Events and conferences
IAABC Conference 2018
Our next conference is going to be bigger and better than ever, with a full three days of presentations, discussions and social events for all our Divisions. Join us on the 20th to the 22nd of April in Burlington, MA—registration is now open, with early bird and member discounts available. Speakers already confirmed include Karen Deeds, Lynn Seibert, Dr. Christopher Pachel and Jessica Dolce, with many more to be announced in the coming months.
Don’t forget to bookmark our official IAABC Conference website to stay up to date with all the latest news and announcements.
IAABC UK set for next Spring
Our first ever European conference is in the final planning stages, with an “ish” date of May 22nd, 2018. Along with Dr. Chris Pachel and Dr Susan Friedman, we have some amazing UK speakers we’re waiting to confirm! More details will be forthcoming, but if you’re in or around the UK, save that week! Sign up to our newsletter to stay up to date with all our conference news—there’s a signup form at the bottom of this page.
Behavior Live!
We’ve been working hard to bring you access to the best and brightest people working in animal behavior wherever you are in the world. Over the last few weeks, IAABC President Michael Shikashio has been video chatting with noted experts across our field over on our Facebook page as part of our new series, IAABC Behavior Live! You can catch up with all our previous sessions for free any time, including:
Leslie McDevitt
More famous faces are scheduled in the coming weeks, follow us on Facebook for all the details.
Our courses and mentorships
Dedicate yourself to what you love
No matter where you’re at in your career, it’s important to know you have a solid grasp of all the science and skills that underpin success in animal behavior consulting. Our field is moving so fast, and becoming so much more rigorous, that we believe now is a great time to invest in a course that’s current, in-depth, and taught by real experts. Animal Behavior Consulting: Principles & Practice is running twice more this year, and we have discounts available for IAABC members. It’s twelve weeks of detailed written and video content, mentor-facilitated peer group discussions, quizzes and personalized feedback that is both unique and unrivaled in our industry. We have one start date available right now: September 24th. This is the last date for 2017, so make sure to Learn more and sign up on our website.
Mentorships for 2017
Since launching the first set last year, our mentorships have become an overwhelmingly popular part of the education we offer to behavior consultants and trainers at all levels. Many of our mentors are now offering repeat sessions to accommodate demand, so whether you’re just starting out, looking to refine your knowledge, or transfer your skills to a new species or environment, we’ve got an expert waiting to help you.
August: Beginning Behavior Consulting with Sarah Filipiak.
September: Introduction to Horse Behavior Consulting with Justine Harrison, Aggression in Dogs with Michael Shikashio, Shelter Dog Behavior with Trish McMillan Loehr.
October: Cat Behavior Consulting with Katenna Jones.
January: Writing with Eileen Anderson
For additional details, read our Mentoring FAQ and our Auditing Information sheet.
Grow your business with new technology
This Summer Katenna Jones, ACAAB, CCBC, CDBC, CPDT-KA, ScM, is offering a new course called Conducting Virtual Behavior Consultations, where you can learn how to use modern hardware and software to reach new clients and increase your productivity. The course starts on August 7th and runs for three weeks. Details and prices here.
IAABC members at any level get a substantial discount on all our courses and mentorships—if you join us before signing up for Animal Behavior Consulting: Principles & Practice your membership will pay for itself right away! Learn more about joining IAABC.
Write for us!
The next edition of the Journal is now open for submissions from anyone, whether you’re a member of IAABC or not. Do you have an idea for an article, or an interesting case study you’d like to share? Send an email to our Managing Editor Jesse at journal@iaabc.org and he’ll get right back to you! The deadline for initial drafts our Fall issue is October 1st.
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Mike is an emerging animal behaviorist sitting in Minnesota in the US. He carries an MSc in social science research methods (U. of Kentucky) and brings a passion for understanding how the methods we favor shape the knowledge we privilege. Coming from careers in teaching and non-profit program evaluation, he found companion animal behavior by accident helping anxious feline friends in a unique shelter in Ohio. It is a privilege and a joy to combine these and advance the journal in this exciting time of growth.
