Sticks and Stones…
..may break my bones, but words will never harm me” This, or one of its variations, is a childhood phrase that most of us are familiar with. We know that physical violence hurts and, as is suggested by the rhyme, words cannot cause harm. Or can they? As a dog behaviour counsellor and trainer, there are several words which, when used in connection with dog training and behaviour, I think harm our relationship with and understanding of our dogs. Our world is filled with words – be it online, through… Continued
Project Trade: Economics 101
In the spring of 2016 The Pet Professional Guild rolled out Project Trade, an “international educational advocacy program promoting the use of force-free pet equipment by asking pet guardians to swap choke, prong and shock collars” (1). In return for swapping their aversive gear, pet guardians are given a discount of up to 15% by participating Project Trade members. My goals include educating pet owners and eliminating aversive gear from the marketplace so I immediately charged out of the gate like a crazed terrier chasing a squirrel and joined Project… Continued
That Loving Gaze
Oxytocin is a hormone that plays a role in social bonding, as implied by some of its nicknames: the love hormone, cuddle chemical, or bliss hormone. It’s also something that dogs and humans share. Studies published in 2009 found that, when dogs gazed at their owners — you know, that adoring gaze that says, “feed me; I’m yours,” owners had more oxytocin in their urine. This correlates with feeling affection and social connection. What about the dogs? There’s more to this story. A later study looked at more variables. For… Continued
Halloween Candy Can Be Hazardous to Pets
Guest blog by the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine Halloween can be a fun, family time, but please remember to watch out for your four-legged family members. A number of items related to Halloween can be hazardous to your pets: Chocolate is popular with people, but your dog is attracted to it as well. Chocolate is toxic to dogs, and the darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is. If you think your dog may have ingested chocolate, signs to watch for include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, agitation, increased thirst, an elevated… Continued
Making It Fun for Performance Dogs
I got told a couple of times lately: Shellbe (my German Shorthaired Pointer who I compete with in Agility) really covered you there! It was in competition or training when I made a mistake and Shellbe did everything she possibly could to make up for it. And she did! Isn’t that what friends are for? I hear it more often in Agility circles but it probably happens in other competitive sports as well: I am getting my next performance dog! I have to say this makes me cringe. What does… Continued
Pet Professional Guild Lines Up Canine Behavior Specialists for Podcasts on Breed Specific Legislation
In light of ongoing events in Montreal, PPG podcasts will feature a host of dog training and behavior experts to explain why breed bans are ineffective in reducing frequency of dog bites Starting next month, Pet Professional Guild (PPG) is to host a number of canine behavior experts in a series of podcasts to discuss why Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) is ineffective and potentially misleading. The move is part of PPG’s ongoing mission to deliver quality, up-to-date education on dog bite safety and force-free training and pet care to both… Continued
A Bit on the Nose
When you’re teaching people to use luring, it can be hard for them to actually find their dog’s nose. And then it can be hard for them to put that tasty treat that they’re using to lure the behaviour right up close to the dog’s nose. I’ve tried all sorts of things. In my dog free lesson at the beginning of my courses, I take a model dog to class. On the Nose 101 – find the dog’s nose. I demonstrate what I mean by ‘close’. I then get each participant to give the… Continued
Laughter and Learning at the PPGBI Mini-Summit
The PPGBI Mini Educational Summit, which took place in early September at the Leeds Mercure Parkway hotel in Yorkshire, England, was a roaring success. Much fun was had on the first night as the attendees started to gather, register and receive some PPG Swag. Everyone then got to know each other over a welcome drink in the bar. This was followed by a weekend packed full of fun, educational learning and networking. PPG President, Niki Tudge, opened the Summit with a welcome address to the attendees and also presented several,… Continued
… But He’s a Working Dog…
When the lady called me she explained the situation: the dog actually belonged to her son but as he was away at university 3, 4 or even 5 days a week, she looked after the dog during the week. He was 9 months old and needed a “bit of training”. (I quake at these words!) He wasn’t a “bad” dog – he was just making a mess of the yard, destroying his toys (how sad it would be to have a dog that didn’t destroy his toys) and didn’t want to… Continued
Meet Your Cat Where He Is
By Beth Adelman, MS “The problem many people have with their pets is simply that it’s not the pet they want,” said the veterinary behaviorist at a lecture I was attending. And an explosion of insight went off in my head. Sometimes, accurately naming a problem really does help you understand it. What did she mean? Sometimes we want a lap cat, and end up with a cat who likes to be in the same room (or even on the same piece of furniture) but not touching us. Sometimes we… Continued
Battling the Stereotype
