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 about programs we encourage you to share with your clients and students.
What Is the Pet Professional Guild (PPG)?
The PPG is an international organization of compassionate, ethical, and humane pet professionals.
One thing that sets apart PPG members is that we are all committed to the PPG Guiding Principles, which I encourage you to read. PPG members understand Force-Free to mean that: No shock, No prong, No choke and No Pain, No fear, No Force are ever employed in the training, behavior modification, care, or management of any pet.
The key focus is on ensuring pets are relaxed and happy during training and care procedures. To find a PPG Professional to help you improve the relationship and quality of life you share with your pets, simply visit the website and click on “Find a Professional” in the orange bar at the top of the page, where you will be able to choose from the following:
Find a PPG Training and Behavior Professional
PPG members listed in this category specialize in teaching how to train and understand your pet’s behavior. You can search for them by: city, state/county, zip/postal code, species, or any search term. You can then select a member and view the details they have chosen to provide, which typically include their contact information and areas of professional focus. If you click on details, you can learn more.
Find a PPG Pet Care Professional
In this category, you will find pet care professionals such as boarding kennels, daycares, dog walkers, groomers, pet photographers, and pet sitters. You can search by all of the filters noted above.
Find a PPAB Credentialed Professional
Those on this list will typically be the best place to start if you have concerns about your cat’s or dog’s behavior. A PPAB credentialed professional has been accredited by the Pet Professional Accreditation Board as a:
- Canine Training Technician (CTT-A),
- Professional Canine Trainer (PCT-A),
- Professional Canine Behavior Consultant (PCBC-A),
- Professional Feline Trainer (PFT-A), or a
- Professional Feline Behavior Consultant (PFBC-A).
These individuals are committed to PPG’s Guiding Principles, have had their knowledge and skills tested by an independent accreditation body, and are required to accumulate continuing education units to maintain their accreditation. (What we know about pets has changed significantly since I started in the profession in 1995, for instance, and one should not call themselves a pet professional if they cannot demonstrate that they are continuing their education.)
Note: The PPAB is currently developing an accreditation for those working professionally with equids, and an additional accreditation for those working with canines as service or assistance animals.
Find a Behavior Team
A Behavior Team takes a community-focused approach to training and caring for your pets.
Team members, brought together by a shared philosophy and code of ethics, are dedicated to working in concert to support you and your pets with the highest level of care. Helping pet guardians requires a village of professionals you can trust—from behavior experts and pet care providers to the veterinary community. Each behavior team member is dedicated to bringing their own unique skills and specialties to best support you and your pets.
Pet Guardians Can Participate in PPG in Many Ways
We celebrate life with pets and work hard to provide you with resources and education to support you in being the best pet guardian you can be! People who share their lives with a pet, or are thinking about doing so, are encouraged to access PPG’s vast resources of educational materials and we invite you to explore the following programs:
Pets and Their People – FREE
The Pets and Their People blog is a free online publication launched in 2022. Devoted pet guardians have many questions and PPG has set out to provide a resource filled with practical tips and articles focused on science-based, humane, and force-free pet care information.
Edited by a veterinarian, Pets and Their People covers a wide variety of topics. Content contributors include knowledgeable, compassionate, ethical pet professionals and animal welfare advocates. Looking for something? You can search past posts by topic or month.
And, be the first to see new posts when you subscribe for free!
PPG Junior Membership – FREE
Help young people learn about pet care and give them insight into working with animals in a force-free way.
If your family includes someone between 8 and 20 years old, consider the PPG Junior Member program. It is not just another program; it’s a crucial step in shaping the future generation of pet guardians and pet care professionals committed to the well-being of animals.
Pet Dog Ambassador
Pet Dog Ambassador (PDA) is a program for pet dog guardians to learn and grow using positive reinforcement protocols.
If you’re looking for “real-life” skills that help make a dog a joy to live with, rather than stiff, robotic drills in a sterile environment, learn more about this amazing program and view some videos of guardians and dogs demonstrating their skills on the website.
Check the directory to find a PDA Instructor or Assessor in your area to provide hands-on care and coaching. (Long-distance assessment is also available.)
Doggone Safe
The mission of PPG’s Doggone Safe program is to promote education initiatives for dog bite prevention and increased child safety around dogs. It is their mandate to provide:
- Low-cost educational materials for use in schools and by community health departments
- Educational materials for veterinarians and family physicians for office display
- Information and resources:
- on raising puppies and training dogs in ways that do not promote aggression
- for parents and expectant parents with dogs
- for any professionals whose jobs involve home visits (where they might enter the homes of people with dogs)
If you are looking for a Doggone Safe member to provide dog bite prevention education in your community, view the Doggone Safe directory.
What Can We Do Together?
Imagine a world where people and pets live together to their mutual benefit and where pets live as valued family members free from physical and emotional pain, stress and fear. Imagine a world where pet guardians receive the greatest value and highest quality, state-of-the-art, force-free, science-based pet training and care.
PPG is committed to creating this world. And, ultimately, you will determine the future of the pet industry through the services you purchase and the pet care providers you support. Let’s do this together!
About the Author
Don Hanson lives in Bangor, Maine, where he is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop and the founder of ForceFreePets.com, an online educational resource for people with dogs and cats. He is a Professional Canine Behavior Consultant (PCBC-A) accredited by the Pet Professional Accreditation Board (PPAB) and a Bach Foundation Registered Animal Practitioner (BFRAP). A Pet Professional Guild (PPG) member, Don serves on the Board of Directors, Steering Committee, and chairs the Advocacy Task Force and Shock-Free Coalition.
Quick Links:
Find a PPG training and behavior professional: Trainer and behavior consultant listings (a global database)
Find a PPG pet care professional: Listings for groomers, dog walkers, pet sitters, boarding and day care
Find a PPAB credentialed professional: These individuals have met specific criteria of skills and knowledge and comply with continuing education requirements to maintain their credentials.
Find a Behavior Team: A collaborative referral network of pet professionals in your geographic area. Like a “one-stop shop” for guardians.
Subscribe for FREE to the Pets and Their People blog: Practical tips for busy pet people
FREE Junior Membership: PPG offers membership to children (8-12 years of age), teenagers (13-17 years of age) and young adults (18-20 years of age) as a way of helping them to learn about and understand force-free pet care and give them insight into the possibility of working with animals in the future.
Pet Dog Ambassador (PDA): A program for pet dog guardians to learn with their dogs using positive reinforcement protocols. This isn’t about stiff, robotic drills in a sterile environment; it’s about celebrating the “Real Life” skills that make a dog a joy to live with.
Doggone Safe Programs: Two ways to become your community dog bite prevention expert:
- The Dog Bite Prevention Educator Certification Program – This program prepares you to stay safe and provides the resources to help educate others on how to advocate for the importance of Dog Bite Prevention.
- Be a Tree Presenter – This program focuses on fun and interactive activities to teach children how to read dog body language and act safely around their dogs and unknown dogs.
Pets and Their People Blog
Topics
Archives
