06/10/2025
Wow... where do I start? The past four days have been such an incredible experience, and one that makes me so, so happy to have found my community within the dog training world; a collection of fellow human beings who are deeply dedicated and so passionate about the wellbeing of the canines and other animals we share our lives with. I see the fire in the eyes to do better, to understand thoroughly, to learn more, and to value the learners that are in front of them. No longer are ethical ‘dog trainers’ people who tell dogs to do stuff. We are people who wish to understand the motivation and see the full picture of what our dogs are telling us. We want their quality of life to be as fantastic as possible, and to ensure they have lives that are really worth living. Being in a room surrounded by people who hold those same values is so uplifting… and also completely exhausting, because I talk WAY too much when I’m around them all.
Highlights of the conference for me included absorbing the incredibly in-depth knowledge of Dr Amber Batson, a wise veterinary behaviourist from the UK with such a broad scope of knowledge on all the inner workings of our dogs, and how those workings can affect their behaviour. I find my own career leaning more and more in this direction, the more I work with behaviour cases - so everything she had to say was very relevant!
The brilliant, hilarious, and indescribably skilled Chirag Patel taught so beautifully on dog behaviour from a behaviour analysis lens, pushing us to stop looking at things from a textbook description and to start actually analysing the data in front of us by looking at what the dogs are telling us with their behaviour. I was absolutely mind-blown watching footage of Chirag work with clients, as the flow with which he works with these dogs and their humans is a skill like no other, which has developed over many years of dedication and practice. He is a true master in his field.
And then there’s Peta Clarke… what can I say? You all know how much that bloody brilliant woman inspires me every day, and seeing her presenting once again blew me out of the water. If I could be even an eighth as compassionate, as skilled, and as hilariously ‘professionally unprofessional’, I’ll be pretty thrilled with what I’ve achieved in life. The way she looks at every single individual in front of her and questions how she can make the experience for this individual the best it can be, is something we should all strive for. The world needs more Peta Clarkes.
It was wonderful to learn once again from Laura Ryder, who taught me during my AVT certificate and who always explains things so clearly, with her focus aimed towards ensuring the dogs have as much joy in their lives as possible. She reminds us all to embrace our dog’s dogginess to the best of our abilities, which is absolutely something we owe them when we bring them into our homes.
The APDT shorts speakers and all other speakers who passion talked on their own specialised topics throughout the conference, brought with them such a wealth of information. Watching others stand up and speak, despite being terrified, helped me know I wasn’t alone in my fear and anticipation. I was particularly inspired by Sarah Rutten’s talk on writing and publishing her own best-selling book, and how it helped her to escape a very dark period of her life. Her presentation was so human, so raw and honest, and I’m sure it provided hope to many people who might be feeling stuck in a rut.
And finally, having the opportunity to present my own APDT Short. Wow. 15 minutes in front of a packed room of talented trainers, many who have been in the industry for a whole lot longer than me - some longer than I have been alive! I was terrified, I stumbled over my words and was a complete Wally while trying to figure out how being on such a stage worked, but everyone in that room was so supportive, and I walked away feeling so strongly reinforced, feeling valued as a part of this community, and knowing that I am definitely on the right path to where I want to go. I extend my sincerest gratitude to the APDT committee for giving this goofy chatterbox a chance, particularly Louise Ginman for her constant support and reassurance. What an absolutely amazing team to pull such an event together. I feel so inspired to keep working towards achieving my goals, and it all just feels a little more possible.
The networking is always one of my favourite parts, getting to know new people, share stories (and dog pics), and gelling with different humans from all over the country, both old friends and new. I stayed out each night chatting away, and ended the conference with a night at the bar, exchanging stories, people-watching epic dance moves, and singing along to a few tunes. A perfect way to conclude a perfect four days 🌅
Okay, that’s me done. I need to sleep for a week… phew. Over and out ❤️❤️
