Nat Geo Author Interviews CPT’s Alex Collier and Mark Spivak
November 3, 2021
National Geographic author Jenny Holland recently visited CPT to interview CPT’s Alex Collier and Mark Spivak for an upcoming book Jenny is writing about canine cognition. Day 1: Jenny Holland’s visit commenced on Monday, August 16, 2021. The day began by Alex discussing olfactory and cognitive processing pertinent to search and rescue and cadaver […]
CPT Trainer Karen Smalley Wins Obedience Competitions
October 20, 2020
CPT Trainer Karen Smalley again proved she is one of the top competition obedience dog trainers in Atlanta and the Southeast by winning both the Utility class and High Combined award at the Peach Blossom Cluster dog show. The Peach Blossom Cluster, hailed as the “largest dog show in the southeast,” was held October 14 – […]
CPT Service Dog Program Featured in NY Times Bestseller
April 16, 2020
The CPT Service Dog Program earned significant coverage in the recent New York Times bestselling book “Doctor Dogs,” authored by Maria Goodavage. Doctor Dogs communicates heartwarming stories of how highly trained dogs provide medical benefit to humans.
CPT Service Dog Program Featured Nationally in People Magazine
March 27, 2020
We are proud to announce that the CPT Service Dog Program has been acknowledged nationally in the January 13, 2020 issue of People Magazine and the January 16, 2020 publication of People.com.
CPT Trainer Karen Smalley Earns Rare UDX Title
December 30, 2019
CPT Trainer Karen Smalley and her 9-year old Border Collie, Bodhi, recently added another accolade to their litany of achievements. Karen and Bodhi’s resume includes AKC titles, UKC titles, ASCA titles, Flyball titles, and appearances in television commercials, print advertisements, and magazine covers. Now, we include the title of Utility Dog Excellent (UDX ) on their curriculum vitae.
CPT’s Mark Spivak Presents at 2019 International Canine Science Conference
October 27, 2019
CPT and Dog Star Technologies founder and CEO Mark Spivak was an invited speaker during the 2019 International Canine Science Conference held from October 18 – 20 in Phoenix, Arizona. The 3-day Canine Science Conference featured nationally and internationally renowned speakers in the fields of canine genetics, canine anthropology, canine neuroscience, canine behavior, canine training, […]
CPT’s Mark Spivak Performs as Keynote Speaker at the 2019 AKC US Detection Dog Conference
September 1, 2019
The 3rd annual AKC US Detection Dog Conference brought together scientific researchers, veterinarians, military program managers, government officials, law enforcement officers, trainers, breeders, and other stakeholders pertinent to the national security goal of improving the procurement, identification, and training of optimal explosive and agriculture detection dogs. From Aug 27 – 29, 2019, 200 attendees learned, shared, […]
CPT Cat Training Featured in Simply Buckhead Magazine
August 1, 2019
CPT’s cat training and behavior modification program was recently featured in the July/August edition of Simply Buckhead magazine. CPT’s cat training most frequently addresses littler box; anxiety; general socialization; environmental conditioning; new pet integration; and cat-human, cat-dog, and cat-cat aggression issues. However, sometimes clients request obedience behaviors, such as coming when called, which can be […]
CPT’s Mark Spivak Named a Top 100 Author
May 13, 2019
CPT’s Mark Spivak, along with his colleagues from the Emory Canine Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Ashley Prichard, Raveena Chhibber, Kate Athanassiades, and Greg Berns, were name Top 100 Authors by the academic journal Scientific Reports. Their paper, Fast Neural Learning in Dogs: A Multimodal Sensory fMRI Study, was one of the Top 100 read neuroscience papers in […]
Would You Help Us To Better Understand Dog Behavior?
April 4, 2019
Comprehensive Pet Therapy (CPT) is supporting Dog Star Technologies in an exciting and potentially groundbreaking research project. The project aims to develop a genetic test to predict key behavior traits of service dog candidates and shelter animals. During 2018, Dog Star Technologies, LLC completed a government-funded genetic research study that produced promising results in a population […]
CPT’s Mark Spivak Completes Legal Course on Police K9 Searches
April 1, 2019
On January, 18, 2019, CPT’s Mark Spivak, a noted expert witness on canine behavior completed a course entitled, “K9 Handler Intensive Training,” held at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth, GA. The course, sponsored by Animal Law Source and the Prosecuting Attorneys Council of Georgia, focused on specialized legal issues related to the […]
CPT Trainer Seminar- Canine Olfaction
January 2, 2019
On Saturday, December 15, CPT Trainer Alexandra “Alex” Collier delivered an outstanding seminar on canine olfaction to CPT Atlanta’s trainers. Alex is a member of Central Georgia K-9 Search and Rescue. Alex and her Boxers, Angie and Darwin, are certified by the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR), North American Police Working Dog Association (NAPWDA), and Georgia Emergency Management Administration (GEMA). Her dogs are certified both in human search and rescue/trailing and cadaver search/human remains detection.
