The Animal Behaviour and Training Council

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The Animal Behaviour and Training Council

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The ABTC sets and maintains the standards of knowledge and practical skills needed to be an animal trainer or animal behaviour therapist, and it maintains national registers of appropriately qualified animal trainers and animal behaviourists. The Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) sets the standards of professional competence and behaviour, and is the only organisation that assures the c

ompetence of those on the ABTC Register. ABTC represents the training and behaviour sector to the public and to governments, and is supported by DEFRA, the veterinary profession, major animal charities and practitioners alike.

25/05/2026

Dog owners needed! 🐶

Researchers at the University of York are studying dog social cognition (how dogs solve problems and respond to human communication) and trainability.

We hope this project will help assistance dog charities improve selection for breeding. We are inviting dog owners to complete a short (10-15 min) survey.

To participate, your dog needs to be at least 1 year old, have lived with you for 3 months and have no hearing or vision impairments. There is the chance to win a £50 Amazon voucher if you complete the survey 1 week later. Thank you!

Link to participate: https://lnkd.in/dtn9jbSQ

ALT text Study poster for the University of York’s social cognition and trainability questionnaire study including an image of a woman pointing to a tennis ball for a brown poodle and a man knelt down talking to a sighthound.

Bekki Kennedy of Bishop Burton University Centre (Rebecca_Kennedy@hotmail.co.uk)would like to recruit participants for ...

21/05/2026

Bekki Kennedy of Bishop Burton University Centre ([email protected])
would like to recruit participants for an MSc research survey.

“Hi everyone. I am currently completing an MSc in Applied Animal Behaviour and Training and conducting research into the relationship between spaying and fear-related behaviour in female dogs.
I am looking for owners of female dogs, whether spayed or unspayed, to complete a short anonymous survey exploring fear-related responses to everyday stimuli.
The survey takes approximately 2-5 minutes to complete:�https://forms.gle/rESa3kz3nDpFwgUAA
Thank you for your support.”

Alt Text Description��The image shows a brindle mixed-breed dog with her tongue out. She is outdoors with a background of trees. Text on the right side reads: ‘Participants Needed for MSc Research’ and ‘Investigating the association between age at spay and fear-related behaviours.

09/05/2026

As well as welcoming thedogeniusinstitute as a Silver Sponsor of ABTC, we also welcome Hanne Grice Pet Training & Behaviour and Veterinary Behaviour Support as ABTC Sponsors.

Thank you so much for your support in promoting animal welfare in training and behaviour.

29/04/2026

We welcome thedogeniusinstitute as an ABTC Silver Sponsor.

Dogenius provides globally recognised online OFQUAL regulated qualifications and industry leading CPD courses and webinars.

We appreciate all support for our work in the animal behaviour and training world. If you would like to become a Sponsor, please check out the Sponsor page on our website
ABTC.org.uk/sponsors

07/04/2026

Lunch & Learn for ABTC Practitioners and Members

Topic: Management of Canine Osteoarthritis at home

When: Wednesday 15 April 2026
Time: 12.00pm – 1.00pm (including Q&A)
Where: online via Zoom

Speaker: Hannah Capon MA Vet MB MRCVS, Founder and Head Vet of Canine Arthritis Management

The Animal Behaviour and Training Council is pleased to announce the next event in our ‘Lunch & Learn’ CPD series: Management of Canine Osteoarthritis at home presented by ABTC guest speaker Hannah Capon MA Vet MB MRCVS

This presentation will help participants recognise canine osteoarthritis (OA) as a major welfare concern and the leading cause of chronic pain in dogs, explain why OA demands an early, proactive and structured approach to care, and apply a simple multimodal framework that combines pharmacologic, physical, environmental and behavioural strategies. It will also show, with practical examples, how targeted home modifications—such as changes to flooring, ramps, bedding and daily routines—reduce mechanical stress, prevent injury and significantly improve comfort and quality of life for dogs living with OA.

Hannah is the Founder and Head Vet of Canine Arthritis Management (CAM); through CAM she has played a key role in raising awareness and providing practical guidance on managing canine arthritis.

This one-hour session is free to attend for ABTC practitioners and staff/volunteers of member organisations. Please tell us your member organisation when you email.

Places are limited, so early booking is advised.
To register, please contact: [email protected]

ALT text - the ABTC logo in red hovers over info of the upcoming webinar by Hannah Capon with Canine Arthritis Management logo

29/03/2026

Trustees wanted

As required by our constitution, each year a number of ABTC Trustees have to stand down at the AGM. And, if they want to continue on the Board of Trustees, stand for re-election.
This is also the opportunity for anyone who would like to join the Board to stand for election.

