I Saved a Dog’s Life Today!
An Urgent Call A few months ago I received a voicemail on my business phone from a man who was very distraught. He asked that I call him back right away, and I could tell that it was urgent. I called him back and he told me that his dog had bitten him in the face the night before. I asked for more details and he told me that he could tell that she didn’t want him to kiss her in the face because she was backing away, but he… Continued
Product Review: KONG Flyangle ™
Some might say I’m a bit of a dog toy addict. We have inside toys and outside toys. The outside toys need to be durable. They take a beating with all the tossing, bouncing or rolling on the ground, and two dogs playing with them. The KONG Flyangle™ doesn’t disappoint. Why We Love The Flyangle™… Easy for dogs (and puppies) to pick up when it’s laying flat on the ground Light for its size Very durable It floats for water fun– use it in the doggie pool, take it… Continued
Chat & Chuckle with Dr. Lisa Radosta of Florida Veterinary Behavior Service
Join Niki Tudge, PPG Canine Committee chair Judy Luther and BARKS Magazine editor-in-chief Paula Garber as they Chat and Chuckle with Dr. Lisa Radosta, owner of Florida Veterinary Behavior Service and co-owner of The Real Dog Nerds, about pets with behavior problems requiring a veterinary behaviorist, and what pet guardians can look for and do in preparation for and support of a veterinary behavior program for their pet. Listen to the Podcast with Dr. Lisa Radosta here on your choice of platforms. Or just stay on this page and… Continued
Pet Insurance – Why It’s a Good Idea
My wife and I decided pet insurance was worth investigating when we adopted Muppy in 2013. We had several unplanned vet bills with previous pets requiring emergency surgery or because they were treated for chronic issues for many years. So when we adopted Boomer (the cat) that fall, we also purchased a policy for him. Nine years later, I believe it was a wise investment. Health Insurance for Puppies In the fall of 2020, I started talking about pet health insurance with students in my Puppy Headstart-ONLINE class. It follows… Continued
Meet a Dog Lover Who Pursued a Calling and Now Creates Wonderful R+ Transformations
In our ongoing series of PPG member profiles, BARKS features Aaron Jones of AJ’s Waggin’ Train in Katy, Texas Aaron is a member of PPG’s Inclusivity Division and Shelter and Rescue Division, and he also serves on PPG’s Advocacy Panel. Q: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, how you first got into animal behavior and training, and what you are doing now? A: I am a graduate of the Animal Behavior College where I earned my credential as a Certified Dog Trainer. I have had a love… Continued
Pet Professional Guild Announces 2023 Summit, Invites Proposals for Academic Sessions and Skill Labs
Event to take place at the Arizona Humane Society in Phoenix, November 1-5 INVERNESS, Fla. – Sept. 29, 2022 – The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) has announced that its 2023 Summit will take place November 1-5, 2023, at the Arizona Humane Society in Phoenix. The in-person event will also be livestreamed. “Connecting with other pet professionals and educating ourselves are vitally important to enabling us as human caretakers to provide animals with the best possible environment—one where they can thrive,” said Jennifer Dagnino, behavior and pet training manager at the… Continued
Upcoming Facebook Live Featuring Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. Lisa Radosta!
