UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences has announced the recent hire of Abby Hodder as the assistant clinical professor of canine behavioral welfare in the Department of Animal Science. Hodder’s onboarding marks the beginning of a Penn State Extension canine program designed to support professional dog breeders through education, outreach and applied research focused on canine behavior and welfare.
The canine program is available to all dog breeders — whether private or commercial — regardless of their breeding goals, whether for service, companionship, sport, show or other purposes. While many breeders have addressed dog welfare, the canine program will encourage the implementation of welfare practices beyond physical needs of food, water, space and cleanliness.
An advisory council of stakeholders representing Pennsylvania canine breeders, veterinarians, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement, and animal welfare groups will support the program by identifying industry needs regarding canine welfare.
The canine extension program will conduct in-person workshops and conferences, aiming to schedule a workshop for October 2024. Other outputs will include individual consultations and online/print educational materials for diverse audiences. Hodder also plans to develop relationships with interested groups and other universities, such as Purdue, Ohio State and others, to improve dog breeding practices.
Dog breeders in the community seeking education and assistance drove the creation of the program, Hodder noted. Spring Point Partners, a Philadelphia-based organization focused on social impact and investments, alerted Penn State to the need. Through its Life of Riley program, which funds initiatives that advance animal welfare, the organization approached Penn State about creating a position and extension program.
“The most important thing I want to get across is that the canine program is here to support breeders in every way possible,” Hodder said. “We are on the breeder’s side and believe canine extension can learn just as much from them as they could learn from us.”
To learn more about the program, contact Hodder at axh6089@psu.edu or 814-863-4611.