We are delighted to announce a new series of monthly webinars for 2021. The first of these will take place on Thursday 6 May 2021 at 7pm and will be run by SCAS Trustee, Evangelos Diamantakos, BSc (Hons), MSc, PhD cand, an ABTC registered Clinical Animal Behaviourist and full member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC, UK).

Dog-Assisted Interventions: Recognising signs of stress in body language – Thursday 6 May 2021

The beneficial effects of dogs on humans across the lifespan is very well documented by present literature. The introduction of Dog Assisted Intervention (DAI) Programmes in educational, care, health and other therapeutic settings is gaining ground both in the UK and internationally. The training and participation of dogs in these programmes is very demanding. It needs special preparation and should be designed by a team of professionals who will promote both dog welfare and human health and safety.

Unfortunately, not all programmes operating in this field are following guidelines issued by organisations like SCAS. Others lack the contribution of accredited dog behaviourists in their design teams.

The aim of this webinar is to raise awareness of and promote dog welfare during training and participation in DAIs. The webinar will provide basic knowledge and help all those who are interested in DAIs, dog behaviour and training to:

• Recognise DAI terminology and identify training needs.
• Explain the function and factors that trigger stress behaviour.
• Describe the signs of stress in dog body language.
• Understand the general guidelines to avoid stress in DAIs.

There will be a small charge for most webinars to help SCAS cover the cost of running these (discounts will apply to SCAS members), however the first webinar will be offered free of charge. Book a place online here.