UK Residents: Urgent Action Needed to Make a Kinder World for Pets
We have less than six months for UK citizens to get 100,000 signatures on this petition to ban electric shock collars for dogs and cats. Your signature attests, “I petition for the ban of electric shock collars due to the harmful effects they can have.” Five Reasons to Act Now: Inflicting Pain on Animals is Unlawful Let’s explore European Animal Welfare laws, specifically the UK Animal Welfare Act of 2006, and its Five Freedoms, which are: Advocates believe the use of electric shock collars on dogs is inconsistent with animal… Continued
UK Residents: Urgent Action Needed to Make a Kinder World for Pets
We have less than six months for UK citizens to get 100,000 signatures on this petition to ban electric shock collars for dogs and cats. Your signature attests, “I petition for the ban of electric shock collars due to the harmful effects they can have.” Five Reasons to Act Now: Inflicting Pain on Animals Is Unlawful Let’s explore European Animal Welfare laws, specifically the UK Animal Welfare Act of 2006, and its Five Freedoms, which are: Advocates believe the use of electric shock collars on dogs is inconsistent with animal… Continued
Best Practices
Best Practices At PPG, we encourage professional autonomy within the confines of our mutually agreed principles. Written by Debra Millikan, Dip.ABST, Dip.DTBC, PABC As members of PPG and in accordance with PPG’s Guiding Principles, “Members understand force-free to mean, no shock, no pain, no fear, no physical force, no compulsion-based methods are employed to train or care for a pet.” It is also the belief that experienced trainers must begin their behavior change programs with the least invasive and least aversive training protocols necessary to change the problematic behavior. Education is one… Continued
PPG Advocacy Panel: Changing a Pet’s Behavior by Changing Human Behavior
In this episode, the PPG Advocacy Panel discusses changing a pet’s behavior by changing human behavior. Your Moderator: PPG Advocacy Task Force Chair Don Hanson Your Advocacy Panel for this discussion: Dr. Zazie Todd, Dr. Karolina Westlund, Beth Adelman, Daniel Antolec, Judy Luther, Sandra Machado, Pat Miller, Debbie Sheridan and Sam Wike Enjoy listening to the Advocacy Panel’s informal, free-flowing discussion! Listen to the podcast here on a choice of platforms. Or simply click the ‘Play’ button below. Recorded February 21, 2024. Find out more about future Advocacy Panel topics and dates.
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The PPG Scholarship Program
You Are Invited … Each year PPG invests several thousand dollars into its Scholarship Program to award a limited number of full and partial scholarships to eligible candidates to further their education in force-free training and/or pet care. These scholarships are intended for PPG members to participate in suitable programs offered by organizations that support PPG’s Guiding Principles and goals. Only applications from candidates who are current PPG members in good standing for the prior 12-month period are considered. Not a PPG member yet? We invite you to join today and… Continued
Dog Walking Academy
Dog Walking Academy Earn Your DN-CPDW Trade in your stressful, stale, or unsatisfying work for a living doing something you love—spending time with dogs. Become a professional dog walker! Already walking dogs? Learn a few new dog tricks, gain a marketing edge, solve pesky problems, and grow your business to new heights. Save training time, set your company apart, and get more from your dog walking, pet sitting, dog daycare, and boarding kennel staff. Join PPG Today and access a 25% discount code Why Attend The Dog Walking Academy In… Continued
How to Get Feedback That Doesn’t Leave You Taken Aback
In this article, the experts at dogbiz share tips for requesting and using valuable feedback from clients. Ask dogbiz Q: Hi dogbiz, I know getting feedback from clients can be a valuable way to improve my services, but I’m nervous about how to approach it. I worry about bothering them or receiving negative comments. What’s the best way to request and use feedback without making it awkward for everyone involved? Thanks, Charlotte A: Hi Charlotte, First, kudos to you for considering feedback as an essential part of your business… Continued
Holiday Safety for Dogs
While the holiday season can be a fun time of year for us, we also need to be thinking about how to keep our canine friends safe. This article explores some common seasonal pet hazards and how to avoid them. Holiday Decorations Pine needles – Real Christmas trees have sharp needles; not only can these hurt your dog’s paws, but if eaten they can cause tummy issues, including blockages, or puncture your dog’s tummy or intestines. Hoover up pine needles regularly. Tree water – Do not let your dog drink… Continued
