Dog Training: A Veterinary Conference, Really?

I’m at the North American Veterinary Conference (NAVC) in Orlando, Florida. You might wonder what an animal trainer can get from a veterinary conference, and the answer is LOTS. In addition to a behavior track (all behavior, all the time), the trade show is a gold mine for a trainer like me, always on the prowl for the newest stuff.

There’s a lot of stuff I pass by — there’s a booth that has nothing but skulls (I kid you not), a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, and machines and equipment I’ve no idea their purpose — but, then I come upon the Kong booth! My favorite Kongs are the blue ones. They’re made of something special so they can be seen in an x-ray. If you’ve got a dog that swallows everything, a blue Kong is just what you need. Anyway, generally the blue Kongs are available only through your veterinarian. At NAVC, anyone with a conference pass can pick them up! I scarfed up five — and if I had room in my luggage, I’d have gotten five more!

There are t-shirt vendors here, too. Dog is Good (one of my favorite brands) is now carrying Victoria Stillwell’s *Positively* shirts (of which I bought two). And there’s a new company I found that’s got some cool new designs.

In addition to apparel, which, really, applies to everyone, not just dog trainers, I’ve seen bowls for sloppy dogs, non-skid pads for dogs who aren’t steady on their feet, a comfortable harness with a handle for those dogs that have trouble getting up. Hartz was there with some exciting new toys for dogs that will keep them busy and entertain them.

Pictures when I get back to the office at the end of the week!