Mark Spivak Featured Panelist at Major Scientific Conference
December 7, 2018
CPT founder and Dog Star Technologies co-founder Mark Spivak was a featured panelist at the 5thAnnual International Animal-Computer Interaction Conference, entitled “ACI 2018.” The Conference, held on the campus of Georgia Tech University, included speakers and participants from the USA, Australia, England, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Russia, Spain, and Sweden. Workshops and presentations […]
Mark Spivak Speaks At The State Bar Of GA
October 6, 2018
CPT founder and Head Trainer, Dog Star Technologies co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, and noted expert witness in the field of canine behavior Mark Spivak presented at the 20thannual “Animal Law, Enforcement, Veterinary, and Shelter Symposium” hosted by Animal Law Source. The Symposium was held at the Georgia Bar Association building in Atlanta on October 3 and […]
CPT’s Mark Spivak Co-Authors Paper Published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science
September 11, 2018
The paper presented 4 case examples of canine patients, where without anesthesia and without exposure to ionizing radiation in less than 5 minutes awake MRI effectively diagnosed: 1) nasal carcinoma, 2) brain tumor, 3) abdominal lipoma, and 4) idiopathic epilepsy.
CPT’s Mark Spivak Co-Authors Article in Animal Sentience
August 1, 2018
The study used noninvasive fMRI brain imaging to measure activity in the amygdala of dogs upon exposure to a human-dog social situation where the dog’s caregiver provided attention to another dog. No previous study neuroscientifically showed the exhibition of canine jealousy.
Jealousy progresses beyond envy. Whereas envy is a desire to obtain resources in the possession of another, jealousy is identified by a set of negative emotional and behavioral responses when a rival receives something one wants for oneself. Although several brain regions, including the hypothalamus and insula, may activate upon the onset of jealousy, the amygdala is the most relevant brain region.
CPT Opens Eugene, Oregon Satellite Location
May 15, 2018
CPT recently opened the first of what we hope are multiple satellite locations. The location we selected is Eugene, Oregon. We selected Eugene for multiple reasons. First, an outstanding trainer who formerly worked for CPT in Atlanta moved with her husband to Eugene and later expressed interest in renewing a business relationship. Thus, the trainer […]
CPT’s Mark Spivak Attends The 2018 PennVet Working Dog Conference
April 30, 2018
CPT founder and Head Trainer and Dog Star Technologies Chief Operating Officer Mark Spivak attended the 2018 PennVet Working Dog Conference proximal to the campus of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine. The 4-day conference featured nationally and internationally recognized speakers in the multidisciplinary fields of canine genetics, breeding, scent dog training, service dog training, evaluation, nutrition, fitness, behavior, and veterinary health.
