Chat & Chuckle with Joey Lusvardi of Class Act Cats
Join PPG Feline Division Chair Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison, also with PPG’s Feline Division, as they chat and chuckle with Joey Lusvardi of Class Act Cats. Topics covered include: 🐈 How they each got started as cat behavior consultants 🐈 What sparked their career changes 🐈 Getting experience volunteering with rescues and shelters 🐈 Different courses available to help gain knowledge 🐈 The importance of networking and being a member of professional organizations like PPG 🐈 How to get your business set up and start taking your first clients… Continued
Welcome to Pets & Their People
Welcome to Pets and Their People – Your online tips, tools and resources! You’re busy. You really, really love your pets. So, where do you turn with day-to-day pet care challenges and questions: Can I feed this to my dog? Why does my horse do that? How do I find a reliable pet sitter? Why does my cat think that’s the litter box?? It’s okay – you got this and we’re here to help. We’re on a mission to provide resources and practical tips to pet people…with a dose of encouragement and humor! Our… Continued
Are You a Cat Person or a Dog Person?
How many times have we seen this question posted or have we been asked it ourselves? Becoming a Dog Family In my own family my husband developed cat allergies as an adult. He once stopped to see what had been thrown out of the car in front of him on his way home on a cold dark night. It was a kitten. We named him Buddy and he was the sweetest little guy – followed us around purring, so happy to have been found! Dave’s eyes… Continued
Why is Equine Management So Important?
All of a domestic horse’s basic needs are determined by our own management practices. These practices may range from horses being kept in a fully managed environment to horses being kept in an environment that is as natural as possible. While basic needs are common to all species, the nature and provision of them is species specific (i.e. different for each species). This means that we have to meet the specific needs that have developed during the course of the evolution of that particular species. Providing management solutions in… Continued
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How Many Dogs Should I Adopt at the Same Time?
Adopting a dog is so exciting, not just for us but for the dog as well. I don’t think there is much that can match the feeling of giving a previously unwanted dog a new beginning. Of course, you do have the option to adopt more than one dog; here are a couple of things to keep in mind. Adopting One Dog…At a Time Adopting two or more puppies together is not advisable. Similar to purchasing siblings from the same bred litter, two puppies are double the costs, cleaning up,… Continued
Video Analyis of a Dog Bite
Why You Need to Know About Dog Body Language Dog behavior is complex, and the signals that dogs send are often subtle. The following is not intended to be a treatise on dog behavior. It is intended to alert parents to situations that could compromise child safety around dogs. Parents seeing potential danger signs in their dog’s behavior are encouraged to err on the side of caution and implement dog bite prevention measures (increase supervision and use physical barriers when supervision is not possible) until it can be determined whether… Continued
What Is Enrichment for Animals?
by Diane Garrod When the term “enrichment” is verbalized, its meaning is often not clearly understood. When I’ve asked clients, “What enrichment does your dog get?” I’ve gotten answers like ball play or a walk, or a long pause of nothing because the client is not sure what enrichment is or means. This got me thinking about the differing categories of enrichment for animals and led me to dig deeper into the science and definition of enrichment. Is it the same for dogs as it is for horses and… Continued
Cat Introductions – One Step at a Time
Since starting my cat behavior consulting business in 2019, the issue that I have been most often contacted about is that of cat introductions. While there are some cats that will roll out the welcome mat almost immediately for a newcomer, most need a more structured approach. 1. SAFE ROOM The first introduction step is to start your new cat in a safe room. This room should have all the major resources that a cat needs: feeding station, litter box, scratching post, bedding, and toys. One benefit of a safe… Continued
A New Puppy Affects the Existing Dog(s) in Your Household – Here’s What You Need to Know
In this blog post, we are going to look at how getting a new puppy may affect the existing pets in your home. The safest and most responsible option would be to speak to a qualified trainer or behavior consultant to assist you with a management plan as well as an introduction between the new puppy and the resident dog. Very often, our nervousness gets the better of us and the situation. Our dogs pick up on our anxiety and an introduction might not go as smoothly as it can.… Continued
Canine Enrichment with Scent Detection
By Emily Coleman In early November 2022, my dog Deja and I journeyed off to the sunny climes of Crystal River, Florida, in search of adventure! And odor … By this I mean we attended the Pet Professional Guild’s three-day Scent and Scentability workshop. Expert detection-dog handlers Dr. Robert and Karen Hewings, both retired professional police dog handlers, provided loads of valuable insight. Robert and Karen now run the UK College of Scent Dogs and were kicking off an international tour. In total, they presented five days of quality… Continued
Let’s Talk About Our Dogs’ Feelings
Anthropomorphism, a word that I can’t even pronounce!! The New Oxford American Dictionary helps us out here: An-thro-po-mor-phism – the attribution of human characteristics or behavior to a god, animal or object. A Shift in Perspective You may have noticed recently that there has been a lot more talk about the welfare and “the feelings” of our dogs. (Thank goodness!) Years ago, I volunteered at a shelter for a period of three years. I admit that I would sit in my car after leaving on those Fridays and cry! … Continued
