BOOK YOUR DISCOUNTED EARLYBIRD SEAT FOR 2025 NOW!

Join dog trainers, behavior geeks and pet pros from around the world on April 4-6, 2025 for the most anticipated and dynamic interactive online event of the year – the Dog Behavior Conference.

Featuring a world-class roster of elite presenters covering topics ranging from training and behavior to rescue/shelter work and the latest in behavioral and cognitive science, the Dog Behavior Conference (DBC) is a 3-day virtual event designed specifically for attendees seeking an inspirational learning experience and the opportunity to connect with and be inspired alongside a uniquely like-minded audience of dog lovers.

Earlybird Special
$159 (~£120) for all 3 days

Earlybird rate available thru January 2025
Standard price after Jan 2025 is $189 (~£140)

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

*Subject to change

Friday April 4:

• Julia Robertson:  How to build a puppy who is physically prepared for life!
• Zazie Todd:  Firsts and Nice Surprises – A new look at how to help fearful dogs
• Carmaleta Aufderheide:  Becoming A Conversational Ninja – Skills for navigating difficult conversations in training
• Andrew Hale:  An Introduction to Supportive Walking – A practical application of a dog-centred approach when supporting dogs on a walk

Saturday April 5:

• Amber Batson:  Getting to the Guts of Behaviour – Why digestive health matters in dog training
• Jo Pay:  Dog Aggression – A practical approach to working with aggressive behavior
• Irith Bloom:  Dr. David Premack in Real Life – Turning distractions into reinforcers
• Tom Candy:  Laughter and Tears – Frustration for dogs and owners in the shelter and beyond

Sunday April 6:

• Sarah Fisher:  ACEing Adolescence
• Sindhoor Pangal:  The Social Lives of Free Living Dogs​
• Victoria Stilwell:  Rethinking Reactivity – A new way of working with reactive dogs
• Niki Tudge:  Positive Versus Punitive – How punitive dog training impacts dog and human behavior and what you can do to change it

*Live Q&A (15-30 minutes) follows each presentation

Click here to see full presentation descriptions

Earlybird Special
$159 (~£120) for all 3 days

Earlybird rate available thru January 2025
Standard price after Jan 2025 is $189 (~£140)

The Ultimate Dog Geek Event of the Year

As in past years, in 2025 the twelfth annual DBC will once again be accessible to all as a global online event.

Expand your knowledge, re-charge your passion, connect with like-minded dog people, learn how science impacts real-world training, and renew your dedication and inspiration to helping provide the best possible life for dogs and the people who love them.

Attendees of the 3-day online event will receive full entry to stream all of its live presentations, downloadable PDF resources, exclusive access to special promotions, and access to video recordings of each presentation from the conference.

Seats are limited, so don’t delay in registering for the online conference now to ensure you have a spot at this industry-leading annual event!

Earlybird Special
$159 (~£120) for all 3 days

Earlybird rate available thru January 2025
Standard price after Jan 2025 is $189 (~£140)

2025 DBC Presentations

Carmaleta Aufderheide

Certified dog trainer and owner of Northstar Training Solutions

Becoming A Conversational Ninja –  Skills for navigating difficult conversations in training
Join Carmaleta for an engaging session tailored to dog trainers looking to sharpen their communication skills when navigating conflict. Uncomfortable conversations are inevitable in this profession, and mastering effective communication can be the key to keeping clients engaged in the training process.

In this presentation, you’ll discover practical tools and techniques to resolve conflicts, drive conversations forward, and strengthen client relationships—all of which can improve training outcomes. Whether you’re facing client objections or misunderstandings, this session will equip you with the skills to transform conflict into constructive dialogue. Elevate your training practice and build stronger, more meaningful connections with your clients!

Amber Batson

Veterinary surgeon & behaviourist

Getting to the Guts of Behaviour – Why digestive health matters in dog training
This presentation will look at the current understanding of the gut – brain axis and what this means for dog behaviour. As people working with, and living with dogs, why does understanding digestive disorders, recognising them and treating them, matter so much for us to help a dog’s behaviour and learning.

We’ll take a look at how to make optimal observations and present that information to vet professionals to help rule in or rule out digestive issues as part of improving a dog’s physical and emotional wellbeing.

