Animal Welfare Professionals

Recording now available to watch on-demand

On Thursday, August 7, 2025, join Maddie's® Monthly Foster Connection at 12pm PT/3pm ET. Devan Amundsen, CPDT-KA CBCC-KA, Principal at Animal Welfare United, will be discussing how to read canine body language and communicate with dogs. Everyone-from foster caregivers and coordinators to volunteers-is invited! 

Register for the session so that you can receive notifications about upcoming webcasts and participate in discussions after the webcast.  
 
Webcast Description:  

Reading dog body language and communicating effectively with our own behavior are practiced skills that we- and our foster caregivers- need to mindfully develop over time to understand what the dog is saying and communicate intentions to the dog. The goal is always for the human and the dog to be in agreement that "I'm into you!" Through this foster-focused webcast, attendees will recognize behaviors that suggest the dog is unsure, and consider how to de-escalate the conversation to "I'm into you!" 

About Devan Amundsen: 

Devan Amundsen, CPDT-KA CBCC-KA, is a certified dog trainer with over 15 years of experience working with not just dog owners, but dogs in shelters, assistance dogs and other working dogs.

Devan started as a volunteer training dogs at his local shelter, and since then has been a Kennel Technician, Dog Care Coordinator, Animal Control Officer, and Shelter Manager. For 7 years, Devan taught college courses about dog training, dog behavior, kennel management, and animal sheltering at the Bachelor of Science and Associate of Science levels at Bergin College of Canine Studies in Sonoma County, California. Devan also helped modify the Bachelor of Science degree program, designing and instructing entirely new courses centered around animal sheltering and providing community support. In 2021, Devan launched a pilot program at the university, assigning students to foster dogs from shelters for the semester as part of their studies, then participating in placing those dogs into adoptive homes. 
 
In April of 2022, Devan joined the team at Oakland Animal Services as the Dog Behavior Coordinator. During his time in Oakland, Devan created an online learning library for training volunteers in running in-shelter playgroups and implemented a new process for evaluating and reporting dog-dog interactions with a focus on increased transparency. 
 
In 2023, Devan founded Animal Welfare United, LLC. Animal Welfare United builds apprenticeship programs and continuing education to encourage more people to enter the animal field. Animal Welfare United then sponsored free group dog training classes led by Devan's students at Bergin College. These classes served as the inspiration for Free Dog Trainers, a nonprofit Devan founded in 2024. Devan has spoken at multiple conferences, both virtual and in-person, on topics related to dog training and behavior.