If you’re a dog trainer, behavior consultant, sport enthusiast, or all-around dog nerd, you already know that conference season is the highlight of the year. But in 2026, the game is changing.
Brought to you by heavyweights like AggressiveDog.com and APDT International—alongside partners like FDSA, IAABC Foundation, and the Canine Science Symposium—the CANIS Conference (Canine Advocacy, Networking, Innovation, and Science) is shaping up to be the absolute event of the year.
Here is why CANIS Con is setting a whole new standard, what we’re bringing to the vendor hall, and the unmissable after-hours fun we can't wait for!
1. Five Dynamic Stages Under One Roof
What makes CANIS Con truly unique is how it brings every corner of the dog world together. Instead of siloing trainers from shelter workers or sports competitors from behavior consultants, CANIS features five specialized tracks running across four jam-packed days:
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Training Stage (powered by APDT International)
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Behavior Stage (powered by AggressiveDog.com & IAABC Foundation)
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Dog Sports Stage (powered by FDSA & NACSW)
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Science & Vet Stage (powered by Canine Science Symposium & CARE)
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Shelter Stage (powered by Best Friends Animal Society)
Whether you’re looking to deep-dive into behavior modification, sharpen your sport handling mechanics, or geek out on the latest canine research, the energy and collaboration are going to be off the charts.
2. Visit Ulti-Mutt Toys: Live Custom Gear, Engraving & More!
We are thrilled to announce that Ulti-Mutt Toys will be there in person as a vendor!
We aren't just bringing standard gear off the shelf—we’re bringing our full fabrication setup directly to the conference floor. Stop by the Ulti-Mutt booth to experience:
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On-the-Spot Custom Gear: Need a specific setup, unique color combination, or specialized handling gear built for your exact needs? We'll be crafting fully custom gear live right at our booth.
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Custom Laser Engraving: Personalize your gear on site! Get custom tags, hardware, or gear engraved with your business name, contact info, or custom messaging.
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Hands-On Gear Testing: Try out our heavy-duty lines, specialized tugs, and engagement tools in person, get handling advice, and chat gear mechanics with us!
3. Unofficial Conference Highlights: PORTL Game Night!
While the daytime keynotes and live demos are guaranteed to inspire, anyone who attends dog conferences regularly knows that the unofficial evening events are where the real magic (and lifelong friendships) happen.
At the absolute top of our list this year is one of our favorite conference traditions: PORTL Game Night!
For the uninitiated, PORTL (Portable Operant Research and Teaching Lab) is a tabletop game played with a partner, a collection of small objects, a clicker, and blocks as reinforcers. One person acts as the "trainer" and the other as the "learner."
It’s fast, hilarious, deeply eye-opening, and single-handedly one of the best ways to test your mechanical skills, shaping criteria, and timing without ever touching a leash. We look forward to PORTL night at every single conference—it’s an evening full of laughter, deep behavioral geeking, and incredible camaraderie.
See You at CANIS Con!
Whether you’re coming for the world-class education, to upgrade your gear kit at our booth, or to challenge us at PORTL night, CANIS Con 2026 is going to be unforgettable.
Are you attending CANIS this year? Let us know in the comments or drop us a message so we know who to look out for in the vendor hall. See you there!