THE BUSINESS END OF THE LEASH
Making dog training conferences work for you
By Veronica Boutelle, MA, CTC and Harriet Alexander
Let’ s be honest— professional dog training conferences can feel like drinking from a fire hose. Between the packed schedules, networking opportunities, and constant stream of new ideas, it’ s easy to end up overwhelmed rather than energized. But with a little strategy( and maybe some chocolate), you can turn these events into gold mines of inspiration and connection.
CHOOSE YOUR ADVENTURE WISELY Before you whip out that credit card, take a breath. Not all conferences are created equal, and FOMO( fear of missing out) isn’ t a great reason to attend. Think about what you really need right now. Are you looking to level up your reactive dog training skills? Dying to connect with other force-free trainers? Or maybe you’ re ready to dive deep into the science of dog cognition?
Consider factors beyond just the speakers and topics. Is the location realistic for your budget and schedule? Will you have enough downtime between sessions to actually process what you’ re learning? Some conferences pack every minute with content, while others build in valuable networking time and breaks.
Pro tip: Check out past attendee reviews on social media, and don’ t be shy about reaching out to colleagues who’ ve been before. Their insights can help you dodge events that aren’ t worth your time and money. Ask specific questions like“ How applicable was the content to everyday client work?” or“ Were there good opportunities to connect with other trainers?”
NETWORKING FOR THE NETWORKING-AVERSE If the thought of networking makes you want to hide under a table with the conference facility’ s therapy dog, you’ re not alone. But here’ s the thing— dog trainers tend to be pretty awesome people, and many of them feel exactly the same way.
Start small. That person sitting alone during lunch? They’ re probably grateful when you ask to join them. That awkward moment before sessions start? Perfect time to turn to your neighbor and ask what brought them here. Remember, you already have something in common— you’ re both dog nerds who geek out over learning theory and training techniques.
Some tried-and-true conversation starters:
•“ What’ s the most interesting case you’ ve worked on lately?”
•“ Which session are you most excited about?”
•“ Got any favorite management tools for [ specific behavior issue ]?”
•“ What’ s the dog training scene like in your area?”
Pro networking tip: Create a simple system for following up with people you meet. Jot quick notes on business cards(“ Met at lunch, discussed separation anxiety cases”) or use your phone to record voice memos between sessions.
DEALING WITH INFORMATION OVERLOAD You know that feeling when your brain is so full it might explode? Yeah, that’ s conference overwhelm. Here’ s how to handle it:
• Take strategic breaks. Missing one session to process your thoughts( or grab a coffee) is better than sitting through everything in a mental fog. Use this time to review your notes, chat with other attendees, or simply decompress.
• Create a note-taking system that works for you. Some people swear by the“ two-column” method: main points on one side, implementation ideas on the other. Others use mindmapping or key words. Whatever works for you is perfect— just make sure you can actually read / understand it later!
• Set realistic expectations. You won’ t remember everything, and that’ s okay. Focus on capturing the key points that resonate most with your business and clients.
• Use your phone’ s voice recorder or a notes app to capture quick thoughts between sessions. Future You will thank Past
36 Better Training Through Education