Behavior Team of Seattle/Tacoma/Olympia, WA
Welcome to the Behavior Team of Seattle/Tacoma/Olympia, WA! Are you a Seattle/Tacoma/Olympia, WA, resident looking for professional training or care for your pet? You’ve come to the right place! The Behavior Team of Seattle/Tacoma/Olympia takes a community-focused approach to training and caring for your pets. Our team members were brought together by a shared philosophy and code of ethics and are dedicated to working in concert to support you and your pets with the highest level of care. We recognize that helping pet owners requires a village of professionals they can trust—from… Continued
Behavior Team of New York City
Welcome to the Behavior Team of New York City! Are you a New York City resident looking for professional training or care for your pet? You’ve come to the right place! The Behavior Team of New York City takes a community-focused approach to training and caring for your pets. Our team members were brought together by a shared philosophy and code of ethics and are dedicated to working in concert to support you and your pets with the highest level of care. We recognize that helping pet owners requires a village of… Continued
How to Minimize Stress for You and Your Dog
We know our dogs can have a bond with us, and that means when we’re feeling down, it can negatively impact them. Likewise, our being happy can bring great joy to our dogs. This article offers some stress-reduction suggestions for dogs and their caretakers. I recently wrote about my dog Muppy being diagnosed with bladder cancer and how I believe it is essential for me to maintain a positive outlook so as to help her maintain her current joy of life. Having a positive attitude can greatly benefit our health… Continued
Book Review: Is It Okay For Us To Play? A Guide for Safer Interactions Between Children and Dogs by Catherine Hepburn
Is It Okay For Us To Play? A Guide for Safer Interactions Between Children and Dogs is the debut book of UK-based author Catherine Hepburn. It’s a picture book set to be published in the UK on November 7, 2025 from Austin Macauley Publishers. The author, who is also the illustrator, tells a story about Ben and his dog Jay who is a loveable yellow Labrador. Through the drawings and story, the reader learns about discovering what a dog is telling you with his body language and how to respond… Continued
Pet Industry Marketing—Create Products and Services Clients Desire
By Niki Tudge Needs, wants, and desires are separate concepts that influence human behavior. Needs are essential for survival, wants enhance the quality of life but are not vital, and desires are intense, often emotionally driven longings. In marketing, desire is a powerful motivator that drives people to purchase a product or service. It’s the human appetite for a specific item or experience, often stimulated by advertising, that creates a sense of wanting. Unlike a basic “need” for survival, desire is more aspirational and connected to a person’s emotions, values,… Continued
A Philosophical Divide: The Dilemma Facing Pets and Their People
A pet owner seeking a trainer is often in a highly emotional and stressful situation, dealing with a challenging behavioral issue. The ethical divide in the pet training industry forces you to make a complex choice between philosophies that may not be clearly defined. Confusion and Mistrust The ethical landscape of the pet professional industry is characterized by a profound and enduring philosophical divide between organizations that advocate for force-free training and those that support a “balanced” approach. The pet professional landscape is not only split by different methods but… Continued
During Stressful Times with Pets, Finding Joy Matters
On Friday, June 21, I took my dog Muppy to see her veterinarian for a suspected urinary tract infection that was not improving. Other than that, she was in fantastic health for being almost 14 years old, running and leaping like a 5-year-old, always smiling and wagging her tail. After an examination and some lab work, Muppy’s veterinarian explained that an ultrasound revealed a small growth in her bladder, and an analysis of her urine revealed cells that indicated Muppy most likely has bladder cancer. That diagnosis has recently been… Continued
Reward-Based Dog Training: Your Questions Answered!
Thank you for making the decision to invest this time in your pet’s education. At PPG, we consider it an honor that you are trusting us to help guide you on your dog training journey. It is such an important decision- the one you have just made – a decision to invest the time and effort into helping your dog successfully integrate into your life and home. Why Train Your Dog? As data shows us, more pets are surrendered to shelters due to behavioral issues than for any other reason.… Continued
Pet Safety Alert: Blue-Green Algae
Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, are naturally found in most freshwater bodies in the United States. When it rapidly accumulates or “blooms,” it can release neurotoxins and liver toxins that, if ingested, can cause extreme illness and even death. Blue-green algae are most likely to appear in freshwater when the water temperature is above 75°F. The toxins may concentrate near shorelines where animals might drink or swim. Even a small amount of these substances can lead to death in a few hours for a small animal like a dog.… Continued
Behavior Team of the Bay Area, CA
Welcome to the Behavior Team of the Bay Area, CA! Are you a San Francisco Bay Area resident looking for professional training or care for your pet? You’ve come to the right place! The Behavior Team of the Bay Area in San Francisco takes a community-focused approach to training and caring for your pets. Our team members were brought together by a shared philosophy and code of ethics and are dedicated to working in concert to support you and your pets with the highest level of care. We recognize that helping pet… Continued
Bringing a New Dog into Your Family
The annual Clear the Shelters campaign, currently taking place, highlights pet adoption. This post is about how to bring a new dog into one’s home, allowing for decompression, enabling bonding and confidence, and establishing a sound foundation for a joyful lifetime relationship. Bringing a new dog into your family is exciting for people and dogs alike, but it is also a world-changing event for your dog. Everything they were once familiar with has changed. Dogs need time to decompress and adjust to their new surroundings, to establish relationships with new people, and… Continued
Dog Training Game Changer: Avoid This Common Mistake!
