What I Learned (and Loved!) at DogX 2024

Sunday, October 6th, I had the pleasure of attending the third annual DogX conference, hosted by the ever-wonderful folks at PACT (Professional Association of Canine Trainers). The theme this year was "Training Through a Dog-Centric Lens," and let me tell you—it did not disappoint! For those unfamiliar, PACT is all about empathy, ethics, and welfare. So, if you see a trainer with a PACT membership, you know your pup is in good, kind hands—force-free and science-backed.

I’ve been lucky enough to photograph this event since day one, and it’s always a blast. Perks of being a dog photographer? Getting front-row seats to some of the biggest names in the industry (and snapping a few candid moments along the way).

This year’s keynote speaker was the brilliant Linda Michaels, who kicked things off with a talk on the Hierarchy of Dog Needs. She made a compelling case for why science-based, force-free methods are essential—and I couldn’t agree more!

Next up, Ryan Dillon delved into the age-old question: Do dogs feel jealousy? Spoiler alert—yes! And if you live with multiple dogs, you probably didn’t need a study to confirm that, but hey, science is always cool, right? He backed it up with experiments, including one involving monkeys that’s definitely worth checking out.

Tamsin Durston followed with a thought-provoking talk on happiness—both ours and our dogs'. Let’s just say I left feeling inspired to sprinkle a little extra joy into my life (and in my dogs' lives).

Then came a live demo by Dog Aid, a charity that helps people train their own assistance dogs. Watching them work their magic on stage was both heartwarming and inspiring. They’re always looking for more volunteers, by the way—just putting that out there!

After lunch (always an important part of the day), Steph Rousseau took the stage with a crowd-favorite topic: puppy training. We all know the puppy stage can be... let’s say, "adventurous." Whether or not you continue training after puppyhood, those early days are crucial, and Steph shared some great insights on making them count.

But the real highlight of the conference for me? Simone Mueller’s presentation on Predation Substitute Training. Not only was it fascinating, but Deedee—my very own superstar—got to be the demo dog! Watching them play the famous “Ten Treats” game was the absolute best. Dee slipped right into work mode, and I couldn’t have been prouder. (Simone's books are available on Amazon, and she also has some amazing online workshops on her website.)

As always, the day wrapped up with a lively panel discussion and a performance by Grant Sharkey, who closed out the event with the outro song from the Barks from the Bookshelf podcast. A perfect end to a jam-packed day.

I adore this conference—it's fun, informative, and always full of energy. I’m already counting down the days to next year’s event, where the keynote speaker will be none other than the amazing Chirag Patel. Can’t wait!

Next week, I’ll be blogging about some of the awesome vendors I met at the conference, so stay tuned! Your pooch will definitely want to hear about these new goodies! 😉