Beyond Training: Building Mutual Trust and Respect with Dogs
20-21 November 2026, online
3pm-7pm GMT (London) on both days.
Check your timezone here.
Advance your skills, insight and ethical practice
Attending this conference gives you the opportunity to engage with the latest thinking in canine behaviour, welfare science and ethical practice at a moment when the field is rapidly evolving. You’ll gain research‑driven insights into how dogs learn, communicate and make choices, and discover practical strategies for building cooperative, choice-centred, trust‑based relationships in assistance work, therapy settings, and everyday companion‑dog contexts. Through real‑world case studies and presentations from leading specialists, you’ll see how approaches that prioritise agency, wellbeing and respectful interaction lead to stronger partnerships and better outcomes for dogs and humans alike. The program also addresses the growing importance of social licence to operate, equipping you with the knowledge and tools needed to meet public expectations for humane, evidence‑based practice.
Overall, this conference invites participants to rethink what it means to “train” a working dog—shifting the focus toward shared understanding, ethical practice, and the well-being of both partners in the human–dog team.
Who should attend?
Whether you work with assistance dogs, deliver animal‑assisted services, train dogs professionally, lead programmes, teach, or simply care deeply about your own dog’s welfare, this conference offers valuable learning, inspiration, and practical takeaways you can apply immediately.
Program
| Day 1 | Topic | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| Session 1 3pm |
Person-centred, dog-centred: Evolving our services at Dogs for Good | Selina Gibsone (UK) |
| Session 2 4pm |
When training doesn’t transfer: Rethinking impulse control training in dogs | Ellen Furlong, Julia Whorton and Katherine Judy (USA) |
| Session 3 5pm |
An evolving relationship: Best practice application and practical considerations | Michael Kaufmann (USA) with Sandra Foltin (Germany), Eddie Lee (Hong Kong), Stephanie Grath (Germany) and Anice Nascimento (Brazil) |
| Session 4 6pm |
Four questions that give social working dogs a voice | Sara Karlberg (Sweden) and Tess Erngren (Norway) |
*All times GMT.
| Day 2 | Topic | Speaker | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session 5 3pm |
From agency to resilience: Supporting confidence, competence and coping | Kristina Spaulding (USA) | |
| Session 6 4pm |
Jo Middleton (UK) | ||
| Session 7 5pm |
Investigating two-way human-dog communication using soundboards | Federico Rossano (USA) | |
| Session 8 6pm |
Implementation: future trends and opportunities | Clare Thomas-Pino (UK) with Christine Olsen (Norway) and keynote speakers |
Registration
Regular $130
IAHAIO Member/Individual Supporter $70
Students $60
All conference attendees receive a certificate of attendance, access to recordings and a downloadable reference resource
Thank you
We thank Nestlé Purina for their continued partnership and support, enabling IAHAIO to share high‑quality, evidence-based learning with human-animal interaction professionals across the globe.