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Is There a Dog in the House? Keeping Kids Safe at Playdates and Childcare

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A Doggone Safe Playdate Checklist As I was exploring the Doggone safe free public resources, I smiled when I realized how many excellent resources there are to use and share. One of my favorites is “Play Dates and Babysitter’s House.” This resource features basic questions a parent should be asking to keep their child safe, like: A parent would ask these and many more questions of a prospective in-home daycare or nanny. Rarely does it occur to a parent to ask if the family has a dog and, if so, what… Continued

PPG Advocacy Panel: How Do We Stay Motivated and Afloat During Challenging Times?

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In this episode, the PPG Advocacy Panel discusses ways to stay motivated and afloat during challenging times.  Your host/moderator: ⁠PPG Advocacy Task Force⁠ Chair Don Hanson Your panelists: Laura Donaldson, Dayle Pierce, and Sam Wike Make yourself comfortable and enjoy the discussion! Listen to the podcast here on a choice of platforms.  Or, you can click on the play button below to listen to the episode now! Recorded April 16, 2025. Find out more about future Advocacy Panel topics and dates.

Sudden Tension Between Cats: Could It Be Non-Recognition Aggression?

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Each year, countless cats and their guardians are affected by non-recognition aggression, a phenomenon in which a cat returning home from an outing is suddenly treated as an intruder by a cat who remained at home. This situation often occurs after a visit to the vet, but it can also happen after a trip to the groomer, an outdoor excursion, or a visit to a home with dogs. Experts believe scent plays a key role in triggering non-recognition aggression. If left unaddressed, the at-home cat may attack the returning cat,… Continued

Chat & Chuckle with Frania Shelley-Grielen About the Pet Services Industry

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Listen as Niki Tudge and Judy Luther engage in a lively discussion with Frania Shelley-Grielen about the pet services industry. Frania Shelley-Grielen is a professional animal behaviorist, dog trainer, and educator who holds a Masters Degrees in Animal Behavior from Hunter College and a Masters Degree in Urban Planning from New York University, complimenting her insight into behavior with an in-depth understanding of the built environment. She is a licensed Pet Care Technician Instructor, a registered therapy dog handler, a certified Doggone safe Bite Safety Instructor, and a professional member… Continued

Behavior Teams

A New Program to Help and Support You Working with pets can be one of the most pleasurable and fun careers, but it can also be lonely, challenging, and emotionally draining. Coordinating with clients, veterinarians, and other pet professionals can leave you feeling like you have run the gamut of an assault course. And it can be challenging for both pet guardians and pet professionals to gain access to competent and qualified training and behavior professionals. Let’s stop, think, and change the way we work with our colleagues and clients. … Continued

Hoof Care Options for Fearful Equids

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by Michelle Martiya When people adopt or rescue fearful and feral equids, one of the most pressing issues the new owners face is the need to trim their feet. These animals often come with feet that are too long, which can be painful and cause long-term musculoskeletal problems. Much like dogs accepting nail trims, hoof trims can be one of the most challenging procedures for an equid to accept, and the need for care will frequently happen before training for this procedure is complete.  Fortunately, there are a few things… Continued

Think Your Dog Is Stubborn and Willful?

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When a family recently submitted a puppy training application, I looked for key words to gain insight as to their relationship with their pup.  I saw words describing 13-week-old Bella as strong-willed and stubborn, dominant, and growling when verbally or physically punished. Their verbal corrections were a harsh “Eh, eh!” and “No!” to which Bella responded “aggressively.” They also complained about hard mouthing and declared that they did not play tug, but they did mess with her food while Bella was eating. Yikes! I knew that our first appointment would… Continued

What to Look for in a Pet Care Professional–Part 2: Knowledge, Skills, Competence, and Credentials

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In What To Look For In A Pet Care Professional–Part 1, I discussed the importance of carefully reviewing the ethics policies of any pet care professional before entrusting your pet to their care. Here, I’ll discuss the importance of pet care professionals acquiring knowledge and skills and demonstrating competency through independent accreditation bodies. Lastly, I’ll address the importance of continuing education. Acquisition of Knowledge People might become pet care professionals because they have a passion for animals. However, living with them as pets, or breeding them, is unlikely to provide… Continued

PPG Advocacy Panel: Why Positive Reinforcement?

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In this episode, the PPG Advocacy Panel discusses why we use positive reinforcement in pet training.  Your host/moderator: Kim Silver (filling in for ⁠PPG Advocacy Task Force⁠ Chair Don Hanson) Your panelists: Beth Adelman, Pat Miller, Debbie Sheridan, Dr. Kristina Spaulding, Niki Tudge, and Dr. Karolina Westlund. Make yourself comfortable and enjoy the discussion! Listen to the podcast here on a choice of platforms.  Or, you can click on the play button below to listen to the episode now! Recorded March 19, 2025. Find out more about future Advocacy Panel topics and dates.

