10/09/2026
"While we are busy arguing about who is right or who is wrong, who belongs on which side, there is that dog standing there with the ball, waiting for us." - Mike Shikashio
Mike kicked off the very first CANIS Conference with a reminder we all needed. There is a lot of passion in our industry, and lately, a lot of friction. Before the first keynote even started, he played a short video of a dog patiently holding a ball while the humans around it argued, and asked the room to pause and remember what really deserves our attention.
That is why CANIS exists. Trainers, behavior consultants, veterinarians, shelter teams, researchers, and sport competitors, all in one building, listening to each other because the dogs need us to.
Five stages. One building. One dog with a ball, waiting.
A message from Mike’s page:
“Let me be unequivocally clear: Advocating for compassion, collaboration, and constructive dialogue does not mean tolerating abuse. Animal welfare is not negotiable and speaking out against cruelty and harmful practices is both necessary and important.
CANIS was built on the belief that the welfare of animals and humans are deeply interconnected, and that meaningful progress requires both compassion and accountability. We can stand firmly against abuse while also recognizing that how we engage with one another matters.
My message about the dog standing there with a ball while we argue online was never a call to remain silent in the face of harm. It was a reminder of why we do this work in the first place, but is unfortunately being taken out of context by some who thrive on derision.
And this is precisely one of the things that is so troubling about social media. A message intended to encourage reflection, compassion, and perspective can be taken out of context, extrapolated into something entirely different, and used to assign beliefs or intentions that were never there. When we become more interested in interpreting someone's words in the worst possible light than understanding what they're actually trying to say, we perpetuate the very division that prevents meaningful progress.
We can advocate for animals without losing our humanity toward one another. We can hold people accountable without abandoning the possibility of growth and change. And we can disagree without losing sight of the lives we are all working to improve.
Calling for less hostility is not calling for less accountability. Encouraging dialogue is not excusing abuse. And asking people to remember the dog standing there with the ball is not asking anyone to look away from suffering.
That is the spirit behind CANIS. That is what I stand for. And THAT is not going to change.”