Please join us Friday, September 30, 2022 at 3 p.m. ET – Streaming Live on the Pets and Their People Facebook page! In this very special Facebook Live event for pet parents, Dr. Lisa Radosta, Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist, will be discussing pet behavior problems that require a veterinary behaviorist for help. We’ll also discuss what pet guardians can look for and do in preparation of a veterinary behavior program. Why You Don’t Want to Miss This Free Online Event Lisa Radosta, DVM, DACVB graduated from the University of… Continued
Enjoy Loose Leash Walking Your Dog – Part 3: Training Game Resources
Helping Dogs Lead Fulfilled & Enriched Lives! Teaching your dog to walk nicely on a loose leash takes patience and time, but even committing to just ten minutes of daily training will put you both on the path to leash walking success. The time you spend working through this fun program will be well worth it when you’re out enjoying a lovely stroll with your best friend! We love training games! These will not only improve your dog’s leash walking skills, leading to a dog that is a pleasure to… Continued
What You Need to Know About Kitten Socialization
Are you fostering kittens, or have kittens of your own? One of the most important gifts you can give them is effective socialization. Socialization is about more than just introducing kittens to people. It’s about providing kittens with positive exposure to new stimuli: such as people and animals, environments, objects, and situations. Before I discuss the right way to socialize, I want to point out that the main socialization window for kittens is from two to seven weeks of age, but it can extend up to 14 weeks. During this… Continued
Enjoy Loose Leash Walking Your Dog – Part 2: Your Leash Walking Tools for Success
Let’s Look at Leash Walking Equipment What We Recommend: A well-fitting, non-restrictive harness. For larger dogs and those dogs who tend to pull, we recommend a harness that has both front and back rings as, if needed, the leash can be attached at both points. Alternatively, a front-ring only harness is a good choice. Using the front attachment will assist you while you and your dog are working on your leash walking skills as, if your dog pulls towards something, the front leash attachment point will cause them… Continued
Teaching Puppies and Dogs to Love Their Harnesses
Introducing your puppy to a harness for the first time can be daunting for you both. For many puppies, the first time they wear a harness is often the first time they go for a walk- but it shouldn’t be! Outside has lots of new sights, sounds and smells they may never have experienced. This coupled with a strange piece of equipment they’ve never worn before and your puppy’s first walks can turn out to be a disaster. If you’ve rehomed a new dog, or purchased a new… Continued
Enjoy Your Time Loose Leash Walking Your Dog – Part 1
Do you have a dog that pulls you along like a steam train pulling freight? Do you secretly dread walking your dog because they pull the leash so tight that it makes your arms and shoulders ache? If so, walks are probably miserable for you, and, undoubtedly, for your dog too. We believe that when a dog cannot walk “nicely” that this can become a welfare issue. Lots of dogs who pull along their owners soon find themselves being left home alone. This reduction in enrichment and exercise can be… Continued
Why We Should Think Twice About How We Are Training Our (Service) Dogs
Service dogs have up to two years of training under their belt. This is so they can be prepared for doing their very important job for their handler. With all that training and the continued work they do throughout their lives, shouldn’t we be careful not to do anything to cause any medical problems or physical issues in the future if we can prevent it? Most people now know that dog collars can do harm to the dog’s neck so why are they still being used? Let’s Take a Look… Continued
When is it Okay to Touch an Assistance Animal?
Seeing more service animals in public can be exciting for any animal lover, but it raises an important question: when is it okay to touch an assistance animal? Service Animal Tasks Assistance animals are most often dogs, and they have been trained to perform medically-necessary tasks for their handlers. Some examples of this could be a guide dog performing alert behaviors for a visually-impaired handler, or a psychiatric service dog grounding their person during a panic attack. Unlike therapy and comfort dogs, service animals are trained especially for… Continued
Help Prevent Separation Anxiety Related Problems with The Flitting Game
There’s a two-part game that I call The Flitting Game. This game, and The ‘Where’s Your Dinner?’ Game, are the preparatory stages for building your dog’s confidence and sense of security. Together with careful management and avoiding leaving your dog alone before they can cope, these are the foundations for preventing separation anxiety related problems. STEP ONE To play, start off by choosing two adjacent rooms, ideally the kitchen and living room. Set the timer on your phone (silently) for five minutes, then make multiple trips from one room to the next;… Continued
