When the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) held its 20th annual conference and
trade show in Hartford, Conn. in mid October, two individuals were singled out for special recognition. KarenPryor received a Lifetime Achievement Award for her trailblazing contributions to the science and application of modern, marker-based animal training, better known as “clicker training.” Pryor thanked the selection committee via video because she was simultaneously officiating at the 2014 Clicker Training Expo in London. Following the ceremony, Don Hanson, CPDT-KA, CDBC, BFRAP, was honored with the APDT Member of the Year Award for his numerous contributions while leading the APDT Education Advisory Group as well as serving as vice chair, chair and treasurer of the APDT Board of Trustees.
“Karen and Don are exceptional educators who have both made a meaningful and significant impact on canine training and pet behavior counseling,” commented Mychelle Blake, APDT President and CEO. The APDT 2015 Conference and Trade Show will take place in Dallas from October 14 to October 17, 2015. Canine trainers interested in learning more about APDT’s extensive certification and continuing education programs are invited to visit www.APDT.com.
About Karen Pryor
With graduate degrees in marine biology and zoology at the University of Hawaii, New York University and
Rutgers, Karen is the author of 20 articles and book chapters in the scientific literature, an edited volume on open-ocean dolphin studies, and 10 books for the general public. Combining the work of Konrad Lorenz and the behavioral principles of B.F. Skinner, she pioneered in the development of modern, marker-based animal training. In 1984, President Reagan appointed her to a three-year term as Federal Commissioner on the Marine Mammal Commission, overseeing research and management of all marine mammals in US waters.
In 1984, Pryor published Don’t Shoot the Dog! explaining the uses of positive reinforcement and marker based training for human beings as well as animals. Now translated into 17 languages, the book has become a standard college text on reinforcement and a popular text for trainers of dogs and zoo animals. Public demand for additional teaching materials led to Pryor’s formation in 1992 of a publishing and video
production company, Sunshine Books (later renamed Karen Pryor Clicker Training, or KPCT). Pryor
retired from the company in 2014 to devote more time to pursuing her scientific and family interests.
About Don Hanson
Volunteering for the APDT has been a big part of Don Hanson’s life. Continuing education is very important to Don and he believes it is fundamental to the professionalization of dog training and pet behavior counseling. To this end, he became involved in 1998 when Dr. Ian Dunbar asked him to serve on the neEducation Committee. He served on that committee until the APDT launched the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers in 2001. He was first elected to the APDT Board of Trustees in 2002 and served as Board secretary. In 2005 he was reelected to a second term, during which he served as vice chair in 2005 and 2006 and as APDT chair in 2007. In 2009 he joined a new APDT Education Committee, which eventually morphed into the Education Advisory Group in 2013, where he continues to serve. He was again elected to the APDT Board of Trustees in 2011, serving as vice chair, chair and treasurer during the term. He retired from the APDT Board at the end of 2013 but continue to serve as Chair of the Nominations Committee and the Education Advisory Group.
About APDT
The Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) is a professional organization of individual trainers who are committed to improving their knowledge and skills through education. The APDT was founded in 1993 by Ian Dunbar, PhD, BVetMed, MRCVS. A renowned veterinarian, animal behaviorist, dog trainer and writer, Dr. Dunbar created the APDT as an inclusive forum for trainers to network with each other, provide educational opportunities, and grow the profession. The APDT strives to provide an industry standard of excellence for the dog training profession. Today with almost 6,000 members, it has grown to be the largest association of dog trainers in the world. Dallas, TX will host the APDT’s 21st Annual Conference and Trade Show October 14 – 17, 2015. For more information, visit www.APDT.com.
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Media Note: Interviews and photos available.
Ashlee Gonigam
Matrix Partners
312-648-9972 x33
agonigam@matrix1.com