The aim of this seminar is to give an over-view on how dog training has evolved over the years, with special reference to the Pavlovnian Theories of Conditioning and the Skinner/ Edward Thorndike Instrumental Conditioning (also termed Operant Conditioning-Editor).

With an understanding in dog behavior and psychology, one can then adopt the best training techniques for one’s dog.

Programme:

Friday 10 July 2009

3.00 pm

Introduction of participants and their dogs to Andrea.

Class Room session:

Topics:

• Positive Training- from psychology lab to your own dog

• Ivan Pavlov- Classical Conditioning and Associative learning

• Skinner –Edward Thorndike experiments and Instrumental conditioning

• Q & A

Field Session:

• Obedience Training and review of applied theories

• Q&A

Saturday 11 July 2009

8.00 am:

• Protection work

• Q&A

Class Room Session: From 2.00 pm

Topics:

• Positive training – Thinking is the key!

• Reinforcement

• Approximation

• Learned behavior

• Q&A

Field Session:

• Obedience

• Protection

Sunday 12 July 2009

Class Room Session: From 8.00 am

Topics:

• From puppy to world-class champion- how training is incorporated into dog

• owner’s life

• training routine

• training goals

Field session:

• Obedience

• Protection

• Q&A

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My career in working dog training began in 1992 when I won the Italian National Championship ENCI with a Giant Schnauzer whom I trained from IPO1, IPO2 to IPO3.

After these successes, I decided to further my studies in dog behavior and training techniques and moved to Belgium where I worked for one year with ethologist Andre’ Vandergeten (Etology: the scientific studies of animal behaviour- Editor).

Since then I have had the opportunities to train with and conduct seminars together with famous trainers like Knut Fuchs, Mario Verslype, Bart Bellion and others. I have also trained many Schutzhund dogs as well as detection and civil defense dogs.

Among the dogs I have trained, it is worthwhile mentioning specially a Malinois named Cartouche who was the best tracking dog at the FCI World Championship 2007.  My other achievement is in Italian Champion Torro, a Malinois trained by me from IPO1 to IPO3.  Torro is my personal dog.

I am official Helper for Italian Kennel Club ENCI as well as for the Belgian Shepherd Club of Italy.

My work now involves training working dog for competition IPO 1-3 and prepare dogs and personnel for the Italian and Swiss Police K9 units (airport and patrol).