About this episode

Ryan Cartlidge and Michael Shikashio discuss professionalism, community, and the future of the dog training industry.

In this episode of the Animal Training Academy Podcast, host Ryan Cartlidge is joined by returning guest Michael Shikashio for a wide-ranging conversation about professionalism, community, and the future of the dog training industry. Michael Shikashio is the founder of AggressiveDog.com, a leading expert in working with aggression cases, a five-time past President of the IAABC, the 2020 APTT Member of the Year, and host of The Bitey End of the Dog podcast. Drawing on decades of experience supporting trainers across more than 20 countries, Michael brings a global, grounded perspective to the challenges and opportunities facing the profession today. Together, Ryan and Michael explore the vision behind the Canis Conference - a bold new event designed to bring trainers, behavior consultants, veterinarians, shelter professionals, scientists, and dog sports enthusiasts together under one roof. Michael shares how Canis was born from a desire to dismantle silos, reduce divisiveness, and create a space where learning, collaboration, and respectful dialogue can flourish across differing backgrounds and methodologies. The conversation moves well beyond conference planning, diving into the…

People in this episode

Host: Ryan Cartlidge

Guest: Michael Shikashio

Topics covered

• professionalism
• dog training
• community
• polarization
• future of dog training
• collaboration
• emotional toll

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: AggressiveDog.com, IAABC, APTT

Books & works: The Bitey End of the Dog podcast

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