of the Dog - Association of Pet Dog Trainers

More documents

Recommendations

Info

I am just about to leave for my third APDT Conference. The first thing that hits me is “how can it be three already?” The second thing that hits me is how much the APDT has changed in such a short time span. How much has it changed you ask? Well, if you have a little time, let me tell you from my perspective. I joined this little known to me association that was headquartered in Greenville, SC. When I came into the headquarters office for my interview, I was somewhat taken aback by the stark decor or, better yet, lack of any decor. The pictures on the wall were of dogs as you would expect but they were really sparse in numbers. The office spaces were piled with cartons of files and, for lack of a better word, junk. Now remember, I was unaware at that time that the office had been established only a short time before and that a staff of two was too over worked to worry about how the office looked. The interview was very professional. Teoti Anderson, then President, and Don Hanson, then Vice President, did a very good job of giving me their vision for the organization that allowed me to completely forget about the office decor. It is needless to say that I was offered the position and started the job as Executive Director a couple of months later. Now three years later the office is very professional looking and attractive with all the needed office equipment and supplies to properly serve the APDT membership. The staff has changed and grown professionally and in numbers with the addition of Rene McKeel, Manager of Operations, Mychelle Blake, Communications Director, Megan Crosby, Administrative Assistant, and approval to add an Education Director in early 2009. Mychelle is continuing as Managing Editor of The APDT Chronicle of the Dog as part of her position as Communications Director. This is a very professional and hard working staff that I enjoy working with on a daily basis. What about the vision I mentioned? After three years, the APDT has a strategic plan that is well on its way to full implementation. Hopefully, you as members have experienced or seen the improvements that have occurred. • Last month I talked about the APDT Web site and its success, coupled with the success of the APDT Dog Trainer Search. • In October you saw the addition of videos on our Web site for both our members and the dog owners who know so very little about dog training. • You have seen the dramatic changes in The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, with more improvements to come. • The APDT membership registration system has become easier and less cumbersome for both the members and Executive Director’s Report Richard Spencer Executive Director for the APDT staff. • The Board elections are now held online and no members voted by mail. • The APDT Membership Directory is online and always current. • Online survey capabilities have allowed us to keep our fingers on the pulse of the membership. We have run four major surveys in the last two years. • The APDT Conference has significantly grown in attendance and value to the members. • Membership classes have undergone a major modification. • Subscription memberships no longer exist and in its place is the availability of a subscription to The APDT Chronicle of the Dog. • The creation of the Professional membership has put an emphasis on certification and professionalism. Over 900 members have joined this year as professional members. There is so much more that has been changed or added over the last three years. I must say that it has been an exciting time for the Board and the staff. It is even more exciting when I think about what is to come. A comprehensive Communication Plan is nearly complete that will grow the awareness of the APDT to all dog trainers, veterinarians, and those who serve the dog supplies and services industry. It will also grow the awareness of the necessity of training by qualified trainers and the availability of qualified trainers through the APDT Dog Trainer Search. This will be accomplished through a strong presence in the media reaching the general public, dog owners, veterinarians and all other interested parties. The APDT will also be present at pertinent trade shows. A comprehensive Education Plan will be developed in 2009 and 2010 that will enable the APDT to accomplish its primary mission of providing education to dog trainers in a meaningful, effective, and affordable way. We will be developing programs and delivery methods to accomplish this mission. The next three years will make the first three seem easy but, when we get there, we will proudly stand out as an association for professional dog trainers and those who want to become professional dog trainers. 4 w The APDT Chronicle of the Dog w November/December 2008 www.APDT.com