You will find an invitation to anyone interested in joining the Board on our website.

https://abtc.org.uk/about/news/

In that invitation you will find links to the Gov.UK website with a description of the basic duties and requirements of a Trustee as outlined by the Charity Commission; further information about being a Trustee for ABTC and a skills audit/application form to be completed, please.

As explained in the invitation the skills audit and any information you give will be shared with the Trustees and Members of ABTC for voting purposes.

If you are interested in applying, please complete the skills audit/application and return to Val on [email protected] by Thursday, 7 May 2026.

Elected Trustees will take up their post at the AGM on Tuesday, 21 July 2026. Their term is three years at which point they can stand for re-election if they wish to do so.

ALT text - Red ABTC logo on white background with a white News logo on a faded red background.

27/03/2026

UNDERSTAND HORSES LIVE 2026 - EVENT PROGRAMME NOW AVAILABLE

Understand Horses Live features two days of lectures, practical demonstrations and workshops
exploring the science and practice of horse behaviour, training, physiology and welfare.

27–28 June 2026
Reaseheath College, Cheshire

This year’s programme includes sessions on:
• Troubleshooting common training challenges
• Equine cognition and problem-solving• Giving horses choice and consent in training
• Supplements and medication in behaviour modification
• Prevention and management of gastric ulcers
• Reducing stress during gastroscopy
• Low-stress handling and veterinary care
• Managing emergency rescue and high-risk situations
• Trauma-informed care using the SAFETY framework
• Navigating difficult conversations with owners and professionals
Saturday focuses on lectures and discussions.
Sunday features practical demonstrations and workshops with horses.

View the full programme and book your place here:
https://www.understandhorses.com/understand-horses-live-event-programme-2026

Understand Horses Live 2026 is supported by World Horse Welfare, Redwings Horse Sanctuary,
International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, Dengie Horse Feeds and Black Horse
Design.

25/03/2026

We’re thrilled to share our new and exciting Sponsor opportunity for individuals and organisations! From just £50, you can join our fantastic ABTC community!

We’ve created various sponsorship categories from bronze to platinum that allow you to support the ABTC’s important work. There are all sorts of benefits available, including opportunities to have your name and/or logo shown on the ABTC website and in our media communications. You’ll have an ABTC sponsor logo sent as part of your sponsorship package too!

Have a look at the info here: https://abtc.org.uk/sponsors/ or just get in touch if you have any questions.

23/03/2026

📝 Are you currently working as an equine allied professional in the UK?

I'm currently completing a research project as part of my Master of Business Administration at Hartpury University, and I'm looking for participants to complete a short survey.

📌 Study Aim:
To explore the challenges within the equine allied professions in the United Kingdom and the implications for the sustainability of the future workforce. The study will consider to what extent equine allied professionals are satisfied with their current working arrangement, feel valued and identify their concerns.

👥 Who Can Take Part?
You can take part if you:
✅ Work as equine allied professional (including but not limited to physiotherapists, equine dental technicians, saddle and bridle fitters and farriers)
✅ Currently work in the UK
✅ Aged 18 years or over
✅ Are fully qualified in the equine allied profession in which work is undertaken
🕒 How Long Will It Take?
The survey takes around 10 minutes to complete.

🔒 Anonymity & Ethics:
Your responses are completely anonymous and confidential.
This study has been ethically approved by Hartpury University (ETHICS2025-352-LR).
📅 Deadline:
Please complete the survey by 6th April 2026.

👉 Take the Survey Here: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=1m00vXDaWkStHB3f8YXeOMgl-cxzU7hIlC1uhTJrsR9URUhSWkNIWk44M09WSFc0SzlMNkowTjRPUi4u&route=shorturl

12/03/2026

A big thank you to Dr James Hunt for delivering an excellent ABTC Lunch & Learn today on 𝘕𝘦𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘤 𝘗𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘳.

Thank you also to everyone who registered and joined the session, and to those who contributed such thoughtful questions during the discussion.

ABTC Lunch & Learns aim to make high-quality, science-led continuing professional development accessible, supporting humane and ethical practice across the animal behaviour and training sector.

Keep an eye on ABTC channels for details of upcoming Lunch & Learns later this year.

Address

Taunton
TA12UH

Website

http://www.abtcouncil.org.uk/

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