Thank you so much to our sponsors for helping make our 2016 Convention a success! Highest survey rating yet at 4.741/5. Lovely!
Sponsors: Banfield Pet Hospital, Bark Magazine, Margie Cantwell, Raley’s Grocery Store, Staples Office Supplies, and VIP Pet Care
Can’t wait till the next convention?
NOTE: Registration for our 2016 convention closed March 2nd. Start saving for next year!
Good times and good friends await you in Solvang, California! Our 2016 Convention returns us to a village we visited and loved in years past. Consult your calendar now for the first weekend in April!
The quaint, walkable Danish town of Solvang features a diverse choice of eateries and shopping opportunities, with green spaces at regular intervals for nature lovers (and the canine call of nature). Solvang is flagrantly tourist-oriented and a mild-weathered, international vacation destination, sporting Nordic-seeming architecture, neo-Nordic culture, and cosmopolitan consumers. The area is reminiscent of a theme park, but without an admission price, all with a splash of wine country thrown in!
Solvang sits roughly eight miles inland from the Pacific Ocean amid a region halfway between the major coastal California population centers, making it drivable for several prospective attendees. For those not able or inclined to drive the whole distance, minor and major airports and train stations dot the region.
Registration
Our main convention activities will take place throughout Saturday and Sunday on April 2nd and 3rd in the Legion Wing of the Veterans Memorial Building at the end of the main drag in Solvang, California. Registration closed March 2nd, but you can still visit our 2016 Convention Registration page for details on what it takes to be part of an unforgettable experience.
Info packet
We featured new info packet sections every week or so leading up to the convention, so you could keep checking back to stay up-to-date. Browse through these releases, of just check out the whole (pdf) info packet below:
What’s it like?
PSDP conventions are times to network with service dog handlers through workshops, training, and support. For a taste of what they’re like, enjoy the quotations below and the 2016 convention pictures and videos, and find more on the pages of previous conventions.
Our 2016 convention was rated 4.741/5 overall by convention-goers! They had the following to pass along to those considering joining us at future conventions:
“Everyone and everypup were so nice and welcoming.”
“I absolutely LOVED the convention! I feel like the people there understand me better than anyone else on Earth. I am able to be myself, and not have to worry about educating everyone about service dogs. It’s a nice break from the stress of my everyday life. Everyone is so supportive and accepting. I can relax and be at home with friends, new and old.”
“I’ve been going to PSDP conventions since they started, and each time I think they can’t get better—each time I’m wrong! I love to welcome newbies to share in the unique learning and social opportunities. It’s way less scary the first time than many people imagine, and you’ll be looking forward to future conventions with new friends! :)”
“Attending the PSDP convention energized me by connecting me to my community, educating me on advocacy, and giving me more information on techniques to train my SD.”
“Attending the convention was well worth all the hassles of traveling. I came to the convention not knowing anyone and left with a group of new friends.”
“Conventions are a place where I belong. The people are so understanding and supportive. I wouldn’t miss one for the world!”
“This is a wonderful event, full of good people and good dogs. Perfection is not required, and I found a lot of support in training the things we needed to work on. Thank you for the best part of my year!”
We look forward to spreading similar smiles across faces new and old at our next convention!