Essentials of Modern Dog Training

Kynology with Forrest Micke & Dr. Stewart Hilliard

Hosted by Opportunity Barks
June 4-7, 2026

Deep Work. Real Understanding. And yeah…we’ll have fun.

At Opportunity Barks, we approach dog training through curiosity, a science-forward mindset, and a deep respect for the human-dog relationship. Over the course of several days, we will be working with a small number of trainers and handlers who want to move beyond surface-level techniques and develop a deeper understanding of how dogs learn.

These sessions are intentionally limited in size to allow for direct engagement, meaningful conversation, and the ability to observe and apply concepts in real time.

What We’ll Explore

Dr. Hilliard will guide participants through the core mechanics of modern dog training with clarity, precision, and scientific grounding.

Topics may include:

Pavlovian Conditioning
How stimulus-stimulus learning actually works and why it matters. We will break down inhibitory conditioning, counterconditioning, and the real challenges around extinction.

Instrumental Conditioning
The essentials of response-consequence learning and how to apply it cleanly and effectively in real-world training.

The Contingency Square
Understanding the difference between what we intend and what the dog actually experiences. This is where many training approaches quietly fall apart.

Pavlovian and Instrumental Interactions
How emotional learning and behavioral learning interact, and how to prevent one from undermining the other.

Aversive Control
A clear, functional definition. Not opinion, not noise. We will separate what feels aversive from what actually functions to change behavior, and why that distinction matters for both outcomes and welfare.

Negative Reinforcement and Positive Punishment
Mechanisms, not myths. Including the critical difference between escape and avoidance, and the role of safety cues in ethical training.

Signaling
How secondary reinforcers and punishers shape clarity, timing, and communication.

Dog Welfare
A grounded look at stress, learned helplessness, and what welfare actually means. Not the absence of stress, but the dog’s ability to predict and control it.

Training Methodology
The Agency and Accountability approach. A framework that allows for training that is clear, fair, ethically sound, and effective in the real world.

Who This Is For

Trainers who are ready to think deeper
Handlers who want clarity and results
People who care about both results and integrity

What Makes This Different

When you understand how learning actually works, your training becomes cleaner, your communication becomes clearer, and your results become more reliable.

What This Will Do for You

• Science-backed insights that challenge outdated methods and open the door to more effective, humane, and sustainable training practices.

• Hands-on training with real dogs—not theory-only. You’ll walk away with skills you can use immediately.

• Candid, real-talk conversations that help you reflect on your current approach and expand what’s possible.

• Real-world application so you’re not just learning what to do, but how and why to do it, creating better outcomes and stronger relationships with dogs, now and in the future.

• This is about more than training. It’s about reshaping how we think about dogs, communication, and behavioral change. The impact lasts well beyond the weekend.

Details

Dates: June 4–7, 2026
Location: Opportunity Barks
Format: Small-group working sessions with limited participants

Meet Your People

Dr. Stewart Hilliard

Dr. Stewart Hilliard has been working with dogs since 1979. He rose through the ranks of the German working dog world, trained and competed in Schutzhund, then brought French Ring Sport to the United States and helped shape the early working Malinois here.

He went on to earn a PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience and spent decades inside the Department of Defense Military Working Dog Program, where he built breeding programs, wrote training standards, and helped define how military dogs are trained and evaluated. But the throughline is simple. He has spent over 40 years with a leash in his hand, bridging dogs, behavior, and science.

Forrest Micke

Forrest is known for his clarity, empathy, and ability to break down complex ideas into clean, practical techniques. Whether you’re working with high-drive working dogs or family companions, Forrest’s teaching meets you where you are and helps you grow from there.

He works across protection sports and obedience, from foundation to high-level performance. For over 20 years, he has taught handlers, clubs, K9 units, and everyday dog owners around the world. He also helped build China’s first protective sport, CPP, now practiced by thousands. He is known for his clarity, timing, and ability to accurately assess dog-handler teams in real time. He brings a steady presence to the work, along with a genuine respect for the dog training community and the people in it.

Registration Info

Participation is limited and arranged in advance.

Ready to Challenge Your Perspective?

Join us for deep learning, skill-building, and connection with people who care as much as you do about doing this work well.