CPT News Eugene

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 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…

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…

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'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, 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’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…

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,…

Psychology Today contributor Stanley Coren, PhD devoted his May 21, 2015 "Canine Corner" column to the Danny Faces project undertaken collaboratively by Emory psychology professor Danny Dilks, Emory Lab Manager Sam Weiller, Emory neuroscience professor Greg Berns, Emory neuroscience postdoc Peter Cook, and CPT President and Head Trainer Mark Spivak.  Coren, who received his PhD…

The Case of the Mangled Arm   The Attack While enjoying some nice weather in the Charlotte, NC area, an 11-year old girl, her father, mother, and older sister took an early evening walk in their subdivision. The family walk was pleasant until a neighbor opened her backyard gate, whereby one of the neighbor’s dogs…