Ethical applications of play in canine enrichment and training programs

Whether we are caring for dogs personally or professionally, we have a responsibility to the well-being of the canines we share our lives with. What criteria should we use to ensure that we are being ethical in our own behavior when arranging environments and conditions that promote dog-dog play? Is play always beneficial to its participants, and how do we know? In this deep dive talk, we will see how a scientific understanding of play can lead us to better practices and outcomes in training and enrichment programs. This will include examples from playgroups, coopoerative care programs, shaping and skill acquisition of new behaviors, and programs to reduce problematic behaviors. We will also emphasize the importance of caregiver and staff trainiing programs, and how such programs can be constructed and implemented to promote safe dog-dog play and beneficial, behavior outcomes for community and shelter dogs. We will also share new findings of how observing and participating in canine play programs can have beneficial outcomes on human stress and well-being. Finally, we will discuss future directions and needs for ways to applying the science of canine play in behavioral services.