Ask the Experts: How to Break Up With a Client
by Veronica Boutelle Dear dogbiz, I pride myself on being able to work effectively with my clients, even when it’s tough. And generally, that’s what happens. Recently, however, I’ve been working with a new client and it’s become increasingly challenging. There have been some scheduling issues, which I’m happy to accommodate (within reason). But after canceling the last three sessions, they’ve also decided to return to punitive measures and equipment I don’t use or recommend. Despite recurring conversations, I just don’t feel they are able to get on board with… Continued
BARKS Podcast with Annie Phenix of Phenix Dogs
Join Niki Tudge as she Chats and Chuckles with Annie Phenix of Phenix Dogs about using emotion and connection in training, and much more! Annie’s new book, Positive Training for Aggressive and Reactive Dogs: Proven Techniques to Help Your Dog Recover from Fear and Anxiety and Enjoy Walks Calmly, will be available in November 2022. Annie is also the author of The Midnight Dog Walkers, published in 2016, and is a Certified Behaviourist and Family Dog Mediator. Listen to the Podcast with Annie Phenix here on your choice of platforms. Or just stay on… Continued
BARKS Podcast with Dr. Kristina Spaulding of Science Matters Academy of Animal Behavior
Join Niki Tudge and PPG Canine Committee chair Judy Luther as they Chat and Chuckle with Dr. Kristina Spaulding of PPG corporate partner, Science Matters Academy of Animal Behavior about her new book, The Stress Factor in Dogs: Unlocking Resiliency and Enhancing Well-Being. Listen to the Podcast with Dr. Kristina Spaulding here on your choice of platforms. Or just stay on this page and click ‘Play’ below. Recorded September 9, 2022. About Dr. Kristina Spaulding Dr. Kristina Spaulding operates Science Matters Academy of Animal Behavior, which opened its doors in 2001 and quickly… Continued
Fun Canine Nose Work in the Shelter
Congratulations to Kristin Laurene! This post won runner up in the 2022 Canine Scent Writing Competition. It is definitely not a news flash to any dog owner that a dog’s sense of smell is its strongest. It is also not surprising to hear about dogs stuck in shelter environments getting bored and unwanted behaviors developing, or further strengthening, due to lack of regular mental stimulation. However, pets in shelter and rescue environments are not the only pets who experience lack of mental stimulation. Three professional detection-dog trainers and handlers realized… Continued
BARKS Podcast with the PPG Advocacy Panel: Discussion #13 – What Is Management, and Can It Be Enough in Helping Pet Owners?
What Is Management, and Can It Be Enough in Helping Pet Owners? Join the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) Advocacy Panel for a discussion on What Is Management, and Can It Be Enough in Helping Pet Owners? Pet guardians and pet professionals, we invite you to listen as panel members share their expertise in a fun, free-flowing format. Your Moderator: PPG Advocacy Division Chair Don Hanson Your Advocacy Panel for this discussion includes: Kristi Benson, Dr. Laura Donaldson, PPG Feline Division co-chair Beth Adelman, Monique Williams of the PPG Equid Division,… Continued
Scent Success: Giving Scent Work a Second Chance
Congratulations to Shelley Doane! This post won runner up in the 2022 Canine Scent Writing Competition. I started getting interested in canine scent work with my dogs a few years ago. It began with an introductory class taught by a fellow trainer. It was an interesting class with lots of good information, but I did not find it fun, and my dog, Sophie, didn’t seem to really enjoy it either. A couple of years later, I listened to a podcast by another trainer about scent work using food and how… Continued
Chat & Chuckle with Irith Bloom of The Sophisticated Dog
Join Niki Tudge and PPG Canine Division Chair Judy Luther to Chat & Chuckle with Irith Bloom. Irith is the owner of The Sophisticated Dog and offers virtual, online training for dogs and other pets. Listen to the Podcast with Irith Bloom here on your choice of platforms. Or just stay on this page and click on the “Play” icon below. Recorded on August 12, 2022 Irith (“ee-reet”) Bloom CPDT-KSA, CBCC-KA, CDBC, CSAT, KPA CTP, VSPDT, CBATI, FFCP (Trainer), VSDTA Faculty, DWA Faculty, Co-founder of Porter Labs… Continued
The Harness Is Coming – Run for the Hills!
