Roberta Bottaro

I have always been passionate about everything related to human and animal behavior, I am a Psychologist with a master's degree from the University of Trieste, I got also a master's degree in Educational Science and I graduate in Criminology and forensic Sciences at the University of Genoa.

I was lucky enough to follow a two-year post-doc at the Animal Cognition Laboratory of the University of Trieste during which I had the opportunity to follow several research projects on the dog's sense of smell.

I continued my training at the University "Florida Institute of Technology" where I am attending a specialisation course in Applied Behavior Analysis aimed at obtaining the international certification BCBA.

I teach mantrailing and detection throughout Europe and the United States. In recent times I have focused on the training of K9 units for conservation. Thanks to this activity, I was teacher at the first training school for anti-poaching dog units organised by Italian Kennel Club, Legambiente and Arma dei Carabinieri.

Supervised by dr. Adee Schoon I conducted a study, sponsored by Italian Kennel Club and PRAP Toscana, concerning the use of dogs in the search for hidden mobile phones in prison. This is the first study of its kind in Italy.

I am an Italian Kennel Club trainer, mantrailing instructor and evaluator for the International Bloodhound Training Institute. Head of Training and Development Department of the International Working Dogs Association. I am a "Certified Professional Fitness Trainer" , certified by Debbie Torraca and a qualified Fear Free Professional. I am a detection trainer certified by Ilkka Hormila, and I've been supervised by Scandinavian Working Dogs Institute as detection handler and trainer since 2015.