Looking for a Dog Trainer or Behavior Consultant? Here’s What You Need to Know
by Niki Tudge Positive reinforcement (R+) and force-free training are based on the scientific principles of animal learning. They are widely endorsed by leading veterinary and animal behavior organizations. However, there are many common misconceptions and outright myths about this training approach, often perpetuated by proponents of older, more aversive methods. So, before you hire a dog trainer, or any professional who will interact with and care for your pet, here are some questions and answers about R+ and force-free training. Q. Is positive training just bribery? (Will my dog… Continued
Fighting Like Cats and …Cats?
by Misty Hampton When it comes to multi-cat homes, a variety of factors may influence whether cats will get along in the long run. The initial introduction can be the deciding factor. New Cat Introductions A significant number of cats will fight when a new cat is brought into the home. In one survey, about half of the multi-cat households reported fighting between cats when the new cat was introduced. Cats who fought when they first met (biting or scratching) were more likely to still be fighting up to a year… Continued
What Can the Pet Professional Guild Do for You?
by Don Hanson Pet guardians are very important to us at PPG. Our goal is to help you provide the best life possible for your furry family members. This post is a companion to the PPG Advocacy Discussion Panel on July 16, 2026, An Introduction to Pet Professional Guild Resources for Pet Guardians. (Now available as a podcast episode.) This topic is for anyone who includes a pet, or several pets, as part of their family. And it’s also a valuable discussion for pet industry professionals, as it includes information… Continued
Pushy Equid? Here Are 10 Tips to Keep Positive Reinforcement Training Safe and Fun for Everyone!
by Michelle Martiya We have a growing body of knowledge proving that horses trained utilizing positive reinforcement learn faster, learn more complex skills, and are safer to work with than their counterparts trained using forceful methods. So, how do we prevent undesirable behaviors when training horses (and other equids) with food? Set yourself and your learner up for success by checking each of the items on the list below. Pushy Equid Checklist By giving voice to equids—and the people who work with them—we open a door to the complex, rich… Continued
Cat Adoption: Considerations for Multi-Cat Homes
by Misty Hampton Understanding cats’ natural behavior can help us create and maintain more peaceful multi-cat homes. A Look at the Lifestyles of Free-Roaming Cats Territory Cats are often thought of as antisocial, but that isn’t really accurate. Cats are solitary hunters. Their prey isn’t big enough to share. So each cat needs to establish their own territory for hunting. A cat’s territory is the area they will actively defend. Within the territory is the core territory, where the cat feels safe enough to play, eat, groom, and sleep, and… Continued
Does Your Cat Want a Feline Friend?
by Misty Hampton Introducing a new cat into the home is exciting, but it’s not always smooth and easy. There can be some speed bumps, especially if you already have a resident cat. Understanding feline social dynamics can help set you up for success. In this upcoming series of posts, we will explore: Adopting a Cat Home Considerations- Resources It’s important to consider the availability of resources. Consider the amount of space in the home – not just square footage, but space that is usable for the cats. That includes… Continued
What’s the Difference Between a Cue and a Command in Dog Training?
by Niki Tudge Modern dog training requires understanding how fear interferes with learning, how pressure accumulates, and how trust is either built or eroded through everyday interactions. And it requires us to communicate with Kindness. Kindness Is Not… Kindness is often misunderstood. It does not mean: Kindness includes management, clarity and support – delivered in ways that protect emotional safety. It reminds me of the difference in philosophical approach between using cues and commands. It’s simply a choice. You can either exert control or you can choose to empower and… Continued
The Stories Behind the Story…A Letter to the Editor
by Daniel H. Antolec Editor’s Note: Since receiving the following message from frequent Pets and Their People contributor, Daniel Antolec, (three years ago!) I have contemplated ways to incorporate these stories into various posts. After reading the note again though, perhaps for the hundredth time, I finally realized it was time to share it with you, dear readers, exactly as Dan wrote it (with permission). I forgot to credit myself for the photographs, and while I am at it, I would like to share with you the stories behind them.… Continued
Help Cats Cope with Stressful Situations
by Misty Hampton It’s not uncommon to hear that someone is using calming supplements, a safe space, or a ThunderShirt® for their dog during stressful events, such as holidays, when there are fireworks going off, or strangers coming to visit. There are lots of tools to help dogs cope with stressful situations. So, what about cats? Here, I’ll explore the use of tools like supplements, calming music, pheromone sprays, aromatherapy, and medications to help create a calming feline environment. Specialty Foods and Supplements In my experience, clients are more open… Continued
Beyond the Backyard: Why Your Pet Dog Is an Athlete (and How to Prove It)
by Niki Tudge If you’ve ever successfully navigated a crowded park or managed a calm “stay” while the mail carrier arrived, you’ve performed an athletic feat! Dedicated dog guardians know living with a dog in the modern world is a sport. It requires focus, coordination, stamina, and a whole lot of teamwork. Your dog isn’t, “just a pet;” they are a partner in training. Through the Pet Dog Ambassador (PDA) program, the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) recognizes this partnership. Pet Dog Ambassador is a program for pet dog guardians to… Continued
How Can We Assess When It Might Be Time?