Irith Bloom

Certified VSPDT trainer, animal behavior expert, founder of The Sophisticated Dog and Carefree Companion, VSA Faculty

Dr. David Premack in Real Life – Turning distractions into reinforcers
Some of you may have heard of “Premack’s Principle” (also called “The Premack Principle”).  You may have even heard someone explain that it means “high-probability behavior can be used to reinforce low-probability behavior,” or that it’s basically grandma’s rule (“Eat your peas before you get dessert”).  But what does all that mean?  And how can you use Premack’s Principle in real life?

Join Irith Bloom to find out what Premack’s Principle is all about, and how you can apply it to transform your relationship with animals and improve your training!  Irith will explain the theory in understandable terms and give you practical ways to start using Premack’s Principle with your animal companions right away.

Tom Candy

Clinical animal behaviourist and founder of Simplifying Shelter Behavior

Laughter and Tears – Frustration for dogs and owners in the shelter and beyond
This talk will discuss frustration on both ends of the lead. The first half  will look at how we can support frustrated dogs in all environments, taking Tom’s extensive knowledge and  experience with shelter dogs to discuss practical approaches to helping dogs deal with frustration in the shelter environment and homes.

The second half of the talk will then look at the dog guardians and how we can tailor our advice and support to help with the frustrations and difficulties of working with animals who are showing problematic behaviours. Approaching both ends of the lead not only gives guardians and dogs the best chance of success! but will also help manage our own frustrations as dog professionals in what is currently a difficult and frustrating world!

Sarah Fisher 

Animal Centred Education founder and behaviour counselor, VSA Faculty

ACEing Adolescence!
Sarah is passionate about supporting dogs of all ages but adolescence is her favourite age group. Adolescent dogs in the care of animal welfare organisations and those fostered and raised at Tilley Farm have contributed the most to Animal Centred Education. Adolescent dogs are more likely to be surrendered or abandoned, but with greater understanding, and building quiet connections at a pace to suit each individual dog, we can support the maturing dog at a time when they are probably at their most vulnerable.

Many adolescent dogs become body sensitive around the five month mark and this, coupled with the natural biological process of the adolescent period, can lead to misunderstanding and confusion which in turn creates conflict and can break down the relationship between the adolescent dog and the guardian(s).

Should we really be intensifying/accelerating socialisation and training as many suggest, or should we be focusing on refining a more flexible strategy to support dogs, and their guardians through this wonderful (but sometimes challenging) phase? Instead of thinking about what we should teach adolescent dogs, let’s consider what we can learn from them. 

This presentation will explore the magnificent adolescent phase and will also include:

• Movement matters
• Building calm foundations within a frame work of ACE Free Work
• ACE Mission Rescue – supporting adolescent dogs in shelters
• The power of play and modifying games
• Minimising frustration by paying attention to our own behaviour
• Establishing an ACE Contact Contract

Andrew Hale

Certified Animal Behaviourist, owner of Train Positive, and founding member of the UK Dog Behaviour and Training Charter

An introduction to Supportive Walking – A practical application of a dog-centred approach when supporting dogs on a walk
There are many dogs that can struggle when out in the public environment and this can translate with responses such as barking at others dogs or novel people, heavy pulling on the lead, biting the lead, alerting to squirrels/birds/cats,  refusing to go in certain direction etc. The traditional approach is to use training alone to try and solve some these challenges, but sometimes that feel hard to implement especially by the caregivers and may not support long term outcomes.

In this presentation Andrew will introduce the principle of ‘supportive walking’ – how we can best support the dog on the walk through a lens of sensory integration, emotional regulation and supporting innate coping mechanisms that can be better at helping to achieve a final goal of self-regulation in the dog.  As well as information around mindset and wellbeing, for both end of the leash, there will also be lots of practical information and videos to show the  foundations of this way of walking.

Sindhoor Pangal

Canine behavior consultant and myotherapist, and founder of BHARCS

The Social Lives of Free Living Dogs
What do the social lives of dogs look like and why should we care? We’ve witnessed the evolution of our understanding of wolf-social-structures and heard intense debates about its relevance to understanding the social-structures of dogs. 

