The Association of Professional Dog Trainers Unveils New Event Details

GREENVILLE, S.C. - Sept. 16, 2014 - PRLog -- This year marks the 20th annual Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) Educational Conference, which will take place from October 15 - 18 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, Conn.

There, as many as 1,000 canine training professionals and pet care specialists will take advantage of the APDT’s exceptional opportunities to hone their professional skills and expand their personal businesses. While the well-respected international association is dedicated to servicing members year-round by providing a concerted voice in the dog world, they also increase public awareness of the importance of dog friendly training techniques. Thanks to their leadership and community of educated professionals, canine households across the U.S. are able to easily find and utilize local experts for improved living with their canine.

Throughout the four-day conference and trade show, expert speakers – including Patricia McConnell, Sue Sternberg (http://www.suesternbergtruth.com/) and Ian Dunbar (https://apdt.com/about/who-we-are) – will share their knowledge of companion animal behavior and training. Over 45 information-packed seminars, panel discussions and workshops are planned overall. Between sessions, attendees can continue their educational research by visiting the trade show floor where dozens of pet and training product manufacturers will be on hand to introduce their latest tools and innovations. Additional special attractions include:

·         Wednesday, October 15 –

Keynote speaker, renowned animal behaviorist Patricia McConnell, will host a presentation titled “People, Dogs and Psychological Trauma” (http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/APDT-october-2014) discussing how to help canines overcome trauma and fear at 9:15 a.m. EST. An additional panel discussion on Trauma and Fear will be held later that same day at 3:45 p.m. EST.

·         Friday, October 17 – *OPEN TO THE PUBLIC*

The APDT Foundation (https://www.apdtfoundation.org/events/) Auction and Reception will begin at 6:30 p.m. EST, where attendees are invited to bid on the items collected to raise funds. All proceeds will benefit the foundation’s mission of supporting applied scientific research of domestic dog behavior and training, and facilitate the outreach of this information to canine practitioners and their clients [visit www.apdtfoundation.org/events for more information].

·         Saturday, October 18 – *OPEN TO THE PUBLIC*

The APDT Foundation will host a Non-Competitive 5K Run/Walk at 7 a.m. EST, immediately followed by a 1 Mile Walk at 7:15 a.m. EST. Both are open to the general public, including local running clubs. Entry fees will also benefit the foundation’s mission. That same day, the trade show floor be open to the public, who are invited to meet with the leading pet and training manufacturers for an up-close look at the tools and resources they provide for professional dog trainers, pet care specialists and canine households.

For the full agenda, please visit www.APDT.com/conference/agenda

With all these enlightening educational events being planned, this year’s conference promises to be an extremely popular destination for professional dog trainers. For additional information about the 2014 Annual Educational Conference and Trade Show, visit the APDT website at www.APDT.com.

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. The organization  celebrated their 20th anniversary in 2013 and their 20th conference will take place in 2014 in Hartford, Conn. For more information, visitwww.APDT.com.