CPT Expert Witness Services Prove Vital in Two Recent Cases
April 2, 2018
CPT’s Mark Spivak is an experienced and talented expert witness in criminal and civil legal cases that involve animal behavior, animal training, animal handling, or animal husbandry practices. Mark represents either the plaintiff or defense. His one rule before accepting an assignment is that he must have passion for the case and for the attainment […]
CPT’s Mark Spivak Attends the 2017 Canine Science Conference
October 9, 2017
From October 6 – 8, CPT founder and Head Trainer and Dog Star Technologies Chief Operating Officer Mark Spivak attended the 2017 Canine Science Conference on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. The 3-day Canine Science Conference featured nationally and internationally renowned speakers in the field of canine genetics, canine behavior, and […]
CPT’s Mark Spivak Speaks to the Atlanta Chapter of the National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses
September 24, 2017
CPT’s founder and Head Trainer Mark Spivak presented at the September 23 meeting of the Atlanta Chapter of the National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses (NAON) held on the education campus of Egleston Children’s Hospital. The NAON is a 7,000 plus member nonprofit professional association whose primary mission is to advance the highest standards of musculoskeletal […]
CPT’s Mark Spivak Speaks at the State Bar of GA Animal Law Symposium
September 22, 2017
CPT’s founder and Head Trainer Mark Spivak presented at the Fall 2017 Animal Law Symposium held at the Georgia Bar Association building in Atlanta. The symposium, “Uniting Legal, Law Enforcement, Veterinary, and Shelter Professionals,” was hosted by Animal Law Source. Animal Law Source’s mission is to provide education, awareness, legislative action, and professional action that […]
Karen Smalley and Bodhi Atop the Pedestal
March 26, 2017
CPT Trainer Karen Smalley and her 6.5-year old, male Border Collie, Bodhi, have worked hard to become one of the top human-canine competition tandems in Georgia, if not the entire Southeast. Since Bodhi arrived at Karen’s home as an 8-week puppy, Karen and Bodhi have acquired a lofty resume, including AKC titles, UKC titles, ASCA titles, […]
Tiki Learning
November 23, 2016
Our upcoming canine fMRI study, nicknamed “Tiki Learning,” evaluates the canine cognitive process upon exposure to visual stimuli. In the Tiki Learning experiment, while in the scanner the dogs are randomly exposed to two objects that they have not previously observed. After one object the dog receives a treat, whereas nothing noteworthy occurs subsequent to […]
CPT’s Mark Spivak Attends ICLE Seminar on Animal Law
November 4, 2016
On Thursday, November 3, CPT’s Mark Spivak attended the Institute for Continuing Legal Education (ICLE) seminar on Animal Law held at the State Bar of Georgia building in Atlanta. The seminar featured multiple speakers and materials relevant to Mark’s respected work as an expert witness in civil and criminal cases containing issues related to animal […]
CPT’s Mark Spivak Appears on WSB News
October 28, 2016
CPT’s Mark Spivak appeared on a 2-part WSB news feature broadcast on Thursday, October 27 during both the 5 pm and 6 pm newscasts. The feature discussed concerns about the increasing trend of “fake service animals.” Mark was interviewed by WSB for his expertise in service dog training and legislation. During the lengthy interview with […]
CPT’s Mark Spivak Co-Authors Paper Published in SCAN (Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience): Praise vs. Food
September 3, 2016
Background CPT’s Mark Spivak, along with his Dog Project cohorts Peter Cook, Ashley Prichard, and Greg Berns, authored a paper published in the high impact factor journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (SCAN). The article, entitled “Awake Canine fMRI Predicts Dogs’ Preference for Praise Versus Food,” examines the reward preference amongst an experimental group of […]
CPT Trainer Patricia King Appears In National Interview for Sharecare.com
August 30, 2016
Sharecare.com is a national health and wellness resource and information website that includes platforms for both personalized and general health programs and information. The company was founded in 2010 by Jeff Arnold, the creator of WebMD and television’s Dr. Oz (Mehmet Oz) in collaboration with several large corporate investors: Harpo Studios, Sony Pictures Television, and […]
CPT’s Mark Spivak Conducting International Webinar- Innovative Canine Neuroscience
May 16, 2016
CPT’s Mark Spivak is conducting an international webinar entitled, “Innovative Canine Neuroscience.” The webinar discusses how fMRI research is improving our ability to select dogs for working roles, train working and pet dogs, and improve our dogs’ quality of life. The webinar is hosted by Fetch Dog Training of Minneapolis and will be broadcast in […]
CPT’s Mark Spivak Co-Authors Paper Published in Animal Cognition
April 9, 2016
CPT’s Mark Spivak, along with his Dog Project cohorts Peter Cook and Gregory Berns, authored a paper published in the esteemed journal, Animal Cognition. The article, entitled “Neurobehavioral Evidence for Individual Differences in Canine Cognitive Control: An Awake fMRI Study,” examines inhibitory control behavior both with a task performed within an fMRI machine and during […]
CPT Participates in Gwinnett Jaildogs Program
November 19, 2015
On October 14, October 28, and November 19, CPT President and Head Trainer Mark Spivak visited the Gwinnett Jail to instruct prisoners on proper dog training techniques to better prepare rescue dogs for adoption into permanent homes and for participation in the Office of Naval Research (ONR) sponsored CPT/Emory fMRI projects.
CPT’s Mark Spivak Co-Authors Paper Published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior
November 17, 2015
CPT’s Mark Spivak, functioning as a research consultant in conjunction with Emory University’s Neuroscience Department, co-authored a sixth research paper published in a prestigious peer reviewed academic journal. The article, entitled “Regional Brain Activity in Awake Unrestrained Dogs,” authored by Peter Cook, PhD, Andrew Brooks, PhD, Mark Spivak, CPT, and Gregory Berns, MD, PhD, describes the process the team employed to become the first research team worldwide to obtain fMRI images of non-human animals without the use of sedation or restraints. The paper also discusses the advantages of the team’s protocol and applications for the methodology.