A Message From the President ... Kellyann Conway, CABC President, APDT Board of Directors Kellyann and friends Gazoo, Nemo, and Jasper Well W this has been a very exciting year! Before I recap a little of what we did I would first like to congratulate Gail Fisher, Ali Brown and Mel Bussey for winning this year’s Board of Directors Election positions. I wish all of them success in continuing the dynamic progress that APDT has been experiencing for the last few years. These Board members will begin serving their terms on the first day of 2009. Now, I’d like to give you all a brief overview of some of the key things that we accomplished in the past year. One of our primary goals of the APDT is to provide you with the tools that you will need to be the best trainers and successful business persons you can be while you provide education and assistance to countless families and dogs. This year we have made some wonderful progress in our efforts to continue the professionalization of our members, our industry and our organization. Likely, one of the first changes that you noticed was the new full color version of our member magazine, The APDT Chronicle of the Dog. With this new look and feel we continue to grow and develop what you have ranked as your number one member benefit. We know our members are always hungry for the most current information available to professional dog trainers. To continue meeting your expectations, we will continue our progress into next year with member access to exclusive online content that will compliment the printed issue content. Then there is the development of the New APDT BarkBoard discussion forum. As I am writing this we haven’t launched it to our members yet but, we have been testing it. The new APDT BarkBoard has been in the test phase for the past couple of months to ensure that it is everything our members could want in a discussion forum. Now we are *not* getting rid of our original discussion group—the APDT list on Yahoogroups. The APDT BarkBoard will be an addition to what we offer you. Our members told us that you wanted a place to discuss *anything* you wanted to—including APDT itself—and we have created it for you. This new forum is well organized www.APDT.com with different threads and topics. In my own testing of this new feature I can tell you that I found it to be very helpful. I have far too many e-mails to filter through each day and this format provided me with the ability to go directly to the topics that I found interesting. The APDT BarkBoard also lends itself to a lot of potential and growth that Yahoo simply does not allow for. Next, as you are fully aware, the APDT has always stressed that continuing education for our members is absolutely fundamental. As a result, each year we strive to bring our membership a top notch conference with the best speakers in the industry, the latest information about animal behavior, and business-related content to help ensure that you stay on the cutting edge. Well, what was good is about to get better. No longer will our members’ education opportunities be limited to just the one conference a year. We will be providing our members with access to education videos from our past conferences online in our members’ only section. The board of directors has also approved the hiring of an education director for early 2009. This person will oversee and implement new strategies to bring our membership the very best continuing education in the most accessible and affordable formats possible. This won’t be something that replaces our conference but it will be a wonderful supplement throughout the year that will be exclusive to our APDT members. The board of directors also approved a proposal for the development of a new 502(c)(3) division of the APDT, the APDT Foundation. This foundation will support the APDT’s desire to increase advanced scientific knowledge regarding canine behavior by providing grants to individuals and organizations that have the capability of conducting humane and ethical behavioral research and the study of canines. In addition, the APDT Foundation will also support the development and implementation of formal dog training education through communities and higher education programs throughout the United States. We have also made numerous advances on our web site including improvements to the Trainer Search, an online membership directory, online videos, and more … By the way did you know that if you search the words “dog trainer” on the world’s largest search engine (rhymes with bugle) APDT will appear first?! The APDT Trainer Search keeps you just a click away from your next potential client. These improvements are in large part due to our web designer and host Chris Lee of Rickter Design. The APDT has also strengthened the infrastructure of this organization in many ways. Not only have we expanded upon the already solid skills of our existing staff but we have also filled the new Communications Director position. Mychelle Blake, our illustrious Managing Editor for The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, is our [continued on next page] November/December 2008 w The APDT Chronicle of the Dog w 5
Page 1 and 2: The APDT CHRONICLE of the Dog Novem
Page 3: Ma n a g i n g ed i t o r /co M M u
Page 7 and 8: CANINE BEHAVIOR Handelman $49.95 CH
Page 9 and 10: FREE SAMPLE ISSUE! 2. I have learne
Page 11 and 12: (Riverside, CA) comparing 50 assess
Page 13 and 14: www.APDT.com November/December 2008
Page 15 and 16: they adopt the attitudes that yield
Page 17 and 18: “Give Me a Break!” Recently, a
Page 19 and 20: “We’re back on. This is for you
Page 21 and 22: Hence, an uncertified but enthusias
Page 23 and 24: Teaching Classes Safety First Joan
Page 25 and 26: Creative Canine: Original Intention
Page 27 and 28: Value Title 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% Fi
Page 29 and 30: plus other species evinced a messag
Page 31 and 32: Endotes 1. Miklósi, Á., Topál, J
Page 33 and 34: There’s often a belief that lower
Page 35 and 36: One variable—location—is the sa
Page 37 and 38: woman named Fawn, who said to me,
Page 39 and 40: At Afirst glance, the dog appeared
Page 41 and 42: animals that are trying to co-exist
Page 43 and 44: Face Diving: When the dog repeatedl
Page 45 and 46: Wide Panting: When the dog’s mout
Page 47 and 48: What the APDT Web Site Can Do For Y
Page 49 and 50: Crate Games for Self Control and Mo
Page 51 and 52: ehavior consultants, as well as bus

of the Dog - Association of Pet Dog Trainers

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?