The Clicker Expo Faculty

I realise there aren't any cute dogs in my blips these days, but I am spending my days with some of the world's greatest animal trainers, which is so amazing that I just have to blip them.

The The Clicker Expo Faculty is from left:

Emelie Johnson Vegh began training dogs as a teenager, after many years of involvement with horses. Her first dog was a mixed breed that competed successfully in both agility and obedience.

Michele Pouliot has been a professional guide dog mobility instructor for more than three decades. In addition to personally training more than 350 guide dog teams over 20 years, Michele contributed to the GDB organization in many different ways through several positions of increasing responsibility. Michele has led Guide Dogs for the Blind through a gradual changeover from traditional training to clicker training in guide dog work, and has worked to instruct the organization's blind clients in the use of the clicker.

Norwegian Cecilie Køste has been a top competitor in both obedience and working dog trials. She has also competed in show jumping with her two clicker trained horses. She has experience with search and rescue dogs and dogs approved for military service. With a degree in psychology, Cecilie is a doctor at a clinic for Child and Youth Psychiatry. She was an early adopter of clicker training and is one of Scandinavia's leading authors on this technology.

Kay Laurence runs a training and education business, Learning About Dogs Ltd. In addition to workshops at her own training facility and in the virtual learning environment, Kay holds workshops and seminars across Europe and the United States, teaching a wide range of clicker training skills and encouraging trainers to enjoy the expansive views outside the box.

Aaron Clayton has been president of Karen Pryor Clicker Training and a business partner with Karen Pryor for more than a decade.

Eva Bertilsson is studying behavior analysis at the master's level. Previously she earned a degree in psychology and education and worked as a teacher. She has worked for the Swedish Kennel Club for many years, educating agility instructors and future instructors' teachers, as well as offering pet dog classes and campaigning for clicker training at local clubs. She is also involved in increasing the knowledge of training and behavioral management in animal caretaker education and in zoological facilities.

Ken Ramirez is Executive vice president & chief training officer at Karen Pryor Clicker Training. He was most recently executive vice president of animal collections and training at Chicago's world-famous Shedd Aquarium, where he developed and supervised animal care programs, staff training and development, and public presentation programs for the entire animal collection. In this position, he oversaw animal care and training for over 32,000 animals including whales and dolphins, sharks and turtles, sea horses and jellies, and so many more. His career at Shedd spanned 25 years.

And finally Karen Pryor, who invented Clicker Training - I blipped her yesterday too.

Another fantastic day at the Clicker Expo. I have attended 3 lectures:
Ken Ramirez: Effective Non-Food Reinforcement.
Michele Pouliot: Strategic Reinforcement Delievery.
Eva Bertilsson and Emelie Johnson-Vegh: Reward Ends, then what?

I also went to a panel discussion with the Clicker Expo faculty. This is where this picture was taken.

See you tomorrow.
Emmy and the Hazyland Boys