This past week, Behavior United, LLC’s co-founders met in Hot Springs, Arkansas for a four-day conference (Dr. Bob Bailey and Friends Think! Plan! Do!). As entrepreneurs, we don't get paid when we don't work. So why would we spend money and time away from our clients and families for this conference? We're both accomplished experienced trainers. Why go? Because to be the best and bring best practice training skills to our learners, we have to continue learning from the best.

There were 150 attendees at this conference from all over the world. The six presenters hailed from Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, and the USA. Where else can someone be in the same room with so many world-class trainers on such a small scale? Our imagination and creativity became uniquely sparked while being "in the room where it happens".

Think! Plan! Do! started with the history of animal training, trainers' origin stories, and included past plus current industry challenges. During the presentations and networking, it became evident that not everyone was like-minded. And that was OK because everyone listened with kindness. Dialogues challenged us to really listen without judgement and find commonalities. This is a skill we consummately hone and use with our clients and colleagues.

Our favorite part of the conference was when Margaret Simek with One Happy Dog demonstrated exceptional training with her border collie, Shine. We also enjoyed the student demonstrations which highlighted common training challenges. The conference concluded with charging us to answer the question: How can we change our behavior for the betterment of our learners and the profession?  

When choosing a dog trainer, be sure to ask about the types of continuing education they attend. Which seminars and conferences do the trainers show up for? Why were those conferences chosen? How will the trainers incorporate what they've learned into their practice? How will the trainers change their behavior based on continuing education experiences?

If you're interested in the Dr. Bob Bailey and Friends Think! Plan! Do! conference, here's a link to the conference webcast. Webcast profits will go to the: Marian Breland Bailey Memorial Scholarship Fund at Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, AR.