Fire Safety for Pets
We have all heard news stories about tragic home fires where the pets did not survive. Sadly, incidents where the pet woke the family, and everyone was spared are the exception. A fire is scary for everyone involved but listed below are several facts that are especially important for those of us with pets. Approximately 80% of all fires occur in a private home; therefore, if your pet encounters a fire, they are most likely to do so in your home. We often leave pets alone in our homes,… Continued
Why You Need to Know About Dog Body Language
Learn to Speak Dog and Teach Your Kids Why You Need to Know About Dog Body Language Dog behavior is complex and the signals that dogs send are often subtle. The following is not intended to be a treatise on dog behavior. It is intended to alert parents to situations that could compromise child safety around dogs. Parents seeing potential danger signs in their dog’s behavior are encouraged to err on the side of caution and implement dog bite prevention measures (increase supervision and use physical barriers when supervision… Continued
Chat & Chuckle with Sandra Grossmann of The Feline Consultant
Join PPG Feline Division Chair Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison, also with the PPG Feline Division, as they chat and chuckle with Sandra Grossmann of The Feline Consultant about feline nutrition and feeding cats. Listen to the Podcast here on a choice of platforms. Or simply click the ‘Play’ button below. Recorded on November 18, 2022. Sandra Grossmann is a certified feline training and behavior specialist (CFTBS) through the Animal Behavior Institute and a Cat-Friendly certified veterinary assistant. Prior to working as a feline behavior and nutrition consultant, she worked… Continued
Before You Get a New Puppy
Are you planning on acquiring a new puppy? It’s a good thing you are reading this! We will guide you through essential information you need to make an informed decision. Whether you are a new dog owner or an experienced dog guardian, getting a new puppy is very exciting. It also comes with many responsibilities, such as research on: The breed that would best suit your household Finding an ethical breeder OR Choosing the right puppy from a rescue A qualified professional’s school to enroll your puppy for early socialization… Continued
Pet Training and Behavior Consulting: Licensing vs. Industry Certification
This article is excerpted from the book, Pet Training and Behavior Consulting: A Model for Raising the Bar to Protect Professionals, Pets and Their People, authored by Niki J. Tudge, Susan J. Nilson, Debra A. Millikan and Louise A. Stapleton-Frappell (pp. 14-21). The book is available as a free download from DogNostics Career Center or in print from Amazon. According to Roth and Ramlow (2016), “Americans have always been rooted in the idea of economic freedom.” In other words, Americans tend to be of the belief that hard work… Continued
Dog Parks, a Closer Look!
Everyone seems to get excited at the prospect of a new dog park arriving nearby. I get it! Our mind’s eye pictures the many dogs running, chasing and having a great time! We catch ourselves with a gleeful smile at the happiness this visit will bring for our own four-legged loved one. Dog Park Perceptions vs. Reality The first dog park was opened in 1979 in Berkeley California. Since then they have continued to pop up across the country with a call from dog lovers that these locations… Continued
Before You Adopt Your Rescue Dog
We will be digging into information current and/or future dog guardians should consider before they adopt a (another) dog. Let’s Explore the Subject of How to Choose a Dog You can use the following as a guide: Visit often. Keep in mind, that the shelter environment is generally more stressful than the average home. Dogs who exhibit overarousal in the rescue environment might be calmer in a home environment. Visit the dog often and ask the shelter staff to take the dog to a play garden or a… Continued
PPG Podcast with the PPG Advocacy Panel: Discussion #15 – Top Tips on How to Network and Spread the Mission
Join the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) Advocacy Panel for a discussion on Top Tips on How to Network and Spread the Mission Pet guardians and pet professionals, listen as panel members share their expertise in a fun, free-flowing format. Your Moderator: PPG Advocacy Division Chair Don Hanson Your Advocacy Panel for this discussion includes: Aaron Jones of the PPG Inclusivity Division and PPG Shelter and Rescue Division, Linda Michaels, Kim Silver, Dr. Karolina Westlund and Monique Williams of the PPG Equid Division. Listen to the Podcast here on a choice of… Continued
When Cat Guardians (and Their Cats) Are at the End of Their Rope, Bonnie Comes to the Rescue
Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself, how you first got into animal behavior and training and what you are doing now. A: I live in Missouri with my husband of 20 years along with two cats, one gerbil and some fish. I volunteer at Wayside Waifs, where I previously worked for nearly 11 years as their feline care manager. I helped develop behavior and socialization programs to help increase each cat’s chances of adoption. I also love dogs! I love to travel, and most recently we went to… Continued
Pet Insurance – How to Choose a Provider
When we decided to purchase pet health insurance for Muppy nine years ago, there were far fewer options than you will find today. However, that means choosing a plan may be more complicated today. Then, there were fewer companies, and it was easier to find independent and unbiased reviews online. Today several major insurance companies are offering policies for pets as they see this as a financially lucrative market. Their participation could drive prices up or down. Unfortunately, how plans are marketed does not always make for an easy, apples-to-apples… Continued