Eye Drops for Dogs, the Premack Principle, and Stationing on the Stairs
Students often ask me, “When can I stop training my dog.” That’s when I reply, “I never stop training.” By continuing to train, I keep my dog engaged, her life enriched, and my skills sharp. For example, my continued training with Muppy helped me quickly address a new behavioral challenge related to her health. Last spring Muppy was seen by an eye specialist and was prescribed eye drops that she requires every morning. Dr. Blackwood explained that one of the drops might sting and could cause Muppy to be less… Continued
Stubby’s Story: From Crossroads to Heart Dog
This article is the winning entry in the BARKS 2023 Summit Writing Competition! by Hannah Blumenfeld Stubby was born in western Texas in February 2020. He and his four littermates ended up in a small shelter and then spent three weeks in a foster home before being transported to a rescue in Portland, Oregon, in May 2020. His fosters in Portland had a full house—two adults, two teenagers, a 4-year-old male neutered English Mastiff, and a 4-year-old female spayed cat. They adopted Stubby as soon as his litter was cleared… Continued
Chat & Chuckle with T Hamboyan Harrison About Strategies for Handling Fearful Cats
Join Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison as they chat and chuckle with T. Hamboyan Harrison of A Cat’s Purrspective about strategies for handling fearful cats. T Hamboyan Harrison is a cat behavior consultant at A Cat’s Purrspective, LLC. As a disabled person, T especially enjoys helping cats with chronic medical conditions. T has spent over a decade volunteering with cats in local rescues and shelters, and has several cats of their own at home. T has certifications through IAABC (CCBC, ACSB-C) and Fear Free Pets (FFCP, animal trainer) and is… Continued
Keep These Foods Away from Your Dog at Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a time to get together with family and friends and for you to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Here are some foods that you should keep away from your dog at Thanksgiving: Turkey skin, cooked bones and dark meat. Turkey skin and the dark meat are high in fat and could cause pancreatitis. Turkey skin is hard to digest and if you marinade it or use spices or oil then the skin keeps hold of these when cooked making it unsafe for your dog. Cooked turkey and ham… Continued
“A Dog’s View” by Kristy and Jamie Spencer
PPG member Kristy Spencer and her son Jamie have made a short film called, “A Dog’s View.” Jamie is doing a filmmaking degree at the Film School in Manchester. “The aim of the film is to hopefully help people develop a better understanding of how dogs see their world around them, including all sensory inputs,” said Kristy. “It’s going to be the start of a mini series of films to help express how a dog perceives its world and develop a deeper understanding of why dogs struggle with certain aspects… Continued
To Save a Starfish: A Compassion-Fatigue Workbook for the Animal-Welfare Warrior (Book Review)
Several of us who have animals as pets also volunteer or work in the animal welfare field at some point. You might give your time to an animal rescue or shelter, veterinarian clinic or hospital, or even animal control. Whatever your role, if you intend to stay in the field, you should consider adding “To Save a Starfish” by Jennifer A. Blough to your reading list. Burnout and Compassion Fatigue “To Save a Starfish: A Compassion-Fatigue Workbook for the Animal-Welfare Warrior“ is a self-care workbook designed to help its readers… Continued
Arizona Humane Society Hosts Pet Professional Guild’s Annual Summit to Promote Positive-Reinforcement Training
The partnership aims to positively impact the successful transition of rescued pets into their new homes while empowering and enhancing their welfare. The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) and the Arizona Humane Society (AHS) have partnered to host a summit featuring 25 world-class presenters from around the globe at the Arizona Humane Society’s Nina Mason Pulliam South Mountain Campus in Phoenix November 1-5. The “Homeward Bound” summit event will showcase the latest techniques in humane, ethical positive reinforcement–based training, helping both organizations reach their shared goal of ensuring that humane and… Continued
Why Focus on Life Skills vs Obedience in Dog Training?