I often wonder why some of us expect our dogs to miraculously accept collars, harnesses, leashes, and the like. After all, dogs are not born with these alien contraptions attached to their person! But some of this gear must feel restrictive, worrying, anxiety-provoking, or even potentially painful. Especially without careful prior desensitization. Which Dog Gear and Why? There are many different bits of paraphernalia available out there right now, so think seriously about what you need and why you need it. Most importantly, think how it benefits your… Continued
Pet Professional Guild Launches New Divisional Member Meetups
Free Bimonthly Events Provide Members a Forum for Mentoring, Education and Support INVERNESS, Fla. – Aug. 19, 2022 – The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) has launched free bimonthly divisional meetup events for its members. The events are designed to give members the opportunity to join in the conversation and ask questions of pet professionals and featured guests live in an informal format. “Our goal with the meetups is to provide an environment for topical and species-specific discussions and education while fostering a sense of community and support among PPG members,”… Continued
Sniff for Calm and So Much More!
Congratulations to Kris Whipple! This post won first prize in the 2022 Canine Scent Writing Competition. Of all the canine behaviors that I teach, calm is the most valuable. Calm dogs are less likely to bark, jump, mouth, lunge, pull or engage in other challenging behaviors that come with overexcitement. For me and my dog Sprig, an exuberant adolescent Cardigan Welsh corgi who thinks every day (and experience, dogand person) is his best day EVER, sniffing has become a positive and powerful tool I use daily to promote calm behaviors… Continued
Dog Speak: The Language of Barking
At a recent public event I attended, the question asked most by companion dog owners was, “How do I get my dog to stop barking?” As professionals, of course, the first thing we want to do is ask more questions. “When does the dog bark?”, “What time of day?”, “What are they barking at?”, “What are they getting out of it?”, “What do you do when they bark?”, “What do you want them to do instead?” and so on. We can all think of people who talk too much yet no… Continued
A Note From Your New Editor
Hello! My name is Paula Garber, and I’m the new editor of BARKS from the Guild! I wanted to take a moment to say hello and introduce myself. I started my professional cat training and behavior consulting career in 2014, when I launched my business, LIFELINE Cat Behavior Solutions. Before studying animal behavior, I worked as a freelance editorial professional in the publishing and education industries for more than 25 years. I’ve been a proud member of the Pet Professional Guild since 2015 and was the chair of PPG’s Feline… Continued
Socializing Puppies to Other Animals
Dog guardians these days tend to be fairly aware of the crucial importance of socialization. These include the interactions a young puppy will have with people in his/her immediate family, people outside the family, and people of all different ages and appearances, wearing all sorts of strange outfits, carrying various novel objects (such as umbrellas or suitcases) etc. Guardians are often also aware of habituation. This means ensuring that the puppy begins to experience all sorts of adventures in her formative weeks and months that she will encounter in adult… Continued
BARKS Podcast with Dr Robert and Karen Hewings
Join Niki Tudge and PPG Canine Committee Chair Judy Luther to Chat & Chuckle with Dr. Robert and Karen Hewings. Learn all about the upcoming PPG Scent Fest events: Your Scent & Scentability 3-Day Workshop Event – Scent Work for practical training and behavior solutions, Nov. 2-4, 2022 Beyond The Basics of Canine Scent – Introducing Advanced Detection & Handling Skills, Nov. 5-6, 2022 Discover what will be covered and how much fun it will be! Listen to the Podcast with Dr. Robert and Karen Hewings here on your choice of platforms. Or just stay on… Continued
You Can Still Help the Animals of Ukraine Survive the War
Quick Link: Help Animals Survive the War in Ukraine (Click on link to donate.) Latest updates on the Help Animals Survive the War in Ukraine fundraiser A Letter from Dr. Marina Bayeva: On August 24th, it will be six months (!) since Russia invaded Ukraine. Six months with no end in sight! I cannot put into words all the pain and devastation that the war has brought to my home country. Yet, people of Ukraine persevere, coming together to help one another in acts of everyday heroism. And your continued support of… Continued
Pet Professional Guild Appoints New Editor of BARKS from the Guild
