About the presentation:
The talk aims to foster an understanding of the ethical dilemmas behavior analysts face when applying dog training techniques, with a focus on the intersection of animal welfare science, behavior analysis, and societal attitudes towards animals. The presentation draws on the evolutionary history of dogs, explaining how their development as social animals closely tied to humans shapes their welfare needs. It also introduces key concepts from animal welfare science, including the Five Freedoms and Five Domains models, which assess both the physical and emotional well-being of animals. These frameworks guide ethical decision-making in dog training by focusing on minimizing harm and enhancing the animal’s ability to express natural behaviors. The lecture encourages behavior analysts and dog trainers to consider their ethical responsibilities.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will be able to consider how dog training and dog welfare intersect
- Participants will be able to gain an introductory understanding of the field of Animal Welfare Science
- Participants will be able to identify current theories of dog domestication and how it relates to dog welfare
- Participants will be able to compare cultural effects on attitudes towards animals
- Participants will be able to attempt to consider their own values in determining an ethical question
About the presenter:
Dr. Alexandra (Sasha) Protopopova, PhD, CAAB, is an associate professor in the Animal Welfare Program at the University of British Columbia and the NSERC/ BC SPCA Industrial Research Chair in Animal Welfare. Sasha’s research aims are to learn more about dogs, improve animal shelter practices, improve companion animal welfare in shelters, pet homes, and in assistance roles – all within a One Welfare framework. Recently, Sasha has been shifting her research focus on societal issues within companion animal welfare. Sasha earned an MSc and a PhD in Behavior Analysis from the University of Florida with Drs. Clive Wynne and Brian Iwata. She spends her days conductIng research, teaching university classes in animal learning and animal sheltering, flying in acroyoga, and cuddling dogs.