Life skills training isn’t just a flashy buzzword; it’s the most up-to-date way of training dogs, where we focus on skills for life vs the traditional obedience commands of yesteryear. The life skills approach emphasizes training dogs to be well-behaved and well-adjusted in everyday environments, rather than just focusing on obedience commands in a controlled training setting. Life skills training focuses on teaching skills to dogs that are relevant to their day-to-day lives. It has been so long since dogs were domesticated, and even relatively modern life is very different… Continued
Halloween Can Be Stressful for Dogs
Halloween can be fun for us but stressful for dogs, especially if you get a lot of trick-or-treaters coming to the door. Trick-or-Treaters You could consider putting up a sign saying, “no trick-or-treaters please” and leave sweeties in a safe place outside for children to help themselves to instead. Otherwise, keep your dog inside and away from the door as your dog may not recognize that the ghost, vampire or witch at your door is a child or person they know. Even a fairy can be scary to a dog… Continued
Training Your Equid: The Many Benefits of Protected Contact
What is protected contact? Protected contact means that there is a barrier between you and the animal you are working with or training. This term comes from zookeeping, where zookeepers often work with the animals in their care through the confines of the animal’s enclosure. The barrier keeps both the human and animal safe. How will protected contact benefit me? Protected contact keeps you safe from behaviors that may make you uncomfortable or put you at risk, like your horse bumping into you, pushing you with their nose, or nipping.… Continued
Fallout is Not Good for You…or Your Pet (Part Two)
A dog cannot be in a relaxed and restful state while simultaneously in a state of fear. The same is true for humans. You are likely familiar with the survival mechanism often referred to as fight-or-flight. Here’s a brief overview of how that response works: The central nervous system (CNS) consists of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). The PNS is associated with rest and digest processes, while the SNS is associated with fear and anxiety. They work in balance with one another, rather like… Continued
Fallout is Not Good for You…or Your Pet (Part One)
Recently I received an application from a potential client, who I will fictitiously call Jane Doe. Jane reported how she brought a boxer puppy into her life. Her primary concern was that her puppy was excited around new people, jumping on them, and she pulled on the leash. Jane took her pup to a group class, but her puppy was usually put behind a fence and got little help from the trainer. Excitability, jumping on people and pulling on leash sounded like typical puppy behavior and I thought, “Oh good,… Continued
Malena DeMartini: A Beacon of Light for Dogs Who Suffer When Left Home Alone
Malena DeMartini shares her personal and professional journey to creating her company that provides educational programs for dog professionals and guardians to help dogs with separation anxiety. Who are you, and what makes you passionate about animal behavior? I have been a professional dog trainer and behavior consultant for over two decades and had a beautiful introduction to animal behavior via my education through the Academy for Dog Trainers. Initially, I worked with all manner of dog behavior, from jumpy puppies to human-directed aggression. However, I developed an… Continued
Puppy Not Listening to You? Here’s Why and What to Do!
“I love it when my pet doesn’t listen to me,” said no one ever. So what happens when your calls fall on deaf ears (when your dog isn’t actually deaf)? What else might be going on if you feel your puppy isn’t listening or responding to you? There are many reasons why your pet is failing to respond to you. We’re going to get into it here, and help you with tried and tested strategies that will help your pet listen to you. Why is My Puppy Not Listening… Continued
Kate LaSala Helps Dog Owners Accept Their Dogs for Who They Are
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you first get into animal behavior/training, and what you are doing now? I’ve been an animal advocate for over three decades. I became vegetarian as a teen and have championed animal welfare as a rescuer, transporter, shelter worker, foster, volunteer, and trainer. But my life trajectory changed forever when our dog BooBoo arrived in our lives. I’ve been in private training for nearly 10 years now andremain committed to continuing education, helping people have better lives with their dogs, and… Continued