One of the most common training mistakes I see—by both new trainers and well-meaning pet guardians—is using a cue word or gesture too early. When Should You Add a Cue to Your Dog’s Behavior? You might be eager to name a behavior as soon as your dog does something close to what you’re teaching. But here’s the golden rule: Only add a cue when the behavior is clean, reliable, and repeatable. Why? Because the cue becomes associated with whatever the dog is doing at that exact moment. If the behavior… Continued
Are You Prepared for a Pet Emergency? Pet First Aid Programs Are Just a Click Away!
Pet emergencies can be scary! Having at least some knowledge of pet first aid can help pet parents know what do in these situations. We would all like our pet care professionals to know what to do in an emergency, but I would argue that it is just as important for us, the guardians, to know the basics. Having been a certified veterinary technician, I get asked by friends many questions about pet care, including what to do in an emergency. What is Pet First Aid? It is important to… Continued
Behaviour Team of Lincolnshire, UK
Welcome to the Behaviour Team of Lincolnshire, UK! Are you a Lincolnshire resident looking for professional training or care for your pet? You’ve come to the right place! The Behaviour Team of Lincolnshire takes a community-focused approach to training and caring for your pets. Our team members were brought together by a shared philosophy and code of ethics and are dedicated to working in concert to support you and your pets with the highest level of care. We recognise that helping pet owners requires a village of professionals they can trust—from behaviour… Continued
Make Every Walk with Your Dog Fun for Both of You!
Walking the dog. Wikipedia describes dog walking as “…the act of a person walking with a dog, typically from the dog’s residence and then returning.” Sadly, the definition suggests nothing about the walk being enjoyable or, better yet, fun for the dog. Some people might view walking the dog as an obligation to ensure dogs get physical exercise, which entails walking around the block or some other regular course, at an unvarying pace, with the dog in a perfect heel position. That’s not the type of walk where your dog… Continued
Retractable Leashes Are Risky
Judging by the number of people I see walking dogs with retractable leash devices, it appears the product is popular. It is also unsafe. Good Intentions The length of the retractable cord varies from 15-30 feet and may be locked in place. Pet stewards have told me the variable length appeals to them so they may keep their dogs close or let them go sniff about. But the variable length is also one of the most dangerous features of the product. I have seen these dangers play out in disturbing… Continued
Easy Steps to Train a New Behavior
At DogNostics Education, we follow a simple method for each behavior we teach. This training plan is very effective and fun when used with the Train-Test-Train system! There are four key training steps called: We will refer to them as steps one through four here, describe them, and then provide a short video to review. Step One – Acquisition First, we have to get the behavior so we can reward it. Acquisition is the stage where your dog learns the behavior. There are several methods to get behavior. Use the most… Continued
What’s Wrong With No Kill?
by Pat Miller Those who know me know that I abhor the entire deceptive, unethical, abusive “no-kill” movement. When I first spoke out against no kill at conferences 20-plus years ago, I was greeted by a roomful of puzzled looks and verbal resistance. Today, I get wild applause. Our industry has come to understand how damaging the so-called no-kill movement actually is. Imagine a world where no dog is euthanized for homelessness: more homes than dogs; waiting lists at dog adoption sources; potential adopters anxiously awaiting the next available canine.… Continued
Pet Training and Behavior Consulting: Knowledge Versus Performance
Knowledge and performance are distinct yet interconnected concepts. Knowledge refers to the understanding and awareness of facts and ideas, while performance is the practical application of that knowledge. Dog training hinges on both knowledge and performance. These concepts are different, but both should be assessed before a professional can become an accredited or licensed dog trainer. Can you imagine other industries certifying or licensing professionals without evidence of both knowledge and performance? Veterinary medicine, surgery, nursing, and most trades require performance competency. How can we overlook the performance factor and… Continued
Not All Pet Care Providers Are the Same
Regardless of whether your pet is at a pet resort or receiving care at home, several significant factors should be taken into account when selecting a pet care facility or an in-home caregiver. Before delving into specific areas, I will define what I consider a professional pet care provider. Individuals pursuing a career in pet care should fully engage in professional education that covers: Pet care providers need to create a secure environment that prioritizes both safety and comfort while also offering physical and mental stimulation. Key core areas of… Continued
Find a PPG Pet Care Professional
Unlocking the Power of Data to Improve Puppy Training Outcomes
Did you know that just by training your puppy, you could be helping to improve the future of dog training for everyone? Your Puppy Training Journey Could Help Shape the Future Zigzag-the world’s leading puppy training app-supports hundreds of thousands of active puppy guardians each year, offering bite-sized, science-backed training plans tailored to each dog’s age, breed, and personality. But what you might not know is that these experiences—every wobble, every win, every “oops, we chewed the sofa again”—is helping to build a clearer picture of what puppy guardians really… Continued
Pet First Aid – Hypoglycemia and Diabetes
Pet First Aid Education Use the password PPGMember to view this video. DogNostics Education donated these videos. They form part of the comprehensive Pet First Aid Certification you can find here https://dognosticseducation.com/courses/pet-first-aid-certification/ The whole program curriculum is below. PPG members get a 20% discount on this program. Use code PPGMemberDiscount to access it What The Program Covers This program does not just cover the typical pet emergencies; it also covers the following common problems you may encounter when caring for a pet. Question: How do we know what these are?… Continued
Pet First Aid – Choking, Foreign Bodies and GDV
Pet First Aid Education Use the password PPGMember to view this video. DogNostics Education donated these videos. They form part of the comprehensive Pet First Aid Certification you can find here https://dognosticseducation.com/courses/pet-first-aid-certification/ The whole program curriculum is below. PPG members get a 20% discount on this program. Use code PPGMemberDiscount to access it What The Program Covers This program does not just cover the typical pet emergencies; it also covers the following common problems you may encounter when caring for a pet. Question: How do we know what these are?… Continued