There were hugs. Lots of them. And not the brisk ”Let’s get this out of the way quickly before someone sees” hug. The warm, genuine variety!
At last night’s ClickerExpo Welcome Reception, sponsored by Karen Pryor Academy, approximately half of the people in the room were old friends. The other half felt like old friends! You could walk up to absolutely anybody and carry on a conversation as if you’d known that person for years. That’s what’s cool about this conglomeration of clicker-minded folk.
We all have something in common: our love for animals and positive reinforcement training. It was so nice to stand in a packed room where everybody just gets it. “It” is very simple—treat people the way you’d like to be treated. It’s easy to do, and everybody walks out of there feeling like a million bucks.
What ClickerExpo has created is a little cocoon where perfect strangers can greet perfect strangers without one ounce of awkwardness. Long-lasting friendships can be struck up in a manner of minutes. Wisdom and insight are tucked into the most unexpected nooks and crannies. Stress and troubles instantly melt away for a few days.
It’s going to be a great Expo. Last night was just the beginning. It set the tone for the whole weekend: warmth, companionship, great dog-training minds all under the same roof. It only gets better from here!
Lori Chamberland is a Karen Pryor Academy (KPA) Certified Training Partner (CTP). She also provides limited in-home dog training in the Hudson, MA, area. A canine sports enthusiast, Lori and her dogs have competed in agility, K9 Nose Work, and Treibball.
