Discover how to take your training skills to the next level
Join Dr. Jesús Rosales-Ruiz and Mary Hunter for two intensive days of lectures and hands-on exercises using PORTL.
The PORTL activities will allow you to practice your shaping skills with another human as the learner. You will also get to play the role of the learner, which will give you more insight into how people and animals learn. Throughout the weekend, you’ll learn about behavior principles and techniques that will help you create optimal learning situations when working with both animals and people.
Each seminar will be limited to 30 attendees to allow ample time for discussion and questions and so that participants can receive individual coaching during the shaping exercises.
2018 seminar dates:
June 2-3, 2018: Your PORTL to shaping
Hurst Conference Center, Hurst, Texas
(near the Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport)
This is a foundations seminar for participants who have not attended a previous PORTL workshop. We will spend the weekend talking all about shaping. You will get to experience a variety of PORTL shaping exercises as both a teacher and as a learner.
August 18-19, 2018: Your PORTL to stimulus control
Hurst Conference Center, Hurst, Texas
(near the Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport)
This is an advanced seminar for participants who have previously attended a two-day PORTL workshop with Dr. Jesús Rosales-Ruiz and Mary Hunter.
June 23-24, 2018: Your PORTL to shaping
Marriottsville, Maryland (near Baltimore) ***
This is a foundations seminar for participants who have not attended a previous PORTL workshop. We will spend the weekend talking all about shaping.
***Note: The June 23-24 seminar will be hosted by Humane Domain, not by The Art and Science of Animal Training. Please visit the Humane Domain website to register. You should contact them directly if you have any questions.
- June Program
- Aug. Program
- Register
- Location
- FAQ
- Why PORTL?
Your PORTL to shaping
June 2-3, 2018
Hurst Conference Center, Hurst, Texas
(near the Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport)
This is a foundations seminar for participants who have not attended a previous PORTL workshop. We will spend the weekend talking all about shaping. You will get to experience a variety of PORTL shaping exercises as both a teacher and as a learner.
Saturday – 9:30 am – 5:30 pm
Saturday morning
Introductions
Lecture: Shaping: Principles and techniques
Exercises: PORTL foundations
Saturday afternoon
Lecture: Shaping behavior
Lecture: Resurgence: What it is and how to use it
Exercises: Capturing and shaping behavior
Sunday – 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
Sunday morning
Lecture: The constructional approach to behavior change
Exercises: Criteria
Sunday afternoon
Lecture: Are errors necessary for learning?
Exercises: Putting it all together: Advanced shaping challenges
Q&A with Dr. Jesús Rosales-Ruiz and Mary Hunter
Advanced seminar: Your PORTL to stimulus control
August 18-19, 2018
Hurst Conference Center, Hurst, Texas
(near the Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport)
In this seminar, we will dive deep into a variety of topics related to stimulus control and cues through a series of lectures and PORTL exercises. You will learn about discrimination and generalization, different ways to add and change cues, criterion and non-criterion related cues, how to test cues, how the environment and the learner’s history influence what cues are learned, poisoned cues, and much more.
Note: This seminar is limited to attendees who have previously attended a two-day PORTL shaping workshop with Dr. Jesús Rosales-Ruiz and Mary Hunter or who plan to attend our June 2018 shaping workshop. If you are unsure if you are eligible for this seminar, please contact us before registering.
Saturday – 9:30 am – 5:30 pm
Saturday morning
Introductions
Lecture: What is stimulus control?
Exercises: Adding cues
Saturday afternoon
Lecture: Criterion and non-criterion related cues
Exercises: Putting different types of behavior on cue
Lecture: Cues evolve during training
Sunday – 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
Sunday morning
Lecture: Testing cues
Exercises: Further considerations related to adding cues
Lecture: Cues and context
Sunday afternoon
Lecture: Poisoned cues
Exercises: Advanced cue challenges
Q&A with Dr. Jesús Rosales-Ruiz and Mary Hunter
Registration for each seminar is $300.