Sylvie Completes Her Service Dog Training
October 6, 2015
Sylvie is a 3.5 year old, spayed, female Standard Poodle. Her owner, Charlotte, suffers from a condition called neurocardiogenic syncope (NCS). The condition occurs when an identifiable trigger, such as sudden standing, rapid movement, long period stationary positioning, dehydration, fatigue, stress, or sometimes no identifiable trigger (idiopathic), elicits an autonomic brain stem response that affects […]
CPT’s Mark Spivak Co-Authors ONR Funded Research Paper Identifying Dog FFA
August 7, 2015
CPT’s Mark Spivak, functioning as a research consultant in conjunction with Emory University’s Neuroscience Department, co-authored a fifth research paper published in a prestigious peer reviewed academic journal. The article, entitled “Awake fMRI Reveals a Specialized Region in Dog Temporal Cortex for Face Processing,” co-authored by Dr. Daniel D. Dilks, PhD, Dr. Peter Cook, PhD, […]
Canine fMRI Research Conducted by Mark Spivak Mentioned in Psychology Today
May 22, 2015
The Emory-CPT canine fMRI research team’s recent project obtained attention from Coren due to his interest in visual processing and human-canine interaction. Coren lauds how using canine fMRI the Emory-CPT team became the first researchers to definitively demonstrate an explicit facial processing area in the canine brain. Coren discussed the uniqueness and difficulty of the process developed by Berns and Spivak, the methodology of the experiment, the results of the experiment, and the importance of the experiment.
CPT Expert Witness Services Achieve Justice for the 11-Year Old Victim of a Serious Dog Bite
May 7, 2015
CPT’s expert witness role included composing deposition questions, composing questions for a private investigator, aiding in researching the dog’s behavioral history, interpreting data, providing insight regarding the dog’s breed origin and behavior, and providing insight regarding the neighbor’s actions and knowledge.
Dog Star Technologies Featured in CCI Magazine “The Companion”
April 17, 2015
Research conducted by Dog Star Technologies, a canine neuroscience company co-founded by CPT’s Mark Spivak, was featured in the Spring 2015 issue of the Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) magazine, “The Companion.” The article, entitled “Understanding How Assistance Dogs Think- Science at Canine Companions for Independence,” discusses bi-coastal research funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and conducted by Dog Star Technologies and Dog Star’s subcontractors Emory University, Georgia Tech University’s entrepreneurial research arm- the Georgia Tech Research Corporation (GTRC), and the University of California, Berkeley.
The Dog Project Canine Marshmallow Test
March 29, 2015
In addition to conducting fMRI-based canine neuroscience research, CPT, Dog Star Technologies, and the Emory University Dog Project Team conduct canine psychology research that is behaviorally-based. In September 2014, the mentioned participants conducted behavioral research in conjunction with the University of Arizona and University of Florida psychology departments. The September 2014 experiments that studied behavior within a radial arm maze provided information about the working and spatial memory ability of canines. More recent experiments conducted on March 15 and 29, 2015 studied inhibitory control.
Legislative News- The State of GA Bans Cities and Counties from Banning Pit Bulls
March 14, 2015
GA Senate Bill 184 will disallow Georgia municipalities and counties from banning or restricting Pit Bulls or other dog breeds. The bill, authored by State Senator Ellis Black and supported by the American Kennel Club, passed the Georgia Senate on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 by a vote of 42-11. The bill next proceeds to the State House.
CPT President Mark Spivak Interviewed in the Savannah Morning News
January 9, 2015
CPT President Mark Spivak was recently interviewed by Savannah Morning News feature columnists Jeffrey Manley and Jusak Bernhard for their bi-weekly column “Spots Corner.” The column focuses on pet information and issues. Jeffrey and Jusak were most interested in Mark’s expert witness experiences, as they wished to inform readers how an expert in dog behavior may benefit them should they become engaged in a criminal or civil legal matter stemming from the ownership of their dog.
CPT President Mark Spivak Quoted in Article Published by The Expert Institute
December 12, 2014
Mark was quoted in an article entitled “So You Want to be an Expert?” written by Expert Institute columnist Joe O’Neill. The article quotes 14 experienced and successful expert witnesses from a variety of fields, including accounting, finance, medicine, engineering, management, dog behavior, and security. In the article each expert describes what separates an extraordinary expert witness from an average expert, what difficulties they have encountered on cases, and how best to address “difficult” situations.
