Laura VanArendonk Baugh won Grand Prize at the first-ever Canis Film Festival, a contest designed to showcase innovative animal-training videos. This unique festival focuses on short films of seven minutes or fewer that educate animal owners and professionals about the power of training based on the science of operant conditioning.
The 2007 contest included fourteen entries in four categories: canine, feline, equine, and multispecies. Videos were judged by a panel of experts, including Karen Pryor and ClickerExpo faculty members. Festival winners were announced to an international audience of 400 at ClickerExpo 2007 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Grand Prize Winner Laura VanArendonk Baugh
and KPCT President Aaron Clayton
Baugh won Grand Prize for CIA Casefile: "Murphy" Heeling, an entry full of espionage and heeling. Baugh's clip encompassed a brief introduction to the benefits of clicker training, a how-to of teaching heeling using a toy for reinforcement instead of food treats, and a view of a more advanced dog in the same behavior, taught using the same technique. Baugh received $500 and an impressive trophy, as well as a contract for distribution with KPCT/Sunshine Books.
Winners in the other categories were: Canine Award: CIA Case File: "Tucker" Nail Trim also by Baugh; Feline Award: Ankle Attack by Jacqueline Munera; Equine Award: Free Lunging with the Clicker by Vivien Dostine; Multi-Species Award: Building Trust with Your Bird-One Click At A Time! by Shirley J. Morgan & Ellen K. Cook, DVM; Runner Up: Become a Top Trainer the Easy Way by Top Hogs by John Vincent. Each winner was chosen for entertainingly and concretely conveying and the power of clicker training.
The Canis Film Festival encourages novice and experienced videographers to submit entries for the 2008 contest. Everyone can qualify for entry, provided that each demonstrated trick and feat is achieved through 100% all-positive methods of training. Visit www.canisfilmfestival.com for details.
To read a press release about this year's contest, click here.
Congratulations to the winners, and best of luck to all of next year's contestants!
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