But what do dog-social-structures actually look like? To answer this, we must observe the lives of free-living dogs, not living in captivity of any form or under extreme duress of potential capture and kill, yet healthy enough to express natural behaviours. Sindhoor brings to you exactly this. Living on a farm where these stories play out before me, she uses her Master’s training in qualitative research to help capture them in a way that can be meaningful to us. 

In this presentation, Sindhoor transports you to another world, hidden in plain sight…the world of free-living dogs and their complex social undertakings. Their world is one that is often pitied or despised by humans, but rarely observed with curiosity and thus remains largely unseen. In this talk, Sindhoor will present pictures and videos to help bring their stories alive i, and we will have an honest exploration of what these stories tell us about the social needs of our own dogs, iits bearing on their well-being, and the harmony of a household that includes dogs.

Jo Pay

Dog behavior expert and owner of Standish Dog Training, trainer on Channel 4’s The Dog Academy

Dog Aggression – A practical approach to working with aggressive behavior
Dog trainers who work with aggressive behavior are seeing an increasing number of aggression cases as dogs struggle to cope in our human world. Thankfully, there are many recognised resources and courses available to trainers that help them understand the science behind aggressive behaviour and the motivations that drive aggressive responses. These resources are essential to working with aggressive dogs.

This presentation will provide a “boots on the ground”, practical way of taking that science and applying it to your everyday training job. Taking case histories, understanding the dog’s experience and developing effective training plans, will help you tackle aggression cases with more confidence and success. This presentation is useful for trainers and other animal care professionals as well as for families that have challenging dogs.

Julia Robertson

Founder of Galen Myotherapy

How to build a puppy who is physically prepared for life!
Julia explores how building puppies with a robust physical foundation minimises the incidence of complex pain-related behavioural challenges.

A puppy’s physical development has the equivalent window of opportunity as their social and psychological needs. This talk will explore in a practical way the anatomical and physiological rationale behind why it is important for puppies to experience specific, timely activities. Exploring why these connections are vital within their physical health, which will provide a robust foundation supporting them for the rest of their lives.

Victoria Stilwell

Dog behaviour expert, creator of It’s Me or the Dog, founder of VSPDT, Editor-in-Chief of Positively.com and the founder/president of the Victoria Stilwell Academy

Rethinking Reactivity – A new way of working with reactive dogs
There are many techniques that trainers use to successfully work with reactive behaviors, but guardians often find it hard to learn and/or maintain these techniques moving forward. Victoria will introduce trainers and guardians to an innovative and comprehensive approach to working with reactive dogs. From utilizing the three zones to teaching simple life skills, you and your dog will be empowered to succeed both inside and outside the home.

This presentation will help you:

• Better understand what reactive behavior is and what causes it
• Identify the three reaction zones, and why they matter
• Resolve reactivity by helping clients shrink the problem
• Build dog and handler confidence with appropriate handling skills

Zazie Todd

Animal behaviour expert, author and founder of Companion Animal Psychology

Firsts and Nice Surprises – A new look at how to help fearful dogs
Having a fearful or reactive dog can feel very hard for the dog’s guardian, as well as being hard for the dog. This talk looks at how we can address common misconceptions and improve technique when helping fearful dogs. Classical conditioning is a very powerful technique for helping fearful dogs, but it requires good technical skills as well as management to help protect the training. Our understanding of this approach has come a long way since Pavlov, and there are some easy reframes to help people understand how to get the training right.

These days we know about the importance of positive first times, but when those opportunities have been missed, it’s essential to think about how to create nice surprises for a fearful dog. With a few tweaks of technique, it becomes easier to explain and use counter-conditioning with fearful dogs.

Niki Tudge

Dog behavior expert and founder of The Dogsmith and the Pet Professional Guild

Positive Versus Punitive – How punitive dog training impacts dog and human behavior and what you can do to change it
The dog training industry has experienced many positive changes over the years and this is due, in part, to exciting advances in canine behavioral and cognitive science as well as the work of thousands of trainers and dog behavior experts around the world. But these changes have encountered strong headwinds as punitive/balanced trainers find their core beliefs challenged by modern science as well as the court of public opinion. However, these trainers are not going quietly and punitive training methods and devices are enjoying a resurgence thanks to TV and social media influencers that are using their platforms to normalize brutal training methods and the use of painful training equipment.

