A unique opportunity to learn about canine science from the scientists
In this information-packed two-day applied science conference, you will learn about studies in canine behavior, training, sheltering, & welfare. Perfect for practitioners who value & use evidence-based interventions to improve the lives of dogs.
Join us for engaging talks on:
Dogs’ complex relationships with other dogs & people
All things olfaction: physiology, cognitive processing, odor control & intensity
Giving shelter dogs what they want with preferred activities
Behavioral issues & barriers to receiving support that owners experience
Using preference & assent tests to achieve cooperative care with our dogs
Shelter interventions that improve dogs’ behavior & welfare
Comparing & contrasting the cognitive abilities of dogs, cats, & other species
Preference, reinforcer efficacy, & their relationship
Issues that adopters experience, how they react, obtain support, & their success
Helping dogs be more resilient during stressful situations
Pet parenting styles & what it means to be a good pet parent
The relationship between the activity levels of dogs in the shelter & in the home
14 Presentations, 1 Emerging Scientists Session, & 1 All-Speaker Roundtable
Breakfast, lunch, & afternoon breaks that facilitate networking with other evidence-based sheltering, behavior, training, & welfare professionals
Location
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA
dates
Saturday, May 18 & Sunday, May 19, 2024
registration
In-Person & Zoom for 1-Day & Weekend
Discount pricing ends on 4/18!
ceus (In-person, Zoom)
CCPDT (CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA): 14, 8
IAABC:
PPG: 14, 8
KPA: 14, 8
Speakers
Saturday, May 18
ALL TIMES ARE IN PACIFIC TIME
8:00 AM Registration Check-in, Breakfast, Networking
9:00 AM Welcome & Housekeeping
OPENING PLENARY
9:10 AM* Social networks of companion dogs: diversity and origins of relationships with fellow humans and fellow dogs (Zsofia Viranyi)
MORNING SESSION
10:15 AM* Thinking outside the operant chamber: Assessing barriers to behavior services for dog owners & how applied animal behavior analysis can help (Lindsay Mehrkam)
11:15 AM* Dogs smell: The how & why (Nathan Hall)
12:15 PM* What do dogs want? Investigating preference, reinforcers, & their relationship - and what that means for your training (Erica Feuerbacher)
LUNCH
1:00 PM City Eats: SFSU’s Dining Commons
AFTERNOON SESSION
2:00 PM Achieving cooperative care: The role of preference & assent tests in promoting canine choice (Lindsay Mehrkam)
3:10 PM What smells? What are odors, & how do they work? (Nathan Hall)
4:30 PM Body language & preference: Is it as simple as watching your dog? (Erica Feuerbacher)
EMERGING SCIENTISTS SESSION
5:40 PM Graduate students throughout the Seven Hills Conference Center will be presenting research posters and available for question-and-answer
Sunday, May 19
ALL TIMES ARE IN PACIFIC TIME
8:30 AM Registration Check-in, Breakfast, Networking
9:00 AM Welcome & Housekeeping
OPENING PLENARY
9:10 AM* Supporting adopters: Provision & evaluation of a post adoption behavioural support service (Rachel Casey)
MORNING SESSION
10:15 AM* It’s like herding cats! Why our beliefs about the behavior & cognition of other species matter (Monique Udell)
11:15 AM* The effect of handler behaviour on stress resilience in dogs (Alexandra Protopopova)
12:15 AM* Toys, scents, other dogs, people, & food: Interventions that influence shelter dog behavior & welfare (Lisa Gunter)
LUNCH
1:00 PM City Eats: SFSU’s Dining Commons
AFTERNOON SESSION
2:00 PM The science behind pet parenting (Monique Udell)
3:10 PM Asking dogs questions: Creating preference assessments for activity-based enrichment (Alexandra Protopopova)
4:30 PM Must have a yard? The relationship between dogs’ activity pre- & post-adoption (Lisa Gunter)
ASK US ANYTHING
5:40 PM* A roundtable with the scientists of the Canine Science Symposium answering questions from our moderator & our in-person & Zoom attendees. Submit your question here!
Emerging scientists session
The aim of the Emerging Scientists Session is to share upcoming research by new scientists with Symposium attendees & connect these scientists with shelter & behavior practitioners that can utilize their findings – & possibly become future collaborators!
Abstract Submission Deadline: March 31, 2024
registration
Discounted: Until 4/18, Regular: After 4/18
IN-PERSON: Discounted Weekend ($415), 1-Day ($205) | Regular Weekend ($469), 1-Day ($235)
ZOOM: Discounted ($215), 1-Day ($108) | Regular Weekend ($238), 1-Day ($119)
*Zoom agenda does not include Afternoon or Emerging Scientists Sessions
Refund Policy
CEUS (In-Person, Zoom): CCPDT: (CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA) 14, 8 | IAABC, PPG: 14,8, KPA: 14, 8
sponsorship
Your company will have the unique opportunity to engage with the top scientists in the field of companion animal behavior, as well as animal trainers, behavior consultants, veterinary professionals, animal shelter staff and volunteers. With our many sponsorship opportunities and levels of involvement, your brand visibility and connection with attendees can live on long past the event itself
This year’s Symposium speakers are experts from Dogs Trust, University of British Columbia, Monmouth University, Texas Tech, Oregon State University, and Virginia Tech
By sponsoring the 2024 Canine Science Symposium, you will be supporting scientific inquiry, science-based decision-making, and professional education
Sponsorship levels: Depending on the level you choose, your organization will receive placement in our program, on our website, recognition during the welcome presentation, inclusion in our attendee swag bag, complimentary registration, an exhibit table at the Symposium, & much more!
Reach out to Grace Phillips at gracep23@vt.edu for more information about our sponsorship opportunities.
Our Sponsors
location
San Francisco State University
Morning & afternoon sessions will be held in the Seven Hills Conference Center. City Eats will host our lunches each day (which is included in registration)
Use this address when mapping to the Seven Hills and Towers Conference Centers: 796 State Drive, San Francisco, CA 94132. This is also the same address for the nearby SFSU Parking Garage
For accommodations, check out these options near campus, presented by San Francisco State University
Contact Us
If you have questions, send us a message. We’re happy to answer them. We’re looking forward to seeing you at this year’s Canine Science Symposium!