This article was first published in BARKS from the Guild, April 2014, pages 37-39 Jambo the Staffie has won countless awards and accolades, yet is officially classified as a potentially dangerous dog. Louise Stapleton-Frappell explains why Breed Specific Legislation completely misses the point. Jambo is our second Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Our first beautiful Staffie, Samson, was the most loveable boy ever. Calm, good natured and playful, Samson died at the age of 11 having lived a life of freedom and without the restrictions of Breed Specific Legislation (BSL). His best… Continued
What Most People Don’t Know About Dogs
It’s easy to forget that most people don’t know things that we might consider obvious about dogs. A friend was recently chatting with an experienced service dog trainer. The trainer, who will remain anonymous to reduce the potential humiliation, commented that “dogs don’t generalize.” This trainer should know better. A week or so ago, I heard an interview with author Tom Wolfe on NPR. In the interview, Wolfe said that no evidence of anything resembling a language has ever been seen in a non-human, and that therefore only humans can… Continued
Beware of the Behavior Chain
Isn’t it frustrating, we try to train our dog to not jump up but it gets worse? It is the ‘behavior chain syndrome’. We train behavior chains all the time, sometimes on purpose and sometimes by mistake. Behaviour chains can be great and useful or useless, ineffective or even dangerous. There are lot of behavior chains that are useful, like a ‘go to mat’ cue, ‘come when called and let me touch your collar’, a formal recall or retrieve in obedience. We often train these using back chaining. This simply… Continued
An Open Letter from the Pet Professional Guild Addressing Pet Behavior and Training Industry Responses to the Use of Remote Electric Shock Delivered to Dogs via the Garmin Delta Smart™ Dog Training System
PPG calls on pet industry professionals to take a stand on the use and application of shock in animal training, to work together to educate pet owners in humane, scientifically sound training methods, and to take shock off the table once and for all The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) is greatly saddened not only by the release of Garmin’s Delta Smart™ Dog Training System, a device that delivers remote corrections to dogs when connected to a smartphone, but also the response from some professional pet industry groups and associations relating… Continued
Introducing a Puppy or Adult Dog to a Crate
If trained properly, dogs do not see crates as ‘cages’, more as their bed, a safe place where they can go for some peace and quiet. Crate training is useful to owners as it prevents chewing, discourages toileting (most dogs will not soil their bed) and is a useful way to transport dogs during travelling. Even if you don’t plan to crate your dog, they will be in a ‘cage’ if they spend time at the vets so it’s very useful to train them to be happy in this environment.… Continued
Reflections of a Force-Free Trainer
As I enter my second year of Pet Professional Guild (PPG) membership and the 10-year anniversary of retirement from my first career (and subsequent launching of my second career) I feel it is time to reflect on where I was before and after PPG. Each of us follow our own path and yet we have come together in PPG. In my youth I foolishly thought I was the master of my own fate, determining the course of my life and controlling circumstances through choice. Growing older I realized that had… Continued
Experts United: Breed Specific Legislation Does Not Work
The following is an excerpt from PPG’s recently released Position Statement on Breed Specific Legislation. Countless animal welfare organizations and professional bodies worldwide have issued position statements that comprehensively refute the efficacy of BSL as a means of reducing dog bites and increasing public safety. Victoria Stilwell, president of the Victoria Stilwell Academy for Dog Training and Behavior, and CEO of Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Training “Without exception, I stand firmly against BSL. The research has shown time and time again that BSL does not reduce dog bites in the… Continued
Real Food for Your Cat
It’s food, folks. It doesn’t have to be “people food,” it’s REAL food. I’m not sure how people got into this people vs. pet food mindset. When feeding our beloved pets, including our cats, for optimal health and behavior, a fresh, wholesome diet can be a good alternative. That said, it is crucial to balance a cat’s diet and provide the correct proportions of proteins, vitamins, and minerals. But it’s not that hard, once you get the hang of it. Today I will teach you the basics about preparing a home-cooked… Continued
What Canine Behavior Experts Say about Breed Specific Legislation
The following is an excerpt from PPG’s recently released Position Statement on Breed Specific Legislation. Countless animal welfare organizations and professional bodies worldwide have issued position statements that comprehensively refute the efficacy of BSL as a means of reducing dog bites and increasing public safety, a selection of whom are cited below. “Without exception, I stand firmly against BSL. The research has shown time and time again that BSL does not reduce dog bites in the areas where it is enacted, and has caused many innocent dogs to be taken… Continued
Just Say “Agh, Agh!”
By Brad Waggoner CPTD CTP-KPA In a group class the other day, I witnessed a couple constantly using the vaguely buzzer-like noise “Agh! Agh!” with their dog in a harsh tone of voice. What they were attempting to do was tell the dog that he was doing something wrong, though it was easy to see that the dog was having a hard time figuring out what was right. These folks have been through a couple of our classes in the past, and they understand that we use positive reinforcement to… Continued
Calling Dr. Google And Other Experts
I recently saw these