Wolf Park Staff Expert Educators Series Seminars

Staff Expert Educators Series Seminars

Wolf Park offers seminars based on research conducted here since 1972. All seminars feature an intimate, friendly setting with limited class sizes, flexible but full schedules and an ever-rotating menu of talks, presentations, video, and hands-on demonstrations. Participants will have ample opportunity to meet our hand-raised, socialized ambassador animals (restrictions may apply), as well as to ask questions.

All seminar participants receive a one-year single membership to Wolf Park, a binder of educational materials, and a certificate of completion. Some meals (usually lunch) are provided; special meal arrangements can be made for those with allergies, etc.

Click below to jump to descriptions of our most commonly offered seminars.

Three Day Seminars	Five Day Seminars	One Day Seminars
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Wolf Intensive Weekend (3 Days)

This workshop is a chance to spend three whole days immersed in wolves. It is a sampler, with every sort of wolf topic packed into a three day weekend. We hope this entices anyone interested in meeting the wolves and understanding them better to make time to come and learn all about these amazing canids. Included in the weekend are several opportunities to enter the wolf enclosure and have an encounter with some of our resident wolves.

Participants will learn about the wolf as a species, as well as about its physical body, from its skeleton to its fur. There will be a good dose of behavior thrown in, since that is Wolf Park's specialty. You can get a strong introduction to the Wolf Ethogram, which Wolf Park's staff created, and is now being used by researchers all over the world.

Early Saturday and Sunday mornings participants get to sit with Pat Goodmann, behavior guru, and observe the main pack while Pat narrates. On Sunday, participants ride into the field where the wolf/bison demonstration is happening, and get a close look at predatory behavior.

The history of wolves will also be covered, with in depth information on what is going on today with wild wolf populations in the US across North America. We will also discuss the mythology of wolves, and how different cultures have perceived wolves through history.

Sampling of Topics:
Basic wolf ecology and physiology
Introduction to ethological principles and concepts
Social behavior: Wolf to wolf and wolf to human
Wolves' role in ecosystems
Socialization of wolves
Status of wolves in the wild
Hunting and predatory behavior
Observation of hunting techniques during the Wolf/Bison Demonstration

CEU Credits: 15.5

Behavior Intensive Weekend (3 Days)

The ultimate time to visit Wolf Park, if seeing wolves 'behaving' is what you want, is during our winter Behavior Intensive! The wolves are more active at this time of year due to the combination of their breeding season which elevates hormone levels, and the brisk weather. The pond usually freezes over, and the wolves frolic and fight across the ice, and all around the enclosure!

This seminar includes several sessions in our Observation Building which has wall sized windows overlooking the main pack's seven acre enclosure. Participants sit with Wolf Park's head wolf curator, Pat Goodmann, and watch the wolves as Pat narrates what is going on amongst the wolves. A combination of talks, video, and live observation of the wolves makes this seminar uniquely perfect for anyone wanting to learn more about wolf behavior. This is great preparation for someone planning a trip to Yellowstone or Denali, who wants to be able to identify what wolves are doing that they observe in the wild. It is also fascinating for most dog trainers, and dog lovers, who are curious about the origins of dog behavior.

Sample Topics:
Biology and Ecology of Wolves
Locomotion, Play and other Behaviors
Agonistic and Predatory Behaviors
Seasons of the Wolf
Vocalization and Courtship Behavior
Comparison of Captive and Wild Wolf Behavior

CEU Credits: 2 for trainers, 21 for behavior consultants

Please note: Due to the elevated aggression levels in the wolves at this time of year we do not promise that participants will be able to meet the wolves, as safety (for both wolves and humans) is our first priority. Previously during this seminar we have had at least one wolf that we felt was going to be comfortable meeting some new people despite the distractions of breeding season, and we have had the pleasure of introducing a wolf or two to the behavior seminar participants. However, this is not guaranteed.

Wolves and Dogs: Understanding Canine Behavior (3 Days)

Join us for three full days to immerse yourself in wolves and learn about wolf and dog behavior! What better way to learn about canine behavior than to be up close and personal with wolves? Along with meeting our resident wolves, there will be many interesting sessions comparing wolves and dogs, and exploring their behavioral signatures.

Based on the experience of Wolf Park's staff, and utilizing information gathered from many sources, talks will include:

Wolf behavior and ecology
Comparison of wolf and dog body language
Wolf x dog hybrids
Dominance and aggression in wolves and dogs
Raising and socializing wolves
Cognitive ability
Training with positive reinforcement
Evolution of dogs from wolves

Wolf Park staff members Monty Sloan and Pat Goodmann will be the main presenters at this fun and educational seminar. Monty has been a wolf handler and photographer at Wolf Park since 1988. Pat has been studying wolf behavior since she came to Wolf Park as a graduate student in 1974. Both have spent years studying wolves and their cousins, dogs.

Along with the talks listed above there will be chances to watch wolves in the early morning, and to enter the wolf enclosure and interact with some of the resident wolves under staff supervision. Participants will also attend a Howl Night program, and see the unique Wolf-Bison Demonstration on Sunday. We keep you busy during your three day stay!

Wolf Behavior and Captive Management (5 Days)

Five-day seminars are an information-filled introduction to the field of ethology (animal behavior) and ethological concepts and theories, using wolves and their behavior as an example from which to learn. While the seminars do focus mainly on wolves, this is a wonderful way to learn about animal behavior in general, and specifically the behavior of your own "domesticated wolf" — the dog. These are very in-depth seminars suitable for professionals in the field, but anyone can appreciate them. No scientific background or previous study is necessary — just the desire to learn.

Sampling of Topics:
Observation of hunting techniques during the Wolf/Bison Demonstration
Observation of the wolves and practice in data collection techniques
Training for captive wolf interactions and responses
Meeting the wolves of the main research pack and other animals of Wolf Park
Participation in the Training Game
Introduction to ethological principles and concepts
Classical and operant conditioning techniques
"Play" and "jealousy" in wolves
Rank order
Imprinting of young animals
Border collie training and livestock guarding dogs
Wolf x dog hybrids

CEU Credits: TBD

Wolves and Dogs Mini-Intensive (1 Day)

This one day seminar is all about the similarities and differences between these two closely related canids. Learn about some of the behavioral differences between the two, how the dog evolved from the wolf, and even about that controversial creature, the wolf x dog hybrid. This seminar is an excellent opportunity to experience a little bit of Wolf Park for people who are short on time.

CEU Credits: 6.5

Because these seminars include the opportunity to meet Wolf Park's wolves, we insist that participants be 18 years of age or older and able-bodied enough to withstand a hearty greeting from a 100-pound wolf.

Refund and cancellation policy