INVERNESS, Fla. – Aug. 3, 2022 – PRLog — The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) has appointed New York-based cat behavior consultant Paula Garber as editor of its trade publication BARKS from the Guild effective August 5, 2022. She replaces Susan Nilson, who served as editor and was a member of the PPG Steering Committee from March 2014 to July 2022. “On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Pet Professional Guild, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Susan for her many years of contribution. We greatly appreciate her services during the ‘growing’ years… Continued
The Impact of Canine DNA Testing: Mapping the Future
In May 2016, Embark launched its comprehensive pet genetic test in partnership with the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. According to Embark’s website, the test will track “over 200,000 genetic markers, offering ancestry analysis as well as an extensive overview of both genetic disease risk and heritable traits, allowing users to understand their dog’s health, plan for his future and provide the best personalized care possible.” Embark further states that “four out of 10 dogs will suffer from inherited diseases,” and that the test, more than just a breed… Continued
Why We Should Give Our Cats Choices
A PPG Member Profile featuring Pet Professional Guild Australia member, Andrea Carne of Cattitude in Cradoc, Tasmania Andrea Carne is a feline behavior consultant who owns and operates Cattitude in Cradoc, Tasmania, Australia Tell us a little bit about yourself, how you first got into animal behavior and training and what you are doing now? I was working as a vet nurse at an animal shelter and became interested in how the shelter animals could be happier if we tried to meet their behavioral needs. The certified… Continued
Setting Your Dog Up for Success
This article reviews the just-published Do No Harm Dog Training and Behavior Handbook by Linda Michaels By Katherine Porter From pet parents to pet professionals, rejoice for a new paradigm in dog training behavior modification! The Do No Harm Dog Training and Behavior Handbook by Linda Michaels is groundbreaking. As the primary starting point, Michaels synthesizes scientific research into practical guidance in addressing our pet dogs’ behavior concerns through meeting our dogs’ real needs. She peels back the layers of understanding, not only how our beloved dogs learn, but… Continued
Ask the Experts: Children and Dog Training
This article provides advice on how to keep young children engaged in the family dog training process By Veronica Boutelle Q: Dear dogbiz, I love working with different clients and figuring out what best fits their learning style. Yet I always feel a bit stumped when working with young children! Recently I had a session with a family and their new puppy to address some biting and mouthing issues. While the children were excited to be there, they were easily distracted and I didn’t feel my explanations were really landing.… Continued
Exploring Uncomfortable Truths
This article discusses why the equestrian world has much work to do if it is ever going to grant horses the same sentiency which UK law now states they are entitled to have By Melanie Watson I’ve been mulling over a recent experience of being harassed online. The person involved tried very hard to put me down, blasting me with their immovable opinions, over and over again. The thing which worried me the most, was the inflexibility of his views. His hard held beliefs would not allow any sway into… Continued
What If My Dog Doesn’t Like You?
This article sets out steps you can take to help ensure a smooth introduction between your human-reactive dog and your new partner, as well as their extended family By Gail Radtke Sudden life changes can bring both many rewards and challenges. I’ve had the opportunity the past few years to share my experiences by writing about the journey that my three dogs and I have been on. This experience is a deeply personal one that I felt I really needed to share, as I am sure there are many people… Continued
Hunting the Elusive Red Dot
This article examines a recent study that explores the downside of laser light pointers in feline play and outlines alternative toy and puzzle choices to ensure cats have the opportunity to complete the hunting sequence By Andrea Carne Laser light pointers are commonly found in pet stores and veterinary clinics worldwide. They remain an extremely popular toy with cat owners of all age. And yet, many cat behavior consultants generally discourage the use of them. Why? Well, the simple answer lies in the idea that the incessant chasing of the… Continued
Naughty Dog Syndrome? Say What?!
This article discusses reasons why owners may think that their dog is being ‘naughty’ when, in fact, a better understanding of the dog’s emotional state, breed instincts, and motivation is required By Anna Bradley I’m sure there are lots of dog training professionals have heard the phrase ‘Naughty Dog Syndrome’ many times, only to take a deep breath before calmly explaining the inaccuracies of such a statement. The word ‘naughty’ suggests that behavior is negative, inappropriate, willfully disobedient, bad, certainly undesirable, or noncompliant. It’s a label that is very easily… Continued
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