As a leader in the positive dog training world, Niki Tudge unpacks what has happened in the dog training industry and shows us where we need to go. Delving into the punitive and positive training worlds, Niki will show how aversive techniques and devices impact dog and human behavior, dispelling some of the often quoted myths from the punitive/balanced dog training industry, and how positive training is revolutionizing how we live our lives with dogs.

Click here to see full speaker bios

Dog Behavior Conference Key Facts

• This conference is approved for 18-24 CEUs from IAABC, CCPDT, PPAB and VSA.
• Earlybird registration fee is $159 (approx £120) and grants access to all conference presentations on all days of the event.
• After January 31, 2025, standard registration fee is $189 (approx £140.)
• Single-day registrations are not available.
• Access will be available to re-watch all presentations via recordings for one year.
• Group registrations not available – must be purchased separately.
• The registration fee will be charged to your credit/debit card account as ‘DBC’ or ‘DogConference’.
• Conference is held only online – there is no in-person version of the event.
• Registrants will receive a digital certificate of attendance after the event.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q:  Will it be recorded?
Yes. All presentations and live Q&A’s will be recorded and access to all recordings will be available to each registrant for 12 months to watch as much as they would like.

Q:  Will I get CEU’s?
Yes. The Dog Behavior Conference is approved for 18-24 CEU’s from IAABC, CPDT, PPAB and VSA.

Q:  Can I register for just one of the three DBC days?
Due to space and registration limitations, attendees are not able to register for only one day of the conference. All registrations are for the full, 3-day conference. Registrants are free to attend as many or as few sessions live as they like – all sessions are recorded and available for one year following the event.

Q:  What time does the conference begin and end each day?
The first presentations each day begin at approximately 9am ET (2pm UK time), while the final presentation each day will end by approximately 5pm ET (10pm UK time).

Q:  Are there discounts for group or rescue organizations?
Costs for the conference are already underwritten and further discounts are unfortunately not available.

Q:  What is the refund policy?
Refunds are available up to 10 days before the event, after which refunds will only be granted upon request if there is a waitlist for the conference.

Q:  Is VAT included in the ticket price?
No VAT is collected on the ticket purchases, as the organizing entity is a US company with no VAT exposure. Therefore, VAT receipts are not available for attendees.

Q:  My registration was bought for me by someone else. Does my name and email need to be on the registration?
Yes. Each ticket must be purchased separately and results in a unique access code to the conference, so each person attending must register individually WITH THE EMAIL ADDRESS OF THE ACTUAL ATTENDEE. Note that the email provided during registration will be the only email to receive login instructions and conference access, so be sure to use the name and email address of the person who will be attending the conference.

Q: What if I need to leave a presentation partway through it?
No problem. You can leave and rejoin the conference as many times as you like, and all presentations will be recorded (audio and video) so that you can catch up on what you missed later.

Q: Will I get a certificate for this?
Yes. All attendees will be emailed a digital certificate of completion after the event.

Earlybird Special
$159 (~£120) for all 3 days

Earlybird rate available thru January 2025
Standard price after Jan 2025 is $189 (~£140)

PRESENTATION TOPICS INCLUDE:

• ​Becoming A Conversational Ninja – Skills for navigating difficult conversations in training (Carmaleta Aufderheide)
• Getting to the Guts of Behaviour – Why digestive health matters in dog training (Amber Batson)
• Dr. David Premack in Real Life – Turning distractions into reinforcers (Irith Bloom)
• Laughter and Tears – Frustration for dogs and owners in the shelter and beyond (Tom Candy)
• ACEing Adolescence (Sarah Fisher)
• An Introduction to Supportive Walking – A practical application of a dog-centred approach when supporting dogs on a walk (Andrew Hale)
• The Social Lives of Free Living Dogs (Sindhoor Pangal)
• Dog Aggression – A practical approach to working with aggressive behavior (Jo Pay)
• How to build a puppy who is physically prepared for life! (Julia Robertson)
• Rethinking Reactivity – A new way of working with reactive dogs (Victoria Stilwell)
• Firsts and Nice Surprises – A new look at how to help fearful dogs (Zazie Todd)
• Positive Versus Punitive – How punitive dog training impacts dog and human behavior and what you can do to change it (Niki Tudge)