Your registration fee includes the two-day seminar, seminar materials and handouts, and lunch on Saturday and on Sunday. Coffee will also be provided in the mornings.
Register now for Your PORTL to shaping – June 2-3, 2018
Register now for Your PORTL to stimulus control – August 18-19, 2018
Note: The June 23-24 seminar is being organized by Humane Domain, not by ASAT. Please visit the Humane Domain website for more details about registration for this seminar.
CEU information:
CEUs will be available for CCPDT, IAABC, and KPA.
Refund policy: A refund can be given if it is requested 30 days before the start of the seminar. Refunds will be issued for your full registration fee, less a $50.00 processing fee. No refunds will be issued after this date. All refunds must be requested in writing. Please contact us for more information.
Seminar Location
Hurst Conference Center: 1601 Campus Dr, Hurst, TX 76054
The Conference Center is located near the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and is approximately 30 minutes from Dallas and 15 minutes from Fort Worth. It offers free parking in a covered garage. More information and directions can be found on the Hurst Conference Center website.
Hotel information
We have a block of rooms reserved at the Hurst Hyatt Place, which is a short four-minute walk from the Conference Center.
Address: 1601 Hurst Town Center Drive, Hurst, Tx, 76054
Seminar room rate: $104.00 per night, plus taxes
June seminar: Book a room online and use the group code G-ATRA.
August seminar: Book a room online and use the group code G-ARTA.
Or call 1-888-492-8847 and use the group name: The Art and Science of Animal Training.
Last day to reserve rooms using the seminar rate:
May 11, 2018 – For Your PORTL to shaping (June 2018)
July 27, 2018 – For Your PORTL to stimulus control (August 2018)
Hotel features:
Free Airport shuttle to the DFW International Airport
Free shuttle to local restaurants and shopping
Free Wi-Fi in guest rooms and throughout the hotel
Free breakfast with hot items, fresh fruit, oatmeal and more
Refrigerator and single serve coffee maker in each room
Complimentary public computers and printing
Hotel Gallery Cafe offers lunch and dinner options
24-hour fitness center
There are several restaurants within easy walking distance of the hotel.
Note: The hotel’s check out time is noon. If you will be flying out in the evening on Sunday, the hotel will be able to store your baggage for you after you check out.
Airport Information
Dallas has two large airports, the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and the Love Field Airport. We recommend flying into DFW International, as the hotel provides a free shuttle to this airport. If you do fly into Love Field, you will need to take a taxi, Uber, or commercial shuttle service.
Frequently Asked Questions
I finished my registration, but didn’t get a confirmation e-mail. Am I registered?
First, please check your spam folder. However, if you did not receive a confirmation email, your registration might not have gone through. Please contact us and we can check your registration status.
Will CEUs be available?
CEUs will be available for CCPDT, KPA, and IAABC.
Can I bring my dog?
The seminar will consist of lectures, hands-on activities with other humans, and discussions. There will not be opportunities for demonstrations with dogs. So, please leave your dogs (and other pets) at home!
Please note that the conference facility does not allow dogs or other pets inside the building, except for working service animals.
Dr. Rosales-Ruiz and Mary Hunter have given PORTL workshops to audiences of both professional animal trainers and behavior analysts throughout the United States and in Europe. Attendees find PORTL to be both educational and enlightening and are eager to continuing using it after the seminar as a tool to gain insight into learning and behavior. Here are some comments from previous workshop and seminar attendees:
“I LOVED the PORTL workshop. So many useful lessons to help us think carefully about our training and gain empathy for our learners!”
“I am going to have all my trainers practice this game with each other.”
“PORTL was a huge ‘ah ha!’ moment for me as I experienced being the learner. It really highlighted some critical concepts that the teacher must consider, especially in lesson planning.”
“PORTL really helps you to understand things from your dog’s viewpoint.”
“Dog trainers tend to forget that our primary job is to teach the dog owners how to train their dogs, not for us to train their dogs. PORTL helps us understand how to teach owners step-by-step.”
“PORTL – wow! I learned so much from one simple exercise. I finally understand resurgence from seeing it happen.”