The Power of Choice
…a basic environment has food delivered in a food bowl. An enriched environment offers food in lots of different ways including puzzles, dispensing toys and treasure hunts. A basic environment has a single litter tray in one corner of a room. An enriched environment has several litter trays, appropriate to the number of cats in the household, located in private spots throughout the house and cleaned regularly. Enrichment also covers things like play, human interaction, hiding places, vertical space and opportunities to explore natural cat behaviors – in a variety of… Continued
Aging Gracefully
It is important to bear in mind that our dogs may be experiencing physical ailments, just as we do in our aging process, and we need to ensure their lifestyle stays balanced between being too sedentary, to overdoing it because they are no longer as conditioned for high impact or long periods of physical activity. As such, I make sure I keep Lanie active with low impact activities like canine fitness, obedience training, or fun tricks. Of course, she also needs mental enrichment and so we keep learning new things.… Continued
Creating Positive Workspaces
It goes without saying that quiet and calm creates an environment which is more conducive to learning. Pick your time when the kids are least likely to be running wild and other family members need your attention. Cut off background noise from TVs, radios and other obvious external stimuli. For dogs who are particularly sound sensitive, think too about less obvious stimuli such as household appliances such as dishwashers, microwaves, cookers, home entertainment, washing machines etc. All of these devices may contribute to an inability to concentrate, especially if your… Continued
Troubleshooting the Hand-Delivered Retrieve
There are many different ways to train a dog to hold a retrieve item in their mouth. One approach involves shaping and differentially marking and rewarding for increasing duration. This approach requires very precise marking. Another strategy often used to build duration involves combining a chin rest with the “take” cue. Yet another approach involves tugging on the item immediately after the dog takes it. Most dogs will pull back in response to the tugging, and this gives the trainer an opportunity to mark and reward for a firmer and… Continued
Harassment in the Workplace
…so much more is needed in terms of education, reporting procedures and protection for individuals not shielded by corporate harassment policies. How, then, does one get help as an independent and small business owner when predatory behavior flies just below the legal radar or when an individual is not sure what constitutes harassment, sexual or otherwise?…As a businesswoman who has had multiple contacts with professionals, over many years, I have heard directly from multiple victims of harassment, social bullying and sexual harassment across a range of disciplines in many industries.… Continued
Phoenix Blog Competition: Where Hope Lives
By Heddie Leger Hope comes in many ways, shapes and forms. We are encouraged in life to never give up Hope. It was a rainy stormy day. A medium sized, white dog was spotted wandering the school yard going from door to door. Every once in while she could be seen sitting by a certain door. She did not appear frightened or scared and most folks thought she had just wandered from her home and was looking for a child in her family. After several hours passed, a kind woman… Continued
PPG Summit 2020 Sessions: Foundation Training Skills to Prepare Dogs for Future Learning After Adoption
BARKS presents session details from PPG’s 2020 Summit and Workshops in Phoenix, Arizona Session Details: Presenter: Emily Larlham Session Title: Foundation Training Skills to Prepare Dogs for Future Learning After Adoption Session Type: Arizona Humane Society Workshop (1.5 Hours) When working with a shelter dog, we always hope that the people adopting the dog will not only provide a safe loving home but also teach their dog skills to help him thrive and fit in with the family’s lifestyle. A skilled trainer can easily teach a dog new skills and… Continued
BARKS Podcast with Coleen Ellis of Coleen Rocks: May 8, 2020
Join Niki Tudge as she hosts Coleen Ellis from Coleen Rocks to talk about how to get your business “Future Ready.” Listen to Podcast here on a choice of platforms. Or simply click ‘Play’ below. Ready to be inspired and energized? In this interactive dynamic discussion you will learn how to think about your marketing from a different perspective. We will discuss the importance of “Honoring Your Story” to understanding the “Experience Economy” and how to use these to get your business Future Ready. Ever wondered about the importance… Continued
Tell Us What You Really Think