Chat & Chuckle with Irith Bloom of The Sophisticated Dog
Join Niki Tudge and PPG Canine Division Chair Judy Luther to Chat & Chuckle with Irith Bloom. Irith is the owner of The Sophisticated Dog and offers virtual, online training for dogs and other pets. Listen to the Podcast with Irith Bloom here on your choice of platforms. Or just stay on this page and click on the “Play” icon below. Recorded on August 12, 2022 Irith (“ee-reet”) Bloom CPDT-KSA, CBCC-KA, CDBC, CSAT, KPA CTP, VSPDT, CBATI, FFCP (Trainer), VSDTA Faculty, DWA Faculty, Co-founder of Porter Labs… Continued
A Few Basic Rules About How and When to Approach a Dog Safely
Sharing the following rules and teaching them to both adults and children can help everyone stay safe. Is It Safe to Approach a Known Dog? You may assume that it is safe in certain contexts to approach a dog that you know. However, you still need to exercise caution and respect the dog’s space. Every child – and adult for that matter – should be taught a few basic rules about how and when to approach a dog. The majority of dog bites occur in the home with a… Continued
Shared Blog Post – The Proper Use of Food in Dog Training
The following article was originally written by Niki Tudge, Leah Roberts and Carole Byrnes in 2013 for the Pet Professional Guild and updated by Niki Tudge in January 2022 for The DogSmith. An excerpt: You choose if you want to motivate your dog with something he likes and will work to attain, or something he dislikes and will work to avoid. NOTE. WE ALWAYS USE FOOD because we want our dogs to feel safe and happy and not afraid of a consequence! Wait! What? “Always use food”??? We are sharing this post because… Continued
Determining If Your Dog Understands SIT
Students often ask, “How can I tell if my dog understands what I’m teaching him or her?” How we assess a dog’s training can vary with what we’re teaching, the environment where we are testing them, and the dog and their physical and emotional status at that particular point in time. Below you will find one method you can use to assess how well your dog understands a simple behavior like sit. You will give your dog a single visual or verbal cue and look for them to respond in… Continued
Pet Professional Guild Launches New Divisional Member Meetups
Free Bimonthly Events Provide Members a Forum for Mentoring, Education and Support INVERNESS, Fla. – Aug. 19, 2022 – The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) has launched free bimonthly divisional meetup events for its members. The events are designed to give members the opportunity to join in the conversation and ask questions of pet professionals and featured guests live in an informal format. “Our goal with the meetups is to provide an environment for topical and species-specific discussions and education while fostering a sense of community and support among PPG members,”… Continued
Sniff for Calm and So Much More!
Congratulations to Kris Whipple! This post won first prize in the 2022 Canine Scent Writing Competition. Of all the canine behaviors that I teach, calm is the most valuable. Calm dogs are less likely to bark, jump, mouth, lunge, pull or engage in other challenging behaviors that come with overexcitement. For me and my dog Sprig, an exuberant adolescent Cardigan Welsh corgi who thinks every day (and experience, dogand person) is his best day EVER, sniffing has become a positive and powerful tool I use daily to promote calm behaviors… Continued
A Note From Your New Editor
Hello! My name is Paula Garber, and I’m the new editor of BARKS from the Guild! I wanted to take a moment to say hello and introduce myself. I started my professional cat training and behavior consulting career in 2014, when I launched my business, LIFELINE Cat Behavior Solutions. Before studying animal behavior, I worked as a freelance editorial professional in the publishing and education industries for more than 25 years. I’ve been a proud member of the Pet Professional Guild since 2015 and was the chair of PPG’s Feline… Continued
How To Select a Service Dog or Assistance Dog Prospect
It can be a daunting prospect to begin to research and search for a service dog or assistance dog in the best of cases. When you are going to be training the dog yourself, due to barriers accessing charitable services, it can be even harder. A Force-Free Professional Can Make a World of Difference Seeking help from a qualified Pet Professional Guild trainer can be extremely helpful. You are guaranteed to be working with a vetted and approved trainer. You can ask for their experience and knowledge with service/… Continued
Getting Your Puppy or New Dog Used to Being Alone: Where’s Your Dinner Game
Where’s Your Dinner Game This game is an easy and simple way to build a bit of independence and confidence in a puppy or a new dog. It is based on free choice on the dog’s part and can be adapted in any number of ways as their confidence builds. It requires two people and a bowl of food! One person holds the puppy at one end of the room while the other places their bowl of food down at the far end of the room, and then quickly… Continued