PPG Expands Steering Committee

PPG has appointed Judy Luther, chairwoman of PPG's Canine Committee (above, center), Daniel H. Antolec (above, left) and Don Hanson (above, right), co-chairmen of PPG's Advocacy Committee to its Steering Committee with immediate effect. "As PPG continues to grow, it is essential that the Canine and Advocacy Committees also have a voice in the advancement of the organization, so I am especially thrilled to welcome our latest members to the Steering Committee," said PPG president Niki Tudge. "All three are long-standing, respected members of their local communities as well as the industry at large.” Read press release.

2020 Leslie McDevitt Workshop

PPG is hosting a 2-day workshop with Leslie McDevitt (below) titled Reactive to Relaxed: Next Steps in Control Unleashed. Taking place in Tampa, Florida on Saturday, April 18, 2020 - Sunday, April 19, 2020 McDevitt will teach material from her newest book Control Unleashed: Reactive to Relaxed.

PPG Welcomes New Corporate Partner

PPG is delighted to welcome Smart Dog Training and Behavior, LLC as its new corporate partner. Smart Dog’s owner Dr. Kristina Spaulding is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist with19 years’ experience in the dog training and dog behavior fields. She offers dog training classes, private dog training and behavior modification, and online services. The latter comprises a variety of professional courses aimed at pet professionals and interested pet owners and go beyond the basics of methodology and learning theory to get in-depth information on the current science on dog training and behavior.

PPG Corporate Partner Blogs

Amongst the many other great things they do, PPG’s corporate partners also contribute to the BARKS blog.

Dr. Karolina Westlund of Illis ABC runs a variety of online courses focusing on animal emotions and the foundations of successful animal training. Check out her blogs here:

Veronica Sanchez is the founder of Cooperative Paws Service Dog Coach™, an educational certification program for professional trainers in service dog training. Check out her most recent blog, Tips for Working with Clients with Mobility Impairments.

And finally, Veronica Boutelle is the founder of dogbiz, the pet industry’s leading business support company. Check out her posts:

• Get A Successful Start—Today and Every Day
• How to Make the Transition to Full-Time Dog Pro

Check out too dogbiz’s exclusive Black Friday offer, which was emailed to all PPG members earlier today (November 15, 2019)!

PPG Releases Position Statement on Declawing Cats

PPG has released a statement on the practice of declawing cats that acknowledges scratching as a “natural feline behavior” and takes the position that declawing cats “for owner convenience or in an attempt to protect property, people, and other pets is both inhumane and unnecessary given that there are highly effective alternatives available to manage the behavior more appropriately and less intrusively.” Read the full statement/download pdf. (Photos: Can Stock Photo/aksakalko & AlexanderPokusay)

PPG November Workshops

PPG hosted Dr. Robert Hewings (front, center) from the UK College of Scent Dogs at its headquarters in Tampa, Florida this month. Hewings presented both his Become an Accredited Scent Instructor and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – Assistance Dog Training workshops. We’ll have a short report and more pictures from the event in the January 2020 issue of BARKS.

PPG Reiterates Industry Education Mandate

PPG has issued an updated Industry Education Mandate based on its Key Charter and Guiding Principles, stating that “PPG is committed to supporting organizations, groups, industry bodies and associations that seek change and also to reaching those who have not yet determined change is a priority. In this manner, PPG can focus on enacting systems that reinforce those who seek collaboration and who are open to education and networking.” Read full statement/download pdf.