Dogs Are Food Motivated – They Need It for Survival

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It’s our role to figure out what rewards work best in different situations! At DogNostics, we hold a two-day Pet Care Professional Certification workshop where a question that we often hear is, “How can I train a dog who isn’t food motivated?” At The DogSmith, we also encounter clients who say that their dogs are not motivated by food, so we thought that a blog regarding this topic would be useful for pet guardians. Is There a Health Concern? There are many reasons why a dog may sometimes not wish… Continued

Is Your Dog Feeling Fearful, Anxious, or Stressed?

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I highly recommend that we all try to identify the signs and causes of stress in our lives, and our pets’ lives, so that we can begin to eliminate or reduce the stressors that may be adversely affecting our mental and physical well-being, and that of our pets. Dogs show many signs when they are fearful, anxious, or stressed. Here are some of the canine body language signals indicating fear, anxiety, or stress that you could learn to recognize: Identifying the triggers – those stimuli such as smells, sounds, or… Continued

Identifying Positive Reinforcers for the Individual

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Anna Bradley explains why using food as a positive reinforcer in training is not bribery and examines alternative options for dogs who may not always be so food driven. While I would say there is, in general, a much wider appreciation of the role of rewards in animal training and behavior these days, I also believe—and it is certainly my experience—that pet guardians do not always fully understand the power of positive-reinforcement training. For example, I have had clients who consider the use of rewards to be “bribery.” There may… Continued

Book Review: Zoodle Needs Some Space by Anastasia Gargiulli

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Zoodle Needs Some Space is a delightful children’s book that sheds light on the challenges facing reactive dogs, and on the importance of being empathetic and understanding of how reactive dogs experience fearful situations. Author Anastasia Gargiulli, is an early childhood education teacher and passionate advocate for dogs with special needs.   The story centers around Zoodle, a happy dog who loves her family and her ball. However, Zoodle becomes worried and anxious on walks, leading her to display defensive behaviors, such as barking, in hopes of attempting to scare away potential… Continued

Keeping the Welfare of Your Best Friend at the Forefront of Dog Training

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calm: [adjective] not showing or feeling nervousness, anger, or other strong emotions.  Note that the dictionary definition of calm includes what a human or animal is feeling, not just the outward behaviors. Dogs are sentient beings, and research on brain activity and behavior shows clearly that they experience the same emotions that we do—they love, they fear, they seek enrichment and happiness.  Knowing this, I was deeply disturbed by a video from a shock collar trainer, demonstrating how crate anxiety (and associated whining and pawing) can be “cured” with one of… Continued

PPG Advocacy Panel: The Importance of Ethics in the Pet Care Professions—It’s Not Just Tools

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In this episode, the PPG Advocacy Panel discusses ethics—what they are and why they are so important in the pet care professions.  Your host/moderator: ⁠PPG Advocacy Task Force⁠ Chair Don Hanson Your panelists: Allison Hunter-Frederick, Dayle Pierce, Kim Silver, Holden Svirsky, and Niki Tudge. Make yourself comfortable and enjoy the discussion! Listen to the podcast here on a choice of platforms.  Or, you can click on the play button below to listen to the episode now! Recorded February 19, 2025. Find out more about future Advocacy Panel topics and dates.

Eat, PURR, Love

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Andrea Carne investigates how feeding regimes can help meet feline behavioral needs, particularly those of indoor cats, while deliberating the findings of a recent study on the same topic. Read the next sentence very carefully (and with a large pinch of salt): Feeding your cat one meal a day might be best. I can almost hear the gasps from cat guardians across the world! “Feed my cat once a day? Are you crazy?” I hear you say. “What do I do when I get the 5 a.m. ‘wake up and… Continued

PPG Announces New Corporate Partner: Phenix Advocacy Center

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The Pet Professional Guild has announced a new corporate partnership with Phenix Advocacy Center. Annie Phenix founded the Phenix Advocacy Center in February 2023 in response to feedback from dog trainers around the world about feeling exhausted, stressed, worried and deeply sad about the toxicity and misogyny that is prevalent in the industry, among a myriad of other reasons. Read the full news release, and go to the Phenix Advocacy Center’s website to learn more! 

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What to Look for in a Pet Care Professional–Part 1

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This post is the first in a series of articles designed to assist pet care consumers with selecting an appropriate professional to care for and help them with their pets. In this article, I will answer the question, “What is a professional?” I will also discuss the importance of working under a Code of Technical and Ethical Standards developed by acknowledged experts in pet care. What is a Professional? Almost all professions follow the attributes listed under the heading “A Professional Will:” Many different professionals work in pet care. They… Continued

Am I a Pack Leader…or a Human?

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I was a dog lover long before becoming a professional dog trainer, and when a television program first aired about dog training and behavior, on a major network that I trusted, I began watching episodes with the intent of learning more about dogs.  Conflict and Competition The essence of the TV program seemed to be founded on something called “dominance theory” and the personal charm of the star. What I heard throughout each episode were references to humans having to be the dominant pack leader to offset a dog’s inclination… Continued

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