Husbandry and Aggression - How to Navigate Blurred Lines

It’s a common inquiry; one centered around the concern that a dog is aggressive during veterinary, grooming, and general handling procedures. By the time a concerned caregiver reaches out, the puppy or dog has learned aggression is the most effective means to make the procedure stop. Not only is husbandry care stressful for the dog, but for the owner and care staff. Perhaps the dog owner wasn’t aware of services that focused on positive management and handling. Maybe the dog walker or pet sitter wasn’t educated about how dogs communicate, therefore missing subtle cues that their canine client was struggling when equipment was presented for a walk. Perhaps the veterinary or grooming professional wasn’t aware that their client sought the help of a trainer that advocated the use of aversive techniques during classes. This webinar will focus on common blurred lines that professionals navigate daily, and tips for how to showcase and implement collaboration for high ethical standards.

  • How can we support the caregivers and the dog?

  • Why should we change the environment to change behavior?

  • What are the benefits of medication management when indicated?

  • How can we advocate for husbandry at home activities?

Your Presenters

Laura Monaco Torelli

Laura Monaco Torelli is the founder of Animal Behavior Training Concepts in Chicago, Illinois. She began her career in 1991 at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, where she trained beluga whales, dolphins, sea otters, seals, river otters, and penguins. After nearly a decade at the Shedd, she moved on to the San Diego Zoo and then Brookfield Zoo as a lead supervisory trainer. During her time in the zoo community, Laura worked with a wide variety of terrestrial animals, including primates, large cats, birds of prey, horses, parrots, tree kangaroos, giraffes, red pandas, and dogs. Laura serves as a Faculty Instructor with Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training & Behavior (KPA), and as a Teaching Assistant for Dr. Susan G. Friedman’s Living & Learning with Animals online course. She offers private training at West Loop Veterinary Care, located in downtown Chicago. Laura has presented at numerous professional conferences and taught seminars across the United States, Italy, Sweden, UK, Singapore, Japan, and the Caribbean. She was an invited speaker for the American Veterinary Medical Association Convention, Midwest Veterinary Conference, and Penn Vet Working Dog Conference. She has appeared on various broadcast media, including WGN and NBC 5 news, WGN Radio, and WCIU’s You & Me This Morning. She also contributed her training videos for the Fear Free Professional Trainer Certification program, and the Karen Pryor Academy Better Vet Visits online course.

Kelly Ballantyne

Dr. Kelly Ballantyne is a board-certified veterinary behaviorist and the leader of Insight Animal Behavior Services in Chicago. Her interest in veterinary medicine began when she was a young child and she has been a life-long animal lover. Dr. Ballantyne received her Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. During her time working as a primary care veterinarian, Dr. Ballantyne developed a passion for animal behavior. She pursued specialty training with the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACVB) and earned her board certification through ACVB in 2015. Additionally, she worked at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine for 10 years, establishing the College’s first behavior service. Dr. Ballantyne’s research interests include human-animal interactions and psychopharmacology. She has authored several peer-reviewed articles on animal behavior and is a contributing author of ACVB's book, Decoding Your Cat. Dr. Ballantyne is a member of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, American Veterinary Medical Association, Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association, Chicago Veterinary Medical Association, and Chicago Ornithological Society.

What is Included

  • Q&A Time with Laura and Kelly!

    A bonus recording of 30 minutes of Q&A time with Laura and Kelly!

  • Access to Recording

    Access to the webinar and slide PDFs for one year.

  • CEUs!

    1.5 CEUs for CCPDT; 1.5 for IAABC and KPA!