EDITORS LETTER
It ’ s Happening , Ya ’ ll !
After two years of virtual conferences , get ready for speakers , sessions , and sand at Daytona Beach !
We are just three months into the new year and it ’ s been a busy 2022 thus far . First , kudos to all of you who utilized January to promote National Train Your Dog Month . It was a great opportunity to reach out to the public on the need to train those pandemic or holiday puppies and adoptees . Here in Kentucky , the staff is deep into the preparations for the first in-person conference in three years . This year ’ s 29th Annual Conference and Trade Show , again co-hosted with our Canadian sister organization , will be held Oct . 19-21 in Daytona Beach , Florida .
There is a lot going on as the dog training industry adapts to changes caused by either the environment or through legislation to have the animal training industry go from being unregulated to having a baseline of credentials in order to call oneself a dog trainer . As new developments occur , information will be sent out to the membership either through its monthly SPEAK !, a single-issue news release , and reports in future issues of the Chronicle of the Dog .
So what ’ s up for the SPRING 2022 issue ? The top news is the first look at this year ’ s conference speakers and sessions that begins with Association News on page 10 . There is still a lot of tweaking the schedule / sessions / speakers over the next few weeks , but you can get an idea of conference and jump on that Early Bird registration that opened March 14 for Premium Professional Members and on March 28 for everyone . Early Bird rates end after Aug . 1 , so grab that opportunity as soon as possible to lock down your travel rates . Also within Association News is an introduction to APDT ’ s newest board member , Curtis Kelley of Pet Parent Alliances of Philadelphia , Pennsylvania ; the Membership Task Force gives an update on their goals for 2022 , and the APDT Foundation announces dates and details about proposals for posters , scholarships , grants and its upcoming Silent Auction that raises funds for the beforementioned outreach projects . To wrap up that section , one trainer writes about the importance of taking back the true meaning of the word “ balanced .”
explain what you can do for your potential clients rather than your love of dogs , which frankly , is a given . David Pearsall , of Business Insurers of the Carolinas , offers examples as to why a dog training business might want to have Care , Custody and Control coverage . And due to our alliance with CATCH Canine Trainers Academy , this issue offers a step-by-step process on helping a Boston Terrier with a bite history to overcome his fear aggression .
Our features begin on page 38 with the dynamic duo of Irith Bloom and Kristina Spaulding , Ph . D ., who discuss a study on whether dogs reciprocate with humans . Then on page 44 , author Jennifer Berg provides an interview with Sue Ailsby , a longtime trainer who transitioned from compulsion methods during the early days of her career to positive reinforcement . During a time when the ability to travel for adventures was greatly reduced , trainer Mike Thomas , who last wrote about Canicross , was inspired by a fundraiser to break free from the confines of quarantine and embark on a 1,000-km journey with Rogue , his beloved nearly 12-year-old Siberian Husky . Done virtually rather than as a single group event , it involved every type of outing , from a sniffing walk around the park or a longer hike in unfamiliar woods , creating lasting memories with Rogue . That story begins on page 50 .
Meg Harrison , our flower-essence aficionado , has offered many articles on how flower essence assists pets and people with their emotions , but it can also work wonders in healing those dealing with harsh environments or behavior issues . It ’ s a sniffing exercise for people and pets ; that story begins on page 52 .
Enjoy this issue of COTD and we look forward to seeing everyone in person at our 29th annual conference Oct . 19-21 in Daytona Beach , Florida !
Devon Hubbard Sorlie , Editor | devon . sorlie @ apdt . com
For our regular columnists , Veronica Boutelle ’ s Business End of the Leash rightly points out some trainer bios miss the mark when it comes to promoting them as a trainer . She stresses the need to
The APDT Chronicle of the Dog | Spring 2022 5