Editor’s Picks
The Ultimate Irony of the Wall Street Journal’s Headline—Proclaiming a Vicious “war” That Is “getting nastier by the day”
by Niki Tudge In response to The Wall Street Journal’s recent coverage of canine behavior modification (“There’s a War Over How to Train Your Dog—and It’s Getting Nastier by the Day,” Oct. 27), I have prepared an evidence-based rebuttal to address the claims raised in the piece. For credentialed animal behavior professionals, the outrage this piece sparks is not born of petty tribalism or thin-skinned defensiveness, but of the acute professional distress of watching a major media outlet validate disproven dominance myths and aversive tools that directly compromise animal welfare… Continued
Latest Articles
The Ultimate Irony of the Wall Street Journal’s Headline—Proclaiming a Vicious “war” That Is “getting nastier by the day”
by Niki Tudge In response to The Wall Street Journal’s recent coverage of canine behavior modification (“There’s a War Over How to Train Your Dog—and It’s Getting Nastier by the Day,” Oct. 27), I have prepared an evidence-based rebuttal to address the claims raised in the piece. For credentialed animal behavior professionals, the outrage this piece sparks is not born of petty tribalism or thin-skinned defensiveness, but of the acute professional distress of watching a major media outlet validate disproven dominance myths and aversive tools that directly compromise animal welfare… Continued
Choose Kindness and Take a Stand: How to Advocate Effectively for Pets
by Niki Tudge Effective advocacy for humane, science-based practices works best when the discourse remains anchored in animal well-being, empirical behavioral science, and practical mechanics rather than targeting individual trainers or guardians. Guided by Empathy 1. The Neurobiology of Defensiveness: Why Attacks Trigger Entrenchment When an individual feels judged, blamed, or personally attacked—whether a guardian struggling with a disruptive pet or a “balanced” trainer labeled as cruel—their nervous system interprets the social confrontation as a threat. 2. Behavioral Science Is Self-Sufficient Scientific principles—operant conditioning, respondent counterconditioning, ethology, and neurobiology—do not… Continued
Stop Carrying the Torch Alone: Why the Pet Professional Guild Is the Home Force-Free Professionals Deserve
by Niki Tudge Training and caring for animals with compassion is profoundly rewarding. But if we are being completely honest, it can also feel exhausting. Every week, you pour your heart into guiding guardians toward modern, humane methods. You navigate an unregulated industry saturated with quick fixes, television myths, and aversive tools that compromise animal welfare. You spend precious energy explaining why fear is not a training tool and why shock, prong, and choke collars do far more harm than good. Advocating for ethical care in isolation takes a heavy… Continued
What Is a Heart Dog?
by Don Hanson “Heart Dog” was a term I heard frequently from my friends and colleagues in the pet care professions, often after a dog’s passing. I had an inkling of what the term meant, but there was enough variation in the way people used it that I was unsure. As I cared for my dog Muppy during the last several months of her life, I thought about all the wonderful moments we had shared. I thought “Heart Dog” might be the best way to describe our relationship. So, I… Continued
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