Emotional Dog. Presented by Dr Robert Falconer-Taylor BVetMed DipCABT MRCVS

CEUs: PPAB 1, CCPDT 1, IAABC 1

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Emotional Dog -

Riding the canine emotional roller-coaster in our chaotic human world

For those of us compassionate about animal welfare, we want our dogs, and the dogs we work with professionally, to trust us and to be fundamentally ‘happy’ in their day-to-day lives. But what does ‘happy’ actually mean? Over the last 2 decades there have been huge steps forward in our understanding of emotional states in other animals, and much of the more recent research has used dogs as the model because they are easy to study and, like us, have rich emotional lives. We now know what emotional states we humans share with other animals and we also know the emotional states that are most likely to be unique to us. We know where they are generated in the brain, how they work and what happens when they go wrong.

Canis lupus familiaris is the victim of its own success. The process of domestication has led to a number of modifications to the functionality of the core emotional systems that has left dogs more vulnerable to developing mental illness akin to those of humans. In this webinar, Robert will show you where these weaknesses are located neurophysiologically and emotionally, and why you need to know about them in order to fix them. This knowledge is hugely important for anyone working with dogs and are concerned about their welfare, including dog owners, trainers, behaviourists and veterinary professionals. The knowledge you will gain will change how you see dogs forever. This is a bold statement, but it is true.

 

Key Learning Objectives

1. Understand the functional organisation of the canine self.
2. Understand the influence of genetics on canine emotionality.
3. Understand the vulnerability of emotional systems to trauma.
4. Understand the roles of epigenetics and neural plasticity in emotional repair and restoration.

About The Presenter

Dr Robert Falconer-Taylor BVetMed DipCABT MRCVS

Dr. Robert Falconer-Taylor was veterinary director and head of education of the Centre of Applied Pet Ethology (COAPE), the first organisation in the UK to develop government-regulated courses to degree level specifically in companion animal behaviour and training. COAPE also developed the renowned EMRA system used by behaviourists and trainers all over the world, now summarised in their book – EMRA Intelligence: The revolutionary new approach to treating behaviour problems in dogs.

He teaches and consults around the world along with writing for the veterinary and other professional press. He is also author of the informative EMOTIONS-R-US Blog, published on the Emotions-R-Us website, which has been taken up and endorsed by many training and behaviour organisations all over the world.

He is an international consultant to the pet industry where he has engaged in the development and risk assessment of pet ‘toys’ targeted specifically at promoting the welfare of pets and their relationships with their owners. He has been actively involved in the development of the ‘The Puppy Plan’, first launched in February 2012 and updated in 2014, a collaboration between Dogs Trust and the Kennel Club. He is also a member of the International Cat Care Behavioural Advisory Panel.

His primary academic interests include companion animal cognitive science and emotionality, nutrition and its effects on behaviour, and applied neurophysiology, pharmacology and therapeutics in companion animal behaviour therapy.

He promotes the idea wherever and whenever he can that – “The key to better animal welfare is through education and better understanding of the rich emotional lives our pets share with us”.