By Don Hanson In September, I discussed my dog Muppy’s cancer diagnosis and my anticipatory grief. Today, there is less sunshine in our lives. My wife, Paula, and I helped our dog Muppy cross the Rainbow Bridge on Tuesday, March 24th, after she courageously battled kidney disease and bladder cancer since June of 2025. I believe sharing our story can help others facing similar journeys with their dogs. I hope my experience makes your path a little easier. Daily Assessment Questions Within days of Muppy’s diagnosis, I developed a list… Continued
How We Talk About Dogs: What Does Our Language Reveal?
by Louise Stapleton-Frappell Language shapes how we think, how we teach, and how we relate to the world — and that includes our dogs. This isn’t “just semantics.” The way we talk about dogs reflects the ethics, empathy, and science behind how we teach them skills to live successfully in our human world. Commands vs. Cues – More Than Just Words You don’t need to bark “commands” at your dog to train them. You don’t need to be a “pack leader,” issue “orders,” or demand submission. You don’t need to… Continued
Behavior Pros Say Your Pet Wants You to Do These Four Things Starting Today
by Tasha Attwood A recent Pet Professional Guild Advocacy Panel discussion centered on the question, “How can guardians and professionals work together to create a kinder world for pets?” It was a follow up to two previous discussions about helping to make our pets’ world a little more friendly and kind. This series of PPG podcasts began with asking specifically what we, as pet guardians, can do. The next discussion explored how pet professionals can help. And now, this third installment brought it all together by asking how guardians and pet… Continued
Dog Training for the Real World
by Daniel H. Antolec Is your dog prepared to cope with the “real world”? Recently, I saw social media posts from two force-free trainers offering helpful tips. Each post was attacked by Trolls, using identical language, asserting that reward-based training falls apart in the “real world.” Some personal insults were added for acidic tone. It seems common for proponents of aversive methods (choke, prong, shock) to attack force-free (no fear, no force, no pain) practitioners online, and it appears this “real world” text is the meme du jour. However, that… Continued
Here’s Why You Should Care About Cooperative Care for Pets
by Misty Hampton Poop happens. Sometimes, it’s messy! My longhaired cat, Linus, sometimes gets feces stuck in his fur. When this happens, he hesitates to groom his rear end. (Who could blame him?!) We needed a way to clean the feces off his bottom, and I wanted to be able to do “sanitary trims” to prevent recurring poopy messes. It needed to be a cooperative procedure because I didn’t want him to be stressed. Historically, Linus tends to respond to restraint with aggression. If stressed and afraid, he’d likely struggle… Continued
Book Review – Beyond Belly Rubs: The Compassionate Pet Guardian by Niki Tudge and Louise Stapleton-Frappell
by Don Hanson If you include a cat, dog, or horse as a family member, you and everyone who helps care for your companion animal will benefit from reading Beyond Belly Rubs: The Compassionate Pet Guardian, How to Truly Connect with Kindness & Love – Your Guide to A Lifelong Bond by Niki Tudge and Louise Stapleton-Frappell. More Than Words This book is not about training your precious pets; it is about something even more important: living a full, mutually beneficial, harmonious life with them. With our pets as family… Continued
The Many Ways Cats Show Us Love
by Allison Hunter-Frederick Once we understood that cats show affection in many ways, we began to notice signs of love everywhere. Cinder is a cat who resists being held, but she curls up at our feet at night, and in that way, she shows us that she loves us. It took us time not to feel rejected when she pulled away from touch. Like many people, we expected love to appear through cuddling or being held. But, research and lived experience show that love from our cats takes many forms.… Continued
Help Pets Avoid These Common Hazards
