What Role Does Your Dog Play in Your Life?
Last summer, I read a market research report that reported that 76% of people in the US with pets strongly agree that pets are part of the family and that 17% agree that pets are family members. That is a total of 93%, which is something to be excited about as it suggests that most of us who share our lives with pets believe they should be treated as family. I am now in my 30th year as a pet care professional and feel fortunate to have entered this career… Continued
Your Brain Is Hardwired to Generalize Fear…And So Is Your Dog’s
This story is an illustration of something Kristina Spaulding, Pd.D., CAAB explained so clearly in her blog on The Development of Fear, published on April 1, 2021. Dr. Spaulding is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist who has worked with dogs, and now focuses on education. To read her excellent blog, follow this link. Barking and Lunging at Cars Recently, I worked with a three-year old Sheltie who had no training beyond performing “shake” on cue and following a food lure into a down position. For this article, I will call… Continued
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A Professional Dog Trainer Does So Much More Than Train Dogs
I became a pet care professional in the fall of 1995 when my wife and I became the new owners of Green Acres Kennel Shop. I am fortunate to have entered the profession then because of the many advances in our knowledge of pet behavior, training, and nutrition. Obedience Class Disaster In the Spring of 1991, my wife Paula and I brought home our first puppy as a couple, a cairn terrier we named Gus. We wanted to do everything right, so we immediately enrolled ourselves and twelve-week-old Gus in… Continued
The Off-Leash Adventures of Tina
Recently, I worked with a prior client, a very intelligent college instructor whose previous dog I trained. She adopted a sweet little dog she named Tina, because the adoption date was that of Tina Turner’s death. Tina was destined to live an exciting life. The Chipmunk Kingdom Living in the countryside, the family wanted Tina to enjoy her new surroundings off leash. Her previous one year of life had not been a rural existence, so the farm-like environment was full of stimuli that she had not experienced. The chipmunks who lived in several wood… Continued
Book Review: The Forever Dog by Rodney Habib and Karen Shaw Becker
by Don Hanson When most of us add a pet as a valued family member, it is with a desire for that pet to live a healthy, enjoyable, and long life, which is the philosophy behind The Forever Dog. Every pet I’ve had has motivated me to learn everything I can to make that happen. Unfortunately, a lot of harmful information about pet health, wellness, behavior, and nutrition is perpetuated as “wisdom,” when its goal is to give a false sense of security, so pet guardians unknowingly purchase products that shorten their… Continued
Tug-e-Nuff
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Book Review – Bark!: The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog by Zazie Todd
Bark!: The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog by Dr. Zazie Todd is an excellent and, in my opinion, essential resource for pet parents or professionals who have or are thinking of bringing a dog who is anxious, fearful, or reactive into their homes. Early in the book, Dr. Todd notes that data indicates, “…up to 72.5 percent of dogs have some kind of fear or anxiety…” I have had four dogs in my life with some level of anxiety, and as a Professional Canine Behavior Consultant… Continued
Owner vs. Guardian
*Do you consider yourself a pet owner or a guardian? Blouin (2013) studied the variations in dog owners’ attitudes toward their pets in terms of interactions and their treatment. He concludes that the relationship pet owners have with their pets is one of three orientations: Blouin’s study reflects a wide variation in how owners consider and value their pets, ranging from having functional value to being seen as a companion who deserves to have his or her own interests protected. Indeed, if one were to ask pet owners how they… Continued
PPG Member Meetings – Support and Help
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Dog Bite Prevention Educator Certification Program Discount
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Doggone safe Be a Tree Kit Program Discount
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Canine Enrichment Technician – Yearly
This membership requires you to hold the DN-CET certification. Please ensure you do this before you begin the application process. Terms: $85 / Year First Name:* First Name Required Last Name:* Last Name Required Address Line 1:* Address Line 1 is Required Address Line 2: Address Line 2 is not valid City:* City is Required Country:* Country is Required — Select Country — United States (US) Afghanistan Åland Islands Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus… Continued
Five Tips for Being the Best Guardian for Your Senior Dog
This blog post earned Honorable Mention in the Pet Professional Guild’s Pets and Their People Celebrating Life Together community outreach competition in the Pet Professional Activities- Write a Blog Post category. As our dogs get older, they start to change physically, emotionally, cognitively and behaviorally, and that change can impact us – more barking, restlessness at night, noise sensitivity, health issues that can be emotionally and financially challenging. Watching our beloved family member go from a bouncy happy dog to one who is slowing down is hard. But there are things you can… Continued
How Your Dog Can Tell How You’re Feeling
One of the most amazing things about dogs is how well they can read our emotions and know whether we’re happy, sad, anxious, or angry. I believe that many dogs may be able to “read” the people in their family, as well as (or better than) their closest friends can. Your Scent, Body Language, & Tone of Voice The date dogs started living with us is subject to continuing research, but it could be as much as 35,000 years ago. The most logical theory about domestication suggests that dogs domesticated… Continued
Free Treats for Better Behavior
This blog post earned Honorable Mention in the Pet Professional Guild’s Pets and Their People Celebrating Life Together community outreach competition in the Pet Professional Activities- Write a Blog Post category. You know that rewarding behaviors you like gets you more nice behavior, but did you know that consequences aren’t the only way our pets learn? By giving your pet “free” treats – no good behavior required – you can build powerful associations which influence behavior and emotion. If you’re used to consequence-based teaching, the hardest part of using this technique may be… Continued
PPG Announces the Winners of Its Celebrating Life Together Outreach Competition
The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) has announced the winners of its community outreach competition that was part of its first annual advocacy event, Celebrating Life Together, held in August and September 2024. The goal of the event was to raise awareness for humane, ethical and effective pet training and care, and also included a three-day virtual education event featuring 67 presentations by experts from around the world. Click here for the full news release and to view the Best in Show and Best on the Block winning entries!
