioral training and expertise and served as chief of two Florida Animal Control agencies. Jim served on the Board of Directors of the Florida Animal Control Association and has worked with and assisted FACA, the Southeastern Animal Control Association, and several others across the US and Canada. 
Dot Baisly is the Executive Director for the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and the Behavior Consultant at Heal Veterinary Clinic in Watertown, MA. Dot also holds a master’s degree in Animal Behavior from Tufts University and is a certified professional dog trainer (CPDT-KA), a certified dog behavior consultant (CDBC), certified cat behavior consultant (CCBC), and certified shelter behavior specialist (CSBS). Dot is currently a core member of the Shelter Playgroup Alliance team where she facilitates course content. Most recently she was the director of behavior for Northeast Animal Shelter where she built a behavior program and transformed the organization’s approach to behavior as a result of her leadership. Prior to this she was also the lead behavior staff at the SPCA of Westchester and then the Animal Rescue League of Boston.
Tabitha Kucera is an Elite Fear Free and Low-Stress Handling Certified Registered Veterinary Technician, VTS (Behavior), CCBC, and KPA CTP. She is the owner of Chirrups and Chatter Cat and Dog Behavior Consulting and Training in Cleveland, Ohio. Her teaching credentials include lecturing on the regional and national levels and lecturing at multiple veterinary technology programs. She is a Fear Free certified speaker, a Fear Free Practice Certification Consultant, a behavior consultant for Cat Pawsitive Pro, and host of the podcast, Tails from a Vet Tech. Tabitha has helped to develop training and behavior programs for various veterinary hospitals and shelters and works as a consultant for many shelters and private veterinary practices.
Darris currently serves as the National Dog Training Manager for one of the nation’s largest pet retailers, focusing on program operations, communications, strategy, partner training and development and the implementation of innovative programs. Darris has worked in the industries of animal training, behavior, and broadcast television for 15 years. Darris is recognized with the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers as CPDT-KA and holds certifications as a Fear-Free Animal Trainer and American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen® Evaluator. He has trained animals at zoological facilities, working with both domestic and exotic animals. He fosters dogs, volunteers with rescues and adoption partners, and has worked on the front lines in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation. Darris also serves as an expert judge on American Rescue Dog Show, and on-air contributor to local and national television and print publications on pet lifestyle and animal behavior.
Matthias Lenz has over 10 years’ experience as a professional dog trainer and is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP). He works full time as the Puppy Raising Manager for BC & Alberta Guide Dogs and helps pet dog owners through his personal business as well. He is a Supporting Member of the IAABC, where he served as the Chair of the Working Animals Division for two years before taking on his current role as a board member with the IAABC Foundation.
San Choi is the founder of a dog training and daycare service in Los Angeles, California and serves on the IAABC Foundation Board. He is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner with eight years of animal care experience. He specializes in helping families build meaningful relationships between people and the animals they live with.
Kierah Moore has been in the behavior realm for almost 10 years. It all started with a Chicago kid working on a farm for college credit. Upon receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Animal Sciences, she eventually made her way to a large pet retailer where she trained dogs, trainers, and made an impact on pet parents’ lives every day. 
Dr. Learn attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation, she completed an internship at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in NJ. She remained in general practice for 20 years before she began her residency in Clinical Behavioral Medicine under the mentorship of Dr. Lisa Radosta in South Florida, and Dr. Amy Pike in NoVA. She completed her residency training and was certified as one of only 90 board certified behavior specialists in the world by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. She is currently the Chief of Clinical Behavioral Medicine at the Animal Behavior Wellness Center in Richmond VA.
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, when she finished her instructors’ course, Catja has been working full-time with teaching on the topic of training, both online and at in-person workshops and conferences. She is always on the path of continued education and curious to learn.
