7th Annual NW Regional
Animal Assisted Therapy Conference
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Oaks Park Pavilion
7805 SE Oaks Park Way, Portland
9:00am - 4:00pm
Registration Fee:
DLAATE Teams $40
General $50
Registration Deadline: Thursday, April 3, 2008 at noon
ONLINE REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED
Conference Topic: "Public Policy and Perception"
As a therapy animal handler, you know that you have a lot to think about when you’re working…and having your therapy animal under control should be second nature. The public’s perception about how therapy teams behave in public is important because perception shapes how we’re received.
This workshop aims to examine expectations, stress, behavior, arousal and why our animals let us down or better yet, why we let them down under high pressure environments. Dr. Croney and Ms. Flanery will discuss behaviors - and the fixes - for a variety of circumstances therapy teams find themselves in. Such things as pulling on leash, rushing other dogs or people, the potential for developing leash aggression, handling crowds, rough handling by children, disabled persons or seniors, direct eye-to-eye contact - with other dogs, people, other species and other species distractibility.
Guest Speakers:
Candace Croney, PhD from Oregon State University
Julie Flanery, CPDT of Wonder Dogs, Philomath, OR.
Dr. Candace Croney
is assistant professor of animal behavior and bioethics in the department of Animal Sciences at Oregon State University. Her areas of expertise are in applied animal behavior, with emphasis on animal cognition and welfare. Her teaching and research efforts include clarifying the relationship between animal mental states and animal well–being, public perceptions of animal agriculture and human–animal interactions.
She teaches several courses, including Applied Animal Behavior and Ethical issues in Animal Agriculture, for which she won the HSUS Animals and
Society Course award in 2003. She has developed and co–taught a course in animal behavior and welfare for the veterinary college of St. George’s University in Grenada. She has also coordinated and spoken on animal behavior and welfare for the Oregon Veterinary Conference and the Linn–Benton Community College vet tech conference. She contributes to nationwide efforts to develop and review animal welfare guidelines for farm animals with organizations such as the National Pork Board, and Agricultural Animal Alliance and has also done so for zoo animals, working with the American Zoo and Aquarium Association.
Julie Flanery, CPDT
has been training dogs for 14 years. She is certified through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and the Association of Companion Animal Behavior Counselors . She has placed obedience, freestyle and agility titles on her dogs and continues to compete and perform at public demonstrations. She has been an invited seminar and workshop presenter across the country and in 2001 was named "Trainer of the Year" by the World Canine Freestyle Organization. She is also a judge for WCFO. She is an AKC CGC evaluator, Founder of Dogs Gone Dancin’ Canine Musical Freestyle Club, Mutty Paws Dog Obedience Club and the Mid-Oregon Performance Clicker Club.
Round Table Topics:
- Hope Animal Assisted Crisis Response
- DoveLewis Animal Assisted Therapy and Education Program
- Read to the Dogs
- Prison Program
- Be Smart, Be Safe Around Dogs
- The People’s Animal Chamber of Commerce
For more information or questions regarding the conference,
please contact:
Candice Coleman
DoveLewis Community Event & Volunteer Coordinator
503.535.3384