Why do people adopt dogs? How motivations for dog acquisition differ between individuals.

Dr Eleanor Jordan PhD

12 April 2023 at 07:30pm : £20.00

Reports show that the number of dogs needing rehoming by charities is rising significantly. To tackle this, and help find these dogs new homes, we need to understand how differences in owners’ motivation to get a dog, influences the dog they take home. In this session I will present my work looking into how motivations for dog acquisition differ between adopters. Using data from the PAWS (Post-Adoption Welfare Surveys) project I explore why adopters decided to get a dog, and the different reasons behind why they chose to rehome their specific dog.

What factors influence the way we interact with cats and what does this mean for cat wellbeing and human behaviour change?

Lauren Finka PhD

17 May 2023 at 07:30pm : £20.00

This talk will discuss new research findings focused on quantifying the diversity of humans’ styles of interacting with cats, understanding the role individual differences may play (e.g. personality, previous experiences with cats), and how this information might be useful in supporting cat wellbeing and positive human behaviour change.

Research Bites with Dogs Trust – A focus on Canine Behaviour Problems, Training and Exercise.

Kassandra Giragosian / Melissa Upjohn

7 June 2023 at 07:30pm : £20.00

Research Bites is a webinar series broadcasting scientific project findings on canine welfare and behaviour presented by the Dogs Trust Research Team. Join us for our selection of dog behaviour, training and exercise related Research Bites talks this evening

Research Bites with Dogs Trust – A focus on Veterinary Healthcare During the Pandemic & the Integration of Behaviour in Veterinary Practice.

Kassandra Giragosian / Melissa Upjohn

5 July 2023 at 07:30pm : £20.00

Research Bites is a webinar series broadcasting scientific project findings on canine welfare and behaviour presented by the Dogs Trust Research Team. Dive into some of our veterinary-focussed Research Bites talks with us this evening

Inducing and measuring positive affective state in horses: A Delphi approach

Loni Loftus MSc BSC(Hons) SFHEA CCAB

6 September 2023 at 07:30pm : £20.00

Maximising positive emotional welfare is a vital facet of good holistic welfare. In order to be able to evaluate positive emotional welfare in horse we must be able to induce and measure positive affect. Unfortunately there is limited literature related to measuring positive affect in horses and therefore this Delphi consultation was undertaken as part of a larger research project to understand expert consensus on reliable methods to induce and measure positive affect in horses. The results and implications of this study will be discussed within this webinar with particular reference to their practical implications for those owning and working with horses.

A role for Client-Centred Interviewing in Client Adherence to a Canine Behaviour Modification Plan?

Julie Daniels BSc (Hons), MSc, PhD, FRSB

18 October 2023 at 07:30pm : £20.00

Lack of client adherence to a behaviour modification plan could ultimately lead to the relinquishment of their animal. The reasons for non-compliance are likely to be complex and multi-factorial. This presentation will discuss the results (and limitations) of an online survey aimed at exploring the potential influence of the initial behaviour consultation on client adherence to a behaviour therapy plan for their dog. The resulting concept of ‘Client-Centred Interviewing’ will also be discussed.

Perceptions of Dog Behaviour: Assessing differences in individuals’ abilities to interpret dog emotional states

Jana Muschinski BSc, MPhil

9 November 2023 at 07:30pm : £20.00

The Dogs Trust Research Team completed a survey in the summer of 2021 which asked members of the public to watch a selection of videos and to interpret the emotional state of the dogs in each video. These public ratings were then compared to ratings by a panel of behavioural experts from Dogs Trust. Early results of this study were presented at FABC by Dr Lauren Samet in November 2022. This second talk will focus on the factors (e.g., member of the public’s personal experience with dogs, education on dog behaviour, etc.) that may be related to an individual’s ability to interpret dog emotion.

Full Conference Pack

Available Until 3 September 2023 : £85.00

The Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians are delighted to be able to invite you to our 2nd annual conference on the 3 September 2022. We have an outstanding line up of internationally recognised experts in the field of animal behaviour and veterinary medicine who will be speaking on our conference topic of Behavioural, Medical or both: The vital link!

Dr Sarah Heath - Emotional considerations when dealing with a dermatology case

Available Until 3 September 2023 : £20.00

Dermatology is a veterinary discipline which highlights the link between emotional and physical health. Sarah's presentation will illustrate the importance of considering emotional health when investigating and treating dermatology patients.

Danielle Gunn-Moore - FLUTD and the role of stress in bladder & urethral disease

Available Until 3 September 2023 : £20.00

Danielle's talk will discuss the prevalence & causes of Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD). Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC; aka Stress Cystitis) is the most common cause of feline obstructive and non­obstructive urinary distress. The current understanding of the pathophysiology of this 'anxiopathy' will be considered in detail.

Dr Gemma Pearson - Gastric Ulcers and Grumpy Horses: Which is the Chicken and Which is the Egg?

Available Until 3 September 2023 : £20.00

Gastric ulcers are commonly blamed for behavioural problems in the horse. But are they the cause or just another clinical sign? Gemma will explore the difference in anatomy between the equine stomach and that of other species and explain how this is significant to pathology of gastric ulcers in this species. It will then look at underlying causes, diagnostics and treatment from both a medical and behavioural perspective.

Louise Clark - Pain and musculo-skeletal system, more than a biological approach

Available Until 3 September 2023 : £20.00

The motivational - affective component of chronic pain often presents with patients demonstrating substantial behavioural change. Why can this happen? How do we recognise it and what can we do to manage it? Louise's talk will provide answers.