Shawna Karrasch started using positive reinforcement (R+) when she worked at SeaWorld in San Diego. For ten years she was immersed in using R+ in a systematic way, teaching complex behaviors to many species. You cannot, after all, coerce a whale or sea lion to do anything they don’t want to do! From there, she developed a love of horses and jumped into that world by working first with show jumping phenoms, John and Beezie Madden. Since then, Shawna has worked with other Olympians and top athletes as well as casual horse owners whose primary goal is having a loving companion. Shawna has been instrumental in sharing this applied learning theory with the horse world and was an original pioneer. R+ has taken off from the work she began back in the 90’s and this method of training has grown a hundred fold thanks to what she started. She is a fun and highly engaging speaker with a gift for clearly explaining the science and theory. Not too many of us came to horses learning any other way except traditionally. Shawna’s marine mammal background gives her a completely unique perspective on teaching both people and animals. Her expertise in the field of equine behavior is second to none.
Justine is an IAABC Certified Horse Behavior Consultant, a member of the Application Review Team and a Co-Chair of the UK & Ireland division. She is also a registered Accredited Animal Behaviourist with the Animal Behaviour & Training Council, one of the organisation’s trustees and the chair of their Equine Committee. She was recently awarded an Honorary Degree for distinction in the equine industry from Writtle University College, UK.
Gabriel Lencioni graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences from the University of São Paulo. During those years, he was concerned about how patients were being treated, so in search of better approaches, Gabriel went on to study animal behavior and welfare sciences. Gabriel has published research on the topic of automated methods to assess facial expressions related to pain and other affective states in horses and is currently working on his PhD at the University of São Paulo, in Brazil.
As an IAABC Certified Horse Behavior Consultant and ABTC Accredited Animal Behaviourist, Trudi runs a successful horse behavior and training consultancy in the UK, helping horse guardians and charities find solutions to behavior problems. Complementing her behavior work, Trudi creates programmes of gymnastic training to refine the horse’s physical and emotional balance both on the ground and ridden.
Prof. Robin Foster is a life-long animal admirer, ally, and advocate. As an animal admirer, she earned a PhD in animal behavior and has taught university courses in animal learning and behavior for more than 30 years. She also conducts and supervises student research on animal learning, behavior, and human-animal interactions. As an animal ally, Robin is certified as an Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB) and an Equine Behavior Consultant (CEBC), and she owns a private consulting practice for equine and canine behavior cases. As an animal advocate, Robin currently serves as membership secretary for the International Society for Equitation Science (ISES) and is past chair of the Applied Animal Behavior Committee of the Animal Behavior Society.
Dr. Trevino grew up in Houston, Texas. In 2009, he graduated from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine; later, he completed his Masters in Public Health from the University of Texas. Dr. Trevino has practiced both emergency and general veterinary medicine in the greater Houston area for many years. For a six-year period, he provided international aid for animals as a World Vets staff veterinarian.
Tarah Cornelius is the Director of Animal Care at the Houston Zoo. She has worked with animals in zoos for over 20 years and has been at the Houston Zoo for the past 8 years. She serves on the steering committee of the Behavior Scientific Advisory Group and a member of the Ambassador Animal Scientific Advisory Group for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. She has an Associate of Science degree in Zoo Animal Technology from Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Florida.
Dr. Gibson grew up in southern Illinois with a family Yorkshire Terrier. In high school, he volunteered at shelters in the St. Louis area where he assisted with socialization, enrichment, and basic training of the shelter dogs. This sparked his interest in animal behavior and welfare and started his journey to veterinary behavioral medicine. 
Andre Yeu is the founder of When Hounds Fly Dog Training, responsible for growing it to over 6 locations across Canada, with a talented team of 20 dog trainers and behavior consultants.
Gabrielle Johnson (they/them), owner of Best Life Dog Services, is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant through the IAABC and holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Sociology. They specialize in aggressive behavior and nervous system dysregulation, using virtual training options to support clients worldwide. Gabrielle works with clients using a trauma-informed and integrative approach, and actively creates a safe space for clients who are disabled, chronically ill, mentally ill, and neurodivergent.