Positive Reinforcement vs. Punishment: The Best Approach to Cat Training
This blog post is the Runner-up in the Pet Professional Guild’s Pets and Their People Celebrating Life Together community outreach competition in the Pet Professional Activities- Write a Blog Post category. When we think about correcting unwanted cat behavior, the first thing that often comes to mind is the outdated method of using a spray bottle. This approach, though common, is actually an example of positive punishment. In simple terms, positive punishment means adding an unpleasant stimulus—like a spray of water—to discourage a behavior. However, using punishment, in general, is not the answer… Continued
Six Ways a Newsletter Can Help You Bark Up the Right Tree
by Veronica Boutelle As a dog trainer, you want a reliable way to connect with your clients, attract new ones, and promote your work. In our experience, there is no better marketing staple to achieve this than the humble newsletter. While social media platforms offer quick bursts of information, newsletters provide a unique opportunity to build deeper relationships, share expertise, and nurture a loyal client base. Here are six reasons to add a newsletter to your marketing toolkit: 1. The Personal Touch Most dog trainers today spend a lot of… Continued
Best Life with Your Big Feeling Dog: How to love the dog you have
This blog post is the Winner in the Pet Professional Guild’s Pets and Their People Celebrating Life Together community outreach competition in the Pet Professional Activities- Write a Blog Post category. Happy dog lounging content on his bed. Social walks and play dates with other dogs. Public events with your four-legged friend. All situations I imagined when we brought home our tiny, adorable beagle puppy. Anxiety (genetic), fear, the pandemic and two dog attacks. My beagle is anxious and fear-reactive. He has really BIG feelings, and not to mention, a loud voice.… Continued
Celebrating Life Together – The Votes Are In!
The Pet Professional Guild has announced the results of the public voting portion of the Community Outreach Competition! Thank you to all who participated in the PPG Advocacy Event and Community Outreach Competition – Raising Awareness for Humane, Ethical, and Effective Pet Training and Care! Whether you presented at or attended the Celebrating Life Together Virtual Educational Event (or purchase the conference recordings package), entered into the outreach competition, or voted for your favorite entry, by joining forces to be part of the solution, you helped provide the antidote to… Continued
Celebrating Life Together – The Votes Are In!
The Pet Professional Guild has announced the results of the public voting portion of the Community Outreach Competition! Thank you to all who participated in the PPG Advocacy Event and Community Outreach Competition – Raising Awareness for Humane, Ethical, and Effective Pet Training and Care! Whether you presented at or attended the Celebrating Life Together Virtual Educational Event (or purchase the conference recordings package), entered into the outreach competition, or voted for your favorite entry, by joining forces to be part of the solution, you helped provide the antidote to… Continued
PPG Advocacy Panel: Conversations About Compassionate Care and Connection with Dr. Karolina Westlund
Don’t miss this special episode from PPG’s Advocacy Task force in its series, Conversations About Compassionate Care and Connection. These special Advocacy Panels feature a special guest and two co-hosts. The special guest for this Advocacy Panel is Dr. Karolina Westlund! Your Co-hosts: Judy Luther and Debbie Sheridan Your Moderator: PPG Advocacy Task Force Chair Don Hanson This discussion is based on Dr. Westlund’s blog post, Animal Welfare and Her Fairy Godmothers: https://illis.se/en/animal-welfare-fairy-godmothers/ Learn more about Dr. Westlund’s course, Animal Emotions, here: https://illis.se/education/courses/animal-emotions/ Enjoy listening to the Advocacy Panel’s informal, free-flowing discussion! Listen to… Continued
Effective Desensitization
by Anna Bradley Desensitization is a tool used routinely in the behavioral rehabilitation of animals with many varied emotional responses, but primarily those centered around anxiety and fear. Several terms have in recent years become almost “bandied” about—used in regular discourse in doggy chat rooms, forums, social boards, social media groups and the like, and desensitization is just one of them. The result is that, while professionals use the technique as it should be applied, it can be less well understood, so its effectiveness “watered down” or even completely incorrectly… Continued