DBC Conference Speaker Bios

Carmaleta Aufderheide

Carmaleta holds a Master’s degree in conflict and dispute resolution (CRES) from the University of Oregon. Her academic journey included research exploring the potential restorative impact of prison animal programming through interviews with incarcerated individuals working with and sharing their confined living quarters with dogs nationwide. She has contributed insights from her research to a chapter in the book “Prison Dog Programs” published by Springer. It was this research that inspired her career working with dogs.

From 2016 to 2020, she dedicated her time to transformative initiatives as she co-directed and facilitated an innovative education and restorative justice program with adults in custody at Oregon State Correctional Institution with The Insight Development Group (IDG). Her work with IDG allowed her to witness firsthand the profound impacts of education and restorative practices among individuals often in conflict with themselves, their past, present, and future. Drawing inspiration from her research and work with IDG, Carm applies lessons from these experiences to bridge better connections in her work with dogs and their families.

Today, Carm owns Northstar Training Solutions, where her work focuses on canine separation anxiety. Building on her background in conflict resolution (CRES), she specializes in bringing mediation and facilitation skills to navigate challenging conversations and enhance outcomes when communication becomes difficult.

Amber Batson

Amber Batson graduated from the Royal Veterinary College, London in 1999. She started working in general veterinary practice straight from graduating, but quickly became aware that many consultations involved elements of behaviour, which set her on a path of acquiring science-based behaviour knowledge. For many years she worked in practice whilst undertaking a number of behaviour qualifications in dogs, horses and cats which became blended in with her veterinary work.

In 2007 she set up her own business, Understand Animals, with the aim to bridge the gap between up to date science and using that in a practical way to benefit animals and the humans they share their lives with.  Alongside working in clinical vet practice, her business provides education across the globe regards animal behaviour and welfare, as well as vet behaviour consultations for clients and legal expert witness work.

Amber remains passionate about using science to support a pragmatic and empathetic approach to behaviour issues in animals. 

Irith Bloom

Irith Bloom finds joy in helping people teach with kindness while developing choice-rich environments for their companion animals.  She has been training since the 1980s and has worked with animals ranging from chickens and rabbits to dogs and horses—not to mention humans. She is a sought-after presenter, and her writing has been published in countless online outlets, as well as in print media including the recent book “Your Puppy and You: A step-by-step guide to raising a freak’n awesome dog.”

Irith is owner of The Sophisticated Dog, LLC, which provides peer-to-peer and trainer-to-pet-family services worldwide through the magic of online meetings, as well as in-person training to select clients in Los Angeles and Ventura.  Along with Dr. Kristina Spaulding, Irith is also co-creator and lead instructor at Carefree Companion, which offers a certification program for animal professionals who want to help their clients learn more about stress resilience, and provides stress-resilience tools and support for both non-human animals and their caregivers.

Irith is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge and Skills Assessed (CPDT-KSA), a Certified Behavior Consultant Canine – Knowledge Assessed (CBCC-KA), a Canine Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC), a Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Trainer (VSPDT), a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP), a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer (CSAT), a Certified Behavior Adjustment Training Instructor (CBATI-KSA), and a Fear Free Certified Practitioner (FFCP). She is also certified in TAGteach and on the faculty of Victoria Stilwell Academy for Dog Training and Behavior.

Irith has a bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a Member of the Board of the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT) and on the Advisory Board for Daily Paws, as well as Chair Emeritus of the Education Committee of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT). She volunteers for National English Shepherd Rescue.  Irith is between dogs at the moment, but shares her home with a well-behaved human spouse named Aaron.

Tom Candy

A passion for animal welfare and training led Tom (he/him) to undertake a Bachelor of Science (Hons) degree in bio-veterinary science and a Master of Science degree in clinical animal behavior from the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom.