Dr. Pike is a native Arizonan and graduated from Colorado State University’s school of veterinary medicine in 2003. Working as an Army veterinarian after graduation and taking care of the Military Working Dogs returning from deployment spurred her interests in behavior medicine. Dr. Pike completed a Residency program and became board certified in 2015. 
Dr. Kristina Spaulding has been in the dog training and behavior profession for over 20 years and owns Science Matters Academy of Animal Behavior LLC. 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. As part of her graduate training, Dr. Spaulding was formally trained in effective teaching techniques. In graduate school, she received an award for Excellence in Teaching by a Graduate Student. She is currently a co-instructor for the graduate level course in animal behavior consulting at Virginia Tech.
Dante is the founder of DanteDogWorks. His focus is on teaching other dog trainers and dog owners around the world how to successfully train and live with dogs using positive reinforcement-based training. 
Kiki Yablon is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP), Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA), a Karen Pryor Academy faculty member, and a co-instructor for Susan Friedman’s BehaviorWorks, and holds a master’s degree in applied behavioral science from the University of Kansas, where her thesis research involved dogs who barked at their caregivers while they were on Zoom. 
Michael Shikashio is the founder of AggressiveDog.com and focuses on teaching other professionals from around the world on how to successfully work aggression cases. He is a five-term president of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and was the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) Member of the Year in 2020. 
Dr. Denise Johnson is a general practitioner of veterinary medicine and IAABC Certified Cat Behavior Consultant. Special interests include behavioral health and low-stress handling. Additional qualifications include Elite Fear Free, Low-Stress Handling Silver, and Cat Friendly Veterinarian Certifications.
Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and Certified Cat Behavior Consultant who has been working with cats in shelters, homes, and clinics for over 20 years. She offers cat behavior consulting through Feline Minds.
Jennifer, along with her husband, founded Medical Mutts with two goals in mind: helping those who need service dogs and helping dogs that have been abandoned find a quality forever home.
Dilara Göksel Parry was raised in Istanbul, Turkey and holds degrees in Psychology (Neuroscience emphasis) and 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.
Melissa Taylor is the Behavior and Training Manager at Friends For Life Animal Shelter in Houston, Texas. Melissa has logged more than twenty years in shelter animal behavior, starting with an internship at the ASPCA’s Animal Behavior Center in New York City. She developed a lasting love for cooperative care from training livestock and wildlife as the Coordinator of the Behavior and Training Department at the Houston SPCA, and applies the same principles to the dogs, cats, exotics, and humans she works with now at Friends For Life.
Chirag entered the field professionally in 2004 and has since become a leading figure in the profession internationally. He consults on the behavior management and training of all animals living under human care (including domestic and wild ones). He is highly sought after for work with high profile private clients and organizations, as well as teaching workshops and presenting at conferences. Chirag has been an expert on a number of TV shows. 
Dr. Haug graduated summa cum laude from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine in 1993. She did a one year rotating internship at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine before returning to Houston in a general practice. Dr. Haug worked in general medicine and emergency medicine until 1999 when she returned to Texas A&M to complete a residency and Master’s degree in Behavioral Medicine. After her residency, she remained on faculty at TAMU running the Animal Behavior Service until 2007 when she returned to the Houston area to work in a private referral practice doing behavioral medicine exclusively. Dr. Haug currently sees behavior cases in a variety of species.
Kayla Fratt is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant with a background in ecology and shelter behavior. Since 2019, Kayla has merged dog behavior and ecology to work in the field of conservation detection dogs. In addition to co-founding a conservation detection dog organization, Kayla travels internationally to provide training and support to emerging working dog groups. Kayla provides mentorship and education for best practices and standards for scent-detection dogs through consultation. She also hosts a podcast to spread the word about how working dogs and their handlers can contribute to conservation efforts.