Seminar with prof. Clive Wynne
New Developments in Dog Origins
and Canine Behavioral Science
6 & 7th of June 2015
University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland
The science of dogs is in a tremendous state of flux at present. Prof. Wynne will present the latest findings from his own and others' research in two different domains: the origins of dogs, and the science of dog behavior. For a long time, the study of dog origins was a sleepy backwater of archeology, but the development of genetic techniques around 15 years ago has enlivened the field and led to new approaches and controversies. The study of dog behavior dates back to Ivan Pavlov over a century ago, but, after Pavlov, dogs were largely ignored by behavioral psychologists until quite recently. Now we are in the midst of an exciting new age of dog behavioral and cognitive studies. In both these domains Prof. Wynne will seek a sensible course through controversial and competing theories and findings.
Clive Wynne PhD is currently Professor of Psychology and director of the Canine Science Collaboratory at the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, and Director of Research at Wolf Park, Indiana.
He was educated at University College London and Edinburgh University in Scotland and has studied animal behavior in Britain, Germany, the U.S. and Australia in species ranging from pigeons to dunnarts (a mouse-sized marsupial). Several years ago he founded the Canine Cognition and Behavior Lab dedicated to understanding the behavior of dogs and their wild relatives with the aim of improving the relationship between people and dogs. As well as numerous scientific papers, he has also written for Psychology Today, American Scientist, the New York Times, and other outlets. He is often quoted in print media and radio, and his science has been featured on several TV shows such as National Geographic, Nova ScienceNow and others. He is the author of a textbook Animal Cognition now in a new edition, and editor in chief of the journal Behavioural Processes. His most recent books are Do Animals Think? (Princeton Univ. Press, 2004) & Animal Cognition: Evolution, Behavior and Cognition (Palgrave Macmillan, 2013).
Prof. Wynne is co-author of SPARCS (Society for the Promotion of Applied Research in Canine Science) and speaker on SPARCS conference.
| Honourable Auspices of Polish Ethological Society |  |
| Auspices of Rector of University of Agriculture in Krakow |  |
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Visit Krakow :) Often called the “New Prague, Krakow is a magical city. It attracts millions of visitors every year and is a major tourist destination in Poland, not without reason. At the height of summer, this stunning city is thronging with tourists who are absolutely enthralled with its Renaissance arcades, Baroque spires, and one of the best preserved medieval city centers in Europe. Located in southeast Poland, between the Jura uplands and the Tatra Mountains and on the banks of Vistula River, walking through this city is like entering an enchanted world. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Krakow, also called Cracow, has been left largely intact since the 13th century. It escaped the devastation caused by Hitler’s armies and hence it is a showcase for centuries of Polish architecture. |
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Seminar program
DAY 1
What makes a dog a dog? An exploration of the essential differences between dogs and wolves and what they imply for the origins of dogs.
"Everyone knows that dogs are descended from wolves, but almost everything else about the origins of dogs and their relationship to their ancestors is controversial. I will tell the story of my attempts to understand where dogs came from and the essentials of their uniqueness. I will recount the experiments that my students and I carried out that demonstrated that claims for novel cognitive skills in dogs are not correct. The mental skills that dogs use to understand people are also available to wolves - if those wolves are suitably reared to recognize people as social companions. I will also tell of my visits to Siberia, Israel and Nicaragua struggling to understand where dogs come from. In Siberia I saw foxes, as tame as any dogs, created in a cold war experiment to demonstrate the power of selection in creating new animals. In Israel I saw the oldest burials of dogs together with people. These burials show the intimacy of the dog-human relationship 12,000 years ago. In Nicaragua I went hunting with native people who use dogs to help them hunt in ways that would be familiar to our ancestors of long ago. These experiences led me to a new understanding of the origins and nature of dogs." Clive Wynne
DAY 2
A new Science of Dog Behavior. Bringing canine behavioral science into the 21st century.
"The science of learning - conditioning - was discovered in Russia with dogs over 130 years ago, but for the longest time dogs were ignored by scientists interested in conditioning. This might not matter except that in our interaction with dogs, whether as trainers, therapists or just people who enjoy the company of dogs, a better understanding of how dogs learn would greatly improve the quality of life that we share with our dogs. I will describe numerous studies by my students looking at applying learning theory in new ways to the welfare of dogs living in shelters, dogs with behavioral problems, and ordinary pets just trying to live comfortably with people. Among other topics, I shall consider how to encourage dogs in shelters to act in ways that improve their chances of adoption, how to help dogs with stereotypies and other behavioral problems, and what it is about people that dogs find reinforcing. We will be talking of canine cognition - dogs that know the names of many objects, dogs in brain scanners, studies that claim dog "theory of mind" abilities anddog olfactory detection." Clive Wynne
Seminar Timetable:
Saturday 6th of June / Sunday 7th of June
9.30 - 13.00 (morning session includes one coffe break)
13.00 - 14.00 - lunch
14.00 - 17.00 (morning session includes one tea break)
Seminar Venue:
UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE IN KRAKOW CONGRESS CENTRE, 29 Listopada Str. 46, Krakow, Poland
Seminars Fee:
Early Bird - 165 EUR or 120 GBP (avaiable until 30th of April)
Standard Rate - 185 EUR or 135 GBP
All cancellations will incur a 30GBP/40EUR administration fee. There will be strictly no refunds from 1st of May 2015.
Fee includes: Attendance of 2-day seminar, plus delegate pack. Light lunch and refreshments including tea and coffee, will be provided on both days.
Queries:
For queries please contact Andrew Klosinski via e-mail: aklosinski@coape.pl or call +48607427171
Accomodation:
Accomodation list - hotels
Accomodation list - hostels
Payment:
Payment via bank transfer.
For EUR payments - IBAN PL57114020040000391203483716 BIC (SWIFT) BREXPLPWMBK
For GPB payments - IBAN PL72114020040000331203483740 BIC (SWIFT) BREXPLPWMBK
Booking confirmation will be emailed within 24 hours of receipt of payment.
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