Author: BARKS from the Guild

PPG Member Profile featuring Pet Professional Guild member Chris Lopez-Santiago of Happy Tails Pet Care in Orlando, Florida     Tell us a little bit about yourself, how you first got into animal behavior and training and what you are doing now…                                     Honestly, getting into animal behavior was not something I thought I would ever do. I knew I always loved animals of all types. Dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, fish, and even insects and arachnids are fascinating to me. I’d often watch Zak George on YouTube to learn how to teach… Continued

This article provides guidance on how to move an in-person dog training business to an online dog training business     By Veronica Boutelle   Q: I’m at a turning point with my dog training business and just don’t know how to move forward. During lockdown I had to shift my services online and while it was daunting to begin with, I ended up really enjoying it. It allowed me to spend more time at home and less time driving for hours in the car, and the results with clients were… Continued

This article presents multiple suggestions for providing enrichment to our horses, including food puzzles and games, different turnout options, opportunities for social interaction, environmental enrichment, and feeding options     By Kathie Gregory   Enrichment is a word that is becoming increasingly used to describe how we do more than provide welfare to our companion animals. Awareness of enrichment is very high in the dog world, and there are plenty of ideas and products that cater for the different breeds, traits, and personalities to ensure dogs have a wide variety… Continued

This article reports on some of the wonderful work being done by the teaching staff and students at a New England Technical High School to ensure their resident birds and animals have an array of enrichment opportunities available to ensure mental stimulation       By Sheila S. Blanchette As a professional certified parrot behavior consultant and trainer, I enjoy finding opportunities to improve my skills and also have a little fun along the way. As such, I volunteer at local animal rescues in my area and in doing so,… Continued

This article provides suggestions and advice for ensuring your dog feels safe and happy as an office dog, as well as pointing out the signs of stress to look out for     By Chantal Hughes We know there is a link between happiness in the workplace and increased productivity. Findings from research coming out of Virginia Commonwealth University in the USA report that “[m]an’s best friend may make a positive difference in the workplace by reducing stress and making the job more satisfying for other employees.” (Barker et al., 2012). Great… Continued