Dr Rowena Packer - In the brain or in the mind? Exploring the links between neurological disease and behaviour in companion animals

Available Until 3 September 2023 : £20.00

As the most common, chronic neurological disorder in the dog, idiopathic epilepsy is a familiar and challenging disorder for neurology specialists and general veterinary practitioners alike. Rowena will explore the growing evidence of the links between epilepsy and behaviour and cognition in dogs. Furthermore, her talk will consider emerging evidence of how managing behaviour and improving emotional state could benefit epilepsy management.

Equestrianism disciplines: a behavioural perspective

Debbie Busby

Available Until 24 March 2023 : £20.00

Debbie will review a number of popular equestrian disciplines including dressage, jumping, hacking out and trail riding, looking at the behavioural strengths and challenges they present. What do they offer our horses in terms of promoting well-being, and how can we maximise their positive contribution to horses' domestic life?

Mentoring and supervision in Clinical Animal Behaviour

Loni Loftus & Karen Wild

Available Until 30 April 2023 : Members Only

In this webinar Loni and Karen will discuss the role of supervision and mentoring in clinical animal behaviour practice including different types of supervision and mentoring, the role of the supervisor both in general and for practitioners at different stages of career development and discuss good practice in supervision.

The long-term impact of sudden changes in leaving patterns on dog separation-related behaviour

Rachel Casey BVMS PhD DipECAWBM(BM) DipECAWBM(AWSEL) MRCVS

Available Until 13 September 2023 : £20.00

The Dogs Trust Research Team launched a survey in May 2020 to gather data on the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on dogs and dog owners around the UK. Over 7,000 dog owners took part in the study, and subsets of these owners were also followed up by subsequent surveys in October 2020, and October 2021.

UK Public Perceptions of Dog Behaviours

Lauren Samet PhD MSc BSc

Available Until 9 November 2023 : £20.00

Dogs Trust’s Research Team launched a survey in May 2021 to gather data on how the UK public perceived various types of dog behaviour. The survey involved participants viewing 5 videos and scoring the emotions they thought dogs were experiencing in the video, as well as noting which behaviours they thought demonstrated this, and what they thought they would do in response to the dog in the video. Over 5000 people took part, with 4133 people viewing and completing information for 4 or more videos. The data captured were compared to that provided by eight dog behaviour experts that filled in the same questionnaire. This talk will run through the findings from the survey and discuss them in relation to how we, as Dogs Trust, can use them to support the UK public’s safety, knowledge and experiences around dogs, as well as promote a better understanding of dog behaviour, emotion and welfare across the UK.

Differential Diagnosis

Prof Daniel Mills, University of Lincoln

Available Until 12 November 2023 : Members Only

There is a need in our profession for a clear understanding of systematic methodology and the principles of differential diagnosis (what is it and what it is not). In this interactive session, Daniel Mills will explain the differential diagnosis protocol used at the University of Lincoln and answer questions. It is anticipated that this learning could be used, for example, to assist FABC members in writing up case reports in a format suitable for publication, participation in research, and to enable comparisons to be made across practitioners in a standardised way.

Understanding and dealing with the effects of animal behaviour problems upon pet owners' mental health

Ana Maria Barcelos DVM

Available Until 7 December 2023 : £20.00

This presentation will cover the impact of pet behaviour problems on human mental health and propose some ideas/alternatives on how to approach this issue.

A snapshot of dog behaviour modification in the UK: Who is doing it, how are they doing it and from the client perspective, does it work?

Julie Daniels BSc (Hons), MSc, PhD, FRSB

Available Until 22 February 2024 : £20.00

Successful behaviour modification therapy has the potential to avoid the relinquishment of many thousands of dogs with behavioural problems every year in the UK. However, in the absence of a universal register and statutory regulation, it is not clear to whom dog owners may be turning for help. This presentation will discuss the results (and limitations) of an online survey aimed at finding out who is conducting canine behaviour modification in the UK, which behaviours are being treated, which training methods are being employed and how successful dog owners perceive them to be.

Introducing Feliway Optimum

Dr Andrew Sparkes BVetMed PhD DipECVIM MANZCVS MRCVS and Professor Patrick Pageat DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl ECAWBM-BM, HDR

Available Until 29 October 2025 : Members Only

Charlotte Carr M.Sc. B.Sc. (Hons) – Technical Behaviour Manager for Ceva Animal Health United Kingdom & Ireland will take a Q&A session on the new CEVA product Feliway Optimum following a recorded product presentation by renowned feline experts Dr Andrew Sparkes BVetMed PhD DipECVIM MANZCVS MRCVS and Professor Patrick Pageat DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl ECAWBM-BM, HDR

TAKING CLINICAL ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR TO THE NEXT LEVEL - Sponsored by CEVA - Thinking about report writing: Increasing owner understanding and compliance

Helen Zulch

Available Until 11 August 2029 : Members Only

Writing reports for clients post consultation is a significant part of the work of a behaviour counsellor, but it’s generally a part of our job for which we receive little formal training. It’s very easy to fall into the habit of writing a report which we as an individual would like to read, or which we feel meets some professional expectation. However, to write a report that is of greatest value to our client, in order to aid understanding and adherence, means that we should be approaching report writing from the client’s perspective. This webinar will cover a range of aspects which should assist you in creating more client centric reports.

Becoming an Expert Witness – what you need to know

David Ryan, PG Dip (CABC) CCAB