by Don Hanson Tobacco & Nicotine Although not found in every home, tobacco and tobacco cessation products that contain nicotine can, sadly, be commonly found in the environment. The nicotine in tobacco and smoking cessation products can kill a pet. Nicotine is a psychoactive and highly addictive substance found naturally in tobacco. Tobacco products are a nicotine delivery system. These products include cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, and snuff. Since the advent of e-cigarettes and vape pens, humans can now ingest nicotine without ingesting tobacco. Additionally, most smoking cessation… Continued
Why Every Dog Can Benefit from Muzzle Training – Just in Case
by Annie Dowell-Caffrey When many people think about dog muzzles, they picture a dog who is aggressive or dangerous. But in reality, muzzles are simply a piece of safety equipment and muzzle training can be a helpful life skill for any dog. Another Everyday Life Skill The Just in Case campaign from The Muzzle Movement encourages dog guardians to think about muzzle training in a new way: not as something used in emergencies or behavior crises, but as a form of preparation. Much like teaching a dog to walk on a lead or feel comfortable with… Continued
Your Instinct Is Right…You Should Comfort Your Scared Dog
by Sam Wike I get asked by many clients if they’re reinforcing their dogs’ fear(s) by trying to comfort them and the simple answer is NO. We aren’t reinforcing fear with reassurance- we are reducing fear by reassurance. This is not my opinion but a scientific fact. If you’re feeling sad, grieving, scared, unsure, or anxious, don’t you seek out some way to feel comforted? Do the calm words or actions of a friend, loved one, trusted colleague or even a stranger help to mitigate, in some way, what you’re… Continued
Whether to Offer Stuffed Toys to Your Dog Can Be a Messy Topic…So Let’s Tear into It!
by Daniel Antolec There are many ways to provide dogs with enrichment, and providing stuffed toys is one of them. When I discuss this option with clients, many of them are already giving such toys to their pets, but sometimes I hear concerns about doing so. Let’s explore those concerns. “Stuffed toys are too expensive, and my dog just tears them apart.” Stuffed toys can be expensive, and they can also be quite affordable. Toys that I am willing to spend more money on are made of durable materials, though… Continued
Kindness and Cooperation: A Promise to Our Pets
by Niki Tudge The Ethical Case for Kindness: Ten Core Principles 1. Acknowledgment of Sentience: Pets are not tools or accessories; they are sentient beings capable of experiencing a wide range of emotions, including joy, fear, anxiety, and pain. Ethically, we are obligated to recognize their capacity to suffer and we are obligated to actively prevent their suffering. 2. The Power Imbalance: We control every aspect of our pets’ lives: when they eat, where they sleep, and when they can relieve themselves. Because we hold absolute power over their world,… Continued
Choosing Cat Litter: Part Four – Crystals, Pellets, and Others
by Misty Hampton When setting up various cat litter preference tests for my cats, there were some top picks, and then there were some litters that were difficult to report on because my cats rarely (or never) used them. The following litter types and selections were not their favorites. Some notes about non-clumping litter: Non-clumping litter doesn’t seem designed to keep up with odor in a multi-cat household. The litter needs to be dumped out frequently and the box needs to be washed regularly. That just isn’t practical or economical… Continued
Why Do We Keep Punishing Our Pets? It’s Not What You Think.
It’s a scenario many pet guardians know well: you walk in the door to find a “surprise” on the carpet, or your dog barks relentlessly at the mail carrier. In the heat of the moment, a sharp “NO!” or a frustrated tug on the leash feels like the natural, immediate response. And for a split second, it works, right? The barking stops for a moment, the dog cringes, and you feel like you’ve communicated your displeasure. However, here’s the deal: While reward-based training is overwhelmingly recommended by vets and animal… Continued
1 2 3 … 12 Next »
Pets and Their People Blog
Topics
Archives