Having started volunteering in rescue at the age of 15, Tom has been involved in a variety of aspects of rescue, including fundraising, home checking, transporting and general day-to-day operations. Since graduating, Tom has been working at the UKs largest dog welfare organisation as a training and behavior advisor, eventually working across seven rehoming centers before being promoted to senior training and behavior advisor, where he supports the training and behavior teams across the southwest United Kingdom. Tom is responsible for supporting and advising managers and training and behavior advisors on matters relating to behavioral concerns, and for helping to promote higher levels of welfare for dogs.

Tom is a certified clinical animal behaviorist with the Animal Behaviour and Training Council in the United Kingdom, and a certified canine behavior consultant and certified shelter behavior specialist with the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultant and a member of faculty and CBATI-KA with the Grisha Stewart Academy. Tom also runs Simplifying Shelter Behaviour, a Facebook page and podcast dedicated to bringing up to date, positive based training and behaviour tips and tricks to shelter and rescue staff and volunteers.

Sarah Fisher 

Sarah Fisher is a canine and equine behaviour advisor and educator. She has worked with animals for almost thirty years and is the founder of Animal Centred Education.

Sarah teaches Animal Centred Education (ACE) courses for trainers, groomers, vets, veterinary nurses, physiotherapists and animal behaviour counsellors who wish to broaden their expertise by learning detailed ACE Observations combined with ACE Free Work, gentle bodywork, techniques inspired by animals and some modified methods shared by professionals working in the fields of animal welfare, education and behaviour.

ACE Free Work has evolved over many years; it offers canine caregivers and guardians a unique opportunity to stand back, watch more, and ‘do’ less. It enables dogs to become the pilot of their own learning experiences, with support from their caregiver or guardian. Free Work is proving to be life changing for dogs of all ages and backgrounds; it has helped countless dogs worldwide learn how to reorganise their bodies more efficiently which has had a profound effect on the way the dogs respond to their external environment.

Sarah is experienced with a wide range of breed types and teaches staff workshops for many of the UK’s animal welfare organisations, including Battersea. She has also worked in Europe teaching staff workshops for shelters and has taught workshops and clinics for dog trainers and behaviourists in Holland, Greece, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, South Africa, Ireland, Cyprus, Romania and Poland. She also teaches online courses and webinars for behaviour and training advisors.

Sarah gives presentations on a variety of topics at dog training and behaviour seminars in the UK and abroad and delivers seminars for a wide range of organisations including those involved in scent detection dogs, assistance dogs, and Police dogs.​

Andrew Hale

Andrew Hale is a Certified Canine Behaviourist and Trustee at the Association of INTODogs. He is the behavioural consultant for Pet Remedy and has had a key role in the establishing the UK Dog Behaviour and Training Charter. With a background in Human Psychology, Andrew is passionate about learning more about the emotional experiences of dogs and those that that care for them.

Sindhoor Pangal

Sindhoor is a canine behaviour consultant and educator in Bangalore. She has been studying dogs for several years under highly respected global experts like Turid Rugaas and Julia Robertson. She is the country representative for Pet Dog Trainers of Europe (PDTE and also the founder of Bangalore Hundeskole Academy (BHA), a premier education facility which offers one of its kind year-long certification courses on canine behaviour. 

Sindhoor is also currently undergoing training to become India’s first Canine Myotherapist and is writing a book on the topic of canine behaviour and well-being. She recently presented her study on street dogs at the PDTE Annual Conference in Durham, UK and has been published in the International Association of Animal Behaviour Consultants Journal (US) and Pet Professional Guild blog (US). BHA is also an affiliate of the International School of Canine Psychology. 

Sindhoor used to be the editor for PDTE and a columnist for two years for Bangalore Mirror. While she wears many hats, being mommy to two amazing dogs – Nishi and Tiggy, whom she considers her inspiration and her greatest teachers, is her favourite role.

Jo Pay

Jo Pay has been a dog training professional for 28 years, running a variety of classes, workshops and working training and behaviour cases. She shares her life with a Border Collie called Twist, and specialises in working with the Border Collie breed.

Jo is a dog trainer and training & behaviour consultant for Channel 4’s, The Dog Academy.

