What Dogs Have Been Trying to Teach Us All Along

Dogs are constantly communicating with us, but often in ways we've never been taught to recognize. Through stories, practical examples, and insights drawn from years of helping dogs and the people who love them, Matt will explore how understanding canine behavior can deepen our relationships—not only with dogs, but with ourselves and one another. Whether attendees currently share their lives with a dog or simply enjoy them, the presentation offers a thoughtful, engaging, and often humorous exploration of what dogs have been trying to teach us all along.

About our Speaker:

Matt Beisner is the founder of THE ZEN DOG, a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA), host of Dog:Impossible (Disney+), and featured in Netflix's Inside the Mind of a Dog. For the past five years, Matt has served as a consultant with Austin Pets Alive!, helping support some of the organization's most behaviorally complex dogs. His work has also included consulting with organizations such as UPS, supporting youth through the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, developing canine-assisted programs in recovery communities and with youth who have experienced trafficking—including work in Hawaii—and serving as a canine behavior expert for CNN. Matt is also grateful to be celebrating 18 years of recovery - all of that lived experience continues to shape his commitment to service, compassion, and one central belief: the better we understand dogs, the better we can understand ourselves, one another, and the world around us.