CPT Trainers Participate in Appie and Robert Kamps Seminar
November 17, 2014
CPT Trainers Lisa Carroll, Megan Sinteff Jefferson, and Mark Spivak participated in the Appie and Robert Kamps Seminar held November 15 and 16 in Dawsonville, GA. Appie and Robert are two of The Netherlands’ top KNPV competition and police dog trainers. They also train performance horses that are well known as crowd pleasers at Dutch events, especially when the horses work in combination with dogs and chickens.
CPT Appears on WGCL-TV CBS 46 News to Discuss the Dangers to Pets Posed by Cold Weather
October 29, 2014
WGCL-TV CBS 46 News again solicited the expertise of CPT for a recent feature story on how cold weather poses danger to our pets. Jim Loznicka, CBS 46’s weatherman interviewed CPT President and Head Trainer Mark Spivak for the feature. The resultant feature included video of Mark discussing the profile of pet most at risk during cold weather months and strategies for pet owners to reduce the risks. This was Mark’s 4th appearance on WGCL in the last 6 months.
The Dog Project Appears on 60 Minutes
October 5, 2014
Back on February, 22, 2014, Anderson Cooper of the distinguished CBS news documentary 60 Minutes visited CPT to interview Emory Professor Greg Berns, CPT President Mark Spivak, and Georgia Tech Professor Melody Jackson. CBS brought 2 production crews to complete the interviews that occurred earlier in the day at Emory and later in the day […]
CPT President Mark Spivak Co-Authors Potentially Groundbreaking Research
September 30, 2014
CPT President Mark Spivak, functioning as a research consultant in conjunction with Emory University’s Neuroscience Department, co-authored a fourth research paper published in a prestigious peer reviewed academic journal. The article, entitled “One Pair of Hands is not Like Another: Caudate BOLD Response in Dogs Depends on Signal Source and Canine Temperament,” co-authored by Dr. Peter F. Cook , PhD, Dr. Gregory Berns, MD, PhD, and Mark Spivak, CPT, describes the existence of fMRI biomarkers that may help researchers determine a dog’s suitability for a designated working role.
CPT Performs Research in Conjunction with the Arizona State University, University of Florida, and Emory University Psychology Departments
September 21, 2014
The radial arm maze examines working memory, spatial memory, and spatial learning. The maze consists of 8 arms of equal length that spoke off a central hub. Food is placed at the end of each arm. The subject animal is then placed in the center and must continue the maze until navigating so that the animal eats all the food drops. The experimenters meanwhile measure time to completion and the number of errors, with an error defined as the animal returning to an empty arm.
CPT President Mark Spivak Co-Presents at the 2014 Department of Defense Canine Science & Technology Workshop
August 2, 2014
The 2014 Department of Defense (DOD) Canine Science & Technology Workshop was co-hosted by the United States Army Research Office, the Department of Homeland Security, the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the US Marine Corps, the US Air Force Security Forces, and Defense Science Technology Laboratories of the UK. The Workshop was held proximal to the campus of North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC from July 29 to August 1, 2014.
CPT’s Mark Spivak Featured in Dog Fancy Magazine
August 1, 2014
Dog Fancy is a highly respected magazine amongst dog enthusiasts. The August issue of Dog Fancy Magazine featured CPT’s Mark Spivak within an outstanding article entitled, “Inside Your Dog’s Mind- Groundbreaking Research into Canine Cognition Begins to Pull Back the Curtain on Your Dog’s Inner Self.”
CPT’s Mark Spivak and Patricia King Appear on WGCL- TV 46
July 29, 2014
WGCL- TV 46 solicited the expertise of CPT for 3 recent feature stories.
CPT President Mark Spivak and Dog Project Colleague Greg Berns Featured in Emory Magazine
June 1, 2014
The article delves into the origins of the dog’s inclusion in cognitive science and then advances to contemporary times when describing “The Dog Project,” the moniker for the groundbreaking fMRI research undertaken by Berns and Spivak. The article describes the genesis for The Dog Project, which occurred when Prof. Berns viewed photographs of military dogs rappelling from helicopters and then became determined to become the first researcher to train a non-human animal to take an MRI without sedation or restraints. Berns also discusses his primary goal behind the research, which is to better understand the dog-human bond.
Improve Your Dogs Obedience