She works as European Manager for Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Training and is  the European Coordinator for Victoria Stilwell Academy. She is a KC Rally judge, a canine fitness instructor, a qualified and accredited Instructor for Agility & Hoopers and a volunteer trainer for DogAID.

Julia Robertson

Julia is the founder and global head of the Galen Myotherapy organisation. Established in 2002, Julia was one of the very first in the UK to treat and understand the effects of adaptive change (or muscular compensation) in dogs. Since 2002, Julia has worked tirelessly to improve dogs’ lives and their health. In this time she has treated over 8,000 dogs and trained hundreds of people in Galen Myotherapy techniques.

She is considered an expert, pioneer and leader in her field of Canine Myotherapy both in the UK and worldwide. She is an expert within this modality and has developed Positive P.A.C.T.®, Galen’s unique methodology for ‘choice led treatment’ which is revolutionary when working with animals in pain.

Julia is a published author of three books and has produced two DVD’s including ‘Tongue to Tail’ which was the winner of the coveted US Maxwell Award – from the Dog Writers Association of America in 2012.  Julia also founded the charity War Dogs Remembered in 2015.

Victoria Stilwell

Victoria Stilwell is a world-renowned dog trainer best known as the creator and host of the international hit TV series and social media sensation It’s Me or the Dog as well as The Dog Academy (Channel 4), Greatest American Dog (CBS), Dogs Might Fly (Sky TV), Dogs with Extraordinary Jobs (Smithsonian Channel), Help My Dog is Out of Control (BBC One), and various featured web series including Arson Dogs, Guardians of the Night and Unsung Heroes. Having filmed over 150 episodes of It’s Me or the Dog since 2005, Stilwell reaches TV audiences with her philosophy of positive training methods in over 135 countries, while the show’s popular YouTube, Facebook and TikTok channels inspire new generations of dog lovers.  A best-selling author of 5 books including her latest, The Ultimate Guide to Raising A Puppy, Stilwell appears frequently in the media and is widely recognized as a leader in the field of animal behavior.

A passionate advocate for positive dog training methods, Stilwell is the Editor-in-Chief of Positively.com, the founder of the Victoria Stilwell Academy for Dog Training & Behavior, and the CEO of Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Training – the world’s premier global network of positive dog trainers.

Stilwell is committed to helping the cause of animal rescue and rehabilitation and is heavily involved with organizations around the world to increase awareness of puppy mills, dog fighting, animal abuse, pet overpopulation, dog bite prevention and other animal-related causes, but she is best known as a champion for humane positive reinforcement dog training methods.  She is an Ambassador for the RSPCA, International Ambassador for the Soi Dog Foundation and serves on the Advisory Boards of RedRover, The Georgia Pet Coalition, The Grey Muzzle Foundation, and DogTV.

Zazie Todd

Zazie Todd, PhD, is the author of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy, and the creator of Companion Animal Psychology, a blog about how to have happier cats and dogs (according to science). She has a PhD in Psychology, is an honours graduate of the prestigious Academy for Dog Trainers and has a Certificate of Feline Behaviour (with Distinction) from international Cat Care. She is the owner-operator of Blue Mountain Animal Behaviour and is an affiliate member of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior.

She has a Psychology Today blog called Fellow Creatures, and has also written about pets for Modern Dog, Modern Cat, Pacific Standard, The Psychologist, and Reader’s Digest. Originally from Leeds, UK, she now lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, one dog and two cats.

Niki Tudge

As the founder and President of The Pet Professional Guild, DogNostics Career Center and The DogSmith, Niki has substantial leadership experience in the pet industry. Niki has published numerous articles on dog training and dog behavior and her pet dog training businesses have been featured in many publications including The New York Times. 

Niki’s professional credentials include; AABP-Professional Dog Trainer, AABP-Professional Dog Behavior Consultant, PCBC-A and PCT-A through the Pet Professional Accrediting Board and she has earned diplomas in Animal Behavior Technology and Canine Behavior Science & Technology through the Companion Animal Science Institute. 

Along with Niki’s business degree and MBA from Oxford Brookes University she is also a certified Six Sigma Black Belt, a HCITB TS1, TS2 & TS3 certified people trainer and a certified Facilitator and Project Manager.