About this Webinar

Join Helen Howell and Daniel Shaw for this essential webinar exploring the complexities of dog bites. This session is designed for dog trainers, behaviourists, veterinarians, shelter professionals, law enforcement, and anyone working with dogs that have bitten or are at risk of biting.

Helen and Daniel will examine the key factors contributing to bite incidents, including genetics, developmental experiences, owner characteristics, and dog-owner interactions. They will also explore the legal and welfare implications of dog bites, focusing on UK law, enforcement systems, and the processes that determine outcomes for both dogs and people.

Learning Outcomes:

  1. Understand the key factors that contribute to dog bite incidents, including genetics, developmental influences, and owner-related variables.

  2. Identify common risk factors in dog-owner interactions that may increase the likelihood of biting behaviour.

  3. Recognise how different environments, including homes, shelters, and public spaces, can impact bite risk.

  4. Explore the legal framework surrounding dog bites in the UK and learn how professional roles, from behaviourists to law enforcement, intersect in managing dog bite incidents.


Meet your Instructors

Helen Howell BSc (Hons) ACDBC

Helen is a forensic behaviourist, researcher and leading UK expert witness. A former police detective with 16 years police service Helen, following her retirement from the police, pursued a career in behaviour. She graduated with a first-class honours degree in canine behaviour and management and is currently undertaking a PhD at the University of Lincoln where her subject of research is the risk of human directed aggression in dogs. Helen has worked with dogs all over the world including street dogs in Sri Lanka and India, game bred pit bull terriers in the United States and Spanish hunting dogs at the Galgos del Sol Rescue in Spain. Helen is one of the UK’s leading expert witnesses providing expert evidence in respect of both breed type and behaviour for dangerous dog and personal injury cases across the country, including cases involving life changing injury and fatality. Helen has presented her opinion in Parliament regarding the dog bite crisis in the UK and the welfare of seized dogs, she delivers training for police officers regarding canine welfare and is a guest lecturer at a number of universities.

Daniel Shaw MSc CDBC

Daniel Shaw MSc CDBC is an animal behaviourist with expertise in psychology, animal behaviour, and neuroscience. As the owner of Animal Behaviour Kent (ABK), he supports dogs and cats with behavioural challenges, provides expert witness assessments for legal cases under the Dangerous Dogs Act, and has contributed to Parliamentary discussions on dog bite reform. With a master’s degree in neuroscience, Daniel combines research with practical applications and has been featured on BBC Southeast Today, TalkTV, and LBC News. He teaches internationally on a range of topics, including aggression, frustration, and trauma in dogs, helping professionals enhance their understanding and approach to complex cases. Daniel also organizes the annual ABK Dog Behaviour Conference and runs ABK Learn, a platform offering science-based education in animal behaviour, training, and neuroscience.