Alexandra is a certified dog behavior consultant and holds a PhD in neuroscience. She has spent over a decade in academic research and is author of numerous scientific articles on different aspects of brain development, including olfaction, neurogenesis, and memory formation. Her work as a behavior consultant focuses on creating trusting relationships between humans and their dogs through communication, respect, and science-based knowledge. Alexandra is very dedicated to promoting more science within the dog training world. She supports dog guardians and professionals to build a solid understanding of scientific principles and provides guidance on how to apply these to life with dogs. She runs Canine Mindscape in Alicante, Spain.
I’m an Argentinean-Italian dog trainer and CSAT who spent eight amazing years in Brazil learning and working with dogs. Now based in Europe, I volunteer with the IAABC as a translator and, in my free time, help rehomed dogs settle into their new families. I love bridging languages—and hearts—between people and their dogs.
I’m a translator, editor and journalist, as well as canine educator for children and families, specialized in canine body language. I am part of the IAABC Family since 2019, as Language Director at the IAABC and Translators Team Lead at the IAABC Foundation, at the moment. I volunteer at local shelters and promote bite prevention and animal welfare at schools and events all over my country, Uruguay.
I’m a Chilean veterinarian and certified dog trainer, based in Madrid and working at a veterinary clinic. I’ve been volunteering with the IAABC and the IAABC Foundation for over seven years. In my free time, I help dogs and their guardians strengthen their bond, and I love spending quality time with my own dogs.
Master’s Degree in Natural Sciences, with a strong interest in environmental sustainability and the protection of natural ecosystems. Passionate about writing and science communication, she collaborates with multidisciplinary teams on research projects, such as Equine International, and with non-profit initiatives in the environmental and cultural fields. She is writing for different magazines, including IAABC Foundation. Her major goal is to improve horse’s welfare through behaviour research and empirical practice.
Adrienne Hovey is the copy editor for the IAABC Foundation journal and the owner of 
I believe that knowledge from a wide range of disciplines fosters a more empathetic, curious, and engaging world. I am passionate about social, environmental, and minority rights issues (both human and non-human), and this has invariably led me down the road of multi-species anthropology. Perpetually curious about the world we live in, I hope to contribute towards making the world a kinder place for all of us earthlings to live on!
Beckie Wheldon is based in England, UK, and has been supporting the IAABC Foundation Journal team as a volunteer journal content editor since early 2025. She has a BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour and Welfare, and has recently completed a MSc Clinical Animal Behaviour. With a passion for both practical and theory, Beckie is proud to be a part of the journal submission journey and support the process of applied animal behaviour information and research getting from our writers to the readers. As her full-time career, Beckie is currently part of the UK veterinary charity, PDSA, as a Learning and Development Business Partner for Veterinary, where she supports the professional development of people in their Veterinary Hospitals. Her last position was with the rescue charity, Dogs Trust, as a Canine Behavioural Welfare Manager, where she worked on embedding evidence-based behavioural welfare best practices throughout policy and practices, with both internal and external professional stakeholders, such as the police and military. With a varied background in kennels, caregiver education, and charity dog training classes, Beckie is also an accredited Animal Training Instructor (APDT UK) and an Associate Clinical Animal Behaviourist (APBC).
Erin Jones, PhD, IAABC-ADT, CDBC, CPDT-KA, CANZ-ATI, CANZ-ABC, is the Journal Director of the IAABC Foundation Journal. She holds a PhD in Human–Animal Studies, an MSc in Anthrozoology, a PG Dip in Animal Welfare, and a BSc (Hons) in Anthropology and Psychology. An international presenter, editor, writer and mentor, Erin’s writing bridges research and practice with a focus on the intersection of philosophy, ethics and dog-centered behaviour practice. She is the author of Constructing Canine Consent and co-editor of Topics in Non/Human Coexistence and numerous academic and trade journal publications.