By Susan Nilson and Angelica Steinker Amongst dog trainers and enthusiasts, Dr. Gregory Berns is probably best known for his pioneering work that specializes in the use of brain imaging technologies to gain a greater understanding of canine motivation and decision-making. For the last three years, Berns’ team at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia have used positive reinforcement to train a group of volunteer dogs to remain still during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)*. As the dogs are awake during the entire fMRI process, Berns and his colleagues are provided… Continued
Teaching Recall: A New Standard
A favorite expression amongst pet trainers is that we should aim to have a “constructional approach” to changing behavior. This means we should be working to build the most appropriate behaviors rather than focusing on a punitive approach toward what humans consider to be annoying or frustrating behaviors their pets may, at times, exhibit. As such, rather than punishing a particular behavior, we must ask this simple question: What behavior would we prefer the pet to perform as an alternative in this situation? Once we have identified this, we can… Continued
Everything Was Fine Until…
I’m reminded of a young dog who had been housebroken, but suddenly began to refuse to go out in the backyard and would urinate in the home as soon as she had a chance to do so unobserved. The veterinary exam had shown nothing unusual, the diet had not been changed, work schedules the same, no new additions or losses to the household, etc. Watching the dog as the client and I talked, I noticed that every tiny sound outside the consultation room was registering with the dog. Her ears… Continued
Setting the Right Criteria
Why do trainers and dogs reach these impasses? When progress plateaus, trainers begin to consider more invasive measures. Dogs risk being sent to boot camps and being subjected to shock or prong collars because “treat training” didn’t work. The problem is rarely motivation, of course, or the effectiveness of positive reinforcement. The problem is the trainer’s inability to set appropriate criteria…The ability to set good criteria isn’t just for jumpy, mouthy dogs who find themselves in a shelter environment. It is even more important in cases of fear and aggression.… Continued
Learning to Love the Business Side of Your Business
Here’s the honest truth – it’s hard to run a successful business. Let’s face it, you got into this because you want to help people and their animals have a more fulfilling life together, right? You have the passion, dedication, commitment, and interest. But knowing what your vocation is, can be quite different to knowing how to turn it into a reliable and stable source of income…Price setting is a tricky part of running a business, not least because the whole issue of money and worth can be caught up… Continued
E-Fence Fallout
Labradoodle Charlee…started to respond fearfully when the telephone answering machine beeped. She became afraid to enter the room where it was located, even when there was no beeping sound. She traversed a roundabout route through the house just to avoid that room. Her fear further generalized to beeping sounds on television programs, but the most “heartbreaking” response was when the smoke detector battery died and the device emitted a constant screeching beep which terrified Charlee. Read article
Goals in Dog Training: Outcome or Behavior – Which Do You Control?
By Niki Tudge One of the most common mistakes we see dog training professionals make is to try to impart their goals upon their clients. For example, you may feel that pet dogs should behave in a certain way, have specific skills, do certain tasks or not do other things such as climb on furniture or jump at you on arrival. News flash: Your clients may not want any of these things, they may have quite different opinions and therefore goals. To get everyone on the same page and to… Continued
PPG Summit 2020 Sessions: Tell Me Who You Are – Understanding the Individual Dog
BARKS presents session details from PPG’s 2020 Summit and Workshops in Phoenix, Arizona Session Details: Presenter: Suzanne Clothier Session Title: Tell Me Who You Are – Understanding the Individual Dog Session Type:Lecture/LAB – 8 handler/dog teams (1.5 Hours) Each dog presents a unique blend of genetics, history, learning and experience, temperament, preferences, abilities and limits. Humane training is possible when we understand each dog in a nuanced way that reflects who they are as a social, cognitive, emotional and physical being. The more deeply we can understand the individual dog, the… Continued
Phoenix Blog Competition: Mookie’s Tale
By Kim Geisert The gray and white male pit bull was covered in blood. It was flowing down his face, running from the punctures in his forelegs and neck, and streaming from where the tip of his ear had been severed. He limped toward me, but was otherwise unexpectedly calm, considering the obvious trauma he had just experienced. We were at the neighborhood park, on one of the hottest July days on record, and both of our lives were about to change forever. At the time, I had been involved… Continued
PPG Summit 2020 Sessions: Canine Welfare – What Is It and How Do We Measure It?
BARKS presents session details from PPG’s 2020 Summit and Workshops in Phoenix, Arizona Session Details: Presenter: Dr. Lisa Gunter Session Title: Canine Welfare – What Is It and How Do We Measure It in the Animal Shelter? Session Type: General Session Lecture (1.5 Hours) Considerable progress has been made to improve the outcomes for dogs arriving to animal shelters, resulting in substantial increases in the number of dogs adopted and returned to their owners as well as reductions in euthanasia. Over this time, the role of the animal shelter has changed… Continued
Message Received!
By Suzanne Clothier At the heart of any relationship is communication. On so many levels, how effectively we communicate plays a huge role in the quality, tenor and overall success of a relationship. As psychologist and family therapist pioneer Virginia Satir (1998) states: “Communication is to . . . relationships . . . as breathing is to life.” As a trainer, my goal is to find the communication approach that serves the human, the dog, and the relationship. I need to recognize what works well for that specific team, and… Continued
E-Fence Fallout
By Daniel Antolec My clients Maggie and George* had both grown up with dogs. Now, as a married couple, they were ready for a puppy of their own. In 2009, they bought a house with a large lot that was ideal for a dog and joyful labradoodle, Charlee, thus entered their lives. As the house was located along a busy boulevard they, of course, wanted to keep Charlee safe while enjoying the yard, so they considered installing either a physical fence or an electronic containment system (ECS). Building a physical… Continued
Pet Professional Guild Launches Sponsored Membership Program
10 long-standing PPG members and 10 eligible shelter and rescue organizations to be awarded with free membership for 12 months WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. – April 7, 2020 — The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) has announced a new initiative designed to support and reward 10 of its long-standing, loyal members with a 12-month sponsored PPG membership. In addition, the initiative will invite 10 representative organizations from the worldwide shelter and rescue community to apply for a sponsored PPG membership, again for a 12-month period. Known as the PPG Sponsored Membership Program,… Continued
The Hand-Delivered Retrieve
By Veronica Sanchez The hand-delivered retrieve is an important task for many service dogs and a wonderful skill for pet dogs. Service dogs trained to help a person who has a mobility impairment, a mental illness or a neurological condition often must be able to perform numerous retrieve-based tasks. Pet owners may want their dogs to retrieve a few items for enjoyment or to simply help out around the home. Owners who participate in Rally or other types of competitive obedience may need their dog to retrieve for performance activities.… Continued
PPG Virtual Summit Recordings Now Available!
The recordings for the PPG Virtual Summit on April 2-3, 2020, celebrating the launch of the Pet Rescue Resource, are now available. Register here for access to these eight exceptional educational experiences offering 12 hours of recordings plus Q&A sessions: Preventing and Reducing Fear in The Shelter Environment – Dr. Karolina Westlund of Illis Animal Behavior Consulting Seven Top Tips to Promote Calm in Rescue and Shelter Dogs – Dr. Nick Thompson of Holisticvet Scent Work Solutions for Dogs in Rescues and Shelters – Dr. Nick Thompson of Well Connected Canine… Continued
PPG Summit 2020 Sessions: How Can We Ask Questions from Non-Verbal Animals? Methods to Behaviorally Assess Preference in Applied Settings
BARKS presents session details from PPG’s 2020 Summit and Workshops in Phoenix, Arizona Session Details: Presenter: Dr. Alexandra Protopopova Session Title: How Can We Ask Questions from Non-Verbal Animals? Methods to Behaviorally Assess Preference in Applied Settings (Part 2) Session Type: General Session (1.5 Hours) Modern dog training recognizes that efficacy is simply not enough; ethics in dog training is equally, if not more important. A big part of being an ethical trainer is learning how to understand the animal’s point of view. Whereas using body language to gauge comfort level… Continued
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