Brain Development – Neurobiological Findings for Dog Training

The brain develops from the interaction of genes and environment. This process begins even before birth and only ends when the brain has completely ceased its activity in death. The construction, reconstruction, and degeneration of neural connections produce the individual behavior of the dog in its various life stages. Understanding this development enables dog owners and trainers to comprehend how problems in dogs' experiences and behavior arise and how one consciously and unconsciously influences brain development.
The webinar begins before the dog's birth with the formation of the brain from the fertilized egg, its prenatal development, and the interaction of environment (prenatal experiences, toxins, stress, etc.) and genetics at this stage. By examining what can go wrong in this developmental step, it becomes understandable why some puppies are born with problems.
After birth, the first major restructuring of the brain begins. Environmental influences now gain importance. The puppy's brain undergoes various developmental spurts and sensitive phases. By looking at the processes in this phase, we understand more about what puppies need and why they need it. In this context, we also touch upon the important topic of bonding.
During puberty, the brain undergoes another significant restructuring. Now, personality clearly emerges, empathy and self-control gain importance. We look at the brain as it matures and thereby understand what adolescent dogs are capable of (and what they are not) and what conditions help them become reliable social partners.\n\nIn old age, degenerative processes increase. Diseases such as dementia can occur. But even old dogs can learn and change.
By looking at brain development over the entire lifespan, connections become clear that are lost when only individual life stages are considered. After the webinar, participants will have a more holistic view of their dog and can tailor their educational and training measures to its neurobiological structure and its needs.

Who is the webinar for?
The webinar is aimed at dog owners and dog trainers. The focus is on imparting theoretical knowledge, which is illustrated with examples. Specific cases of participants will not be discussed.
Our speaker:
Robert Mehl is a qualified psychologist and criminologist (M.A.) with additional therapeutic training as a "Systemic Counselor and Family Therapist" (DGSF) and for the "Professional Use of Dogs in Therapy" (dogument). Since 2016, he has been working freelance as a speaker and systemic counselor and coach. He is also currently undergoing further training to become a psychological psychotherapist (focus on behavioral therapy). He is the author of the book "Die Psyche des Hundes" (KOSMOS-Verlag). 
Further information: www.seminare-robertmehl.de/

Accreditation as further training
The webinar is recognized by the State Chamber of Veterinarians of Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony as 2.5 hours of further training; our certificate of attendance must be submitted for this. https://www.kosmos.de/teilnahmebestaetigung

Photo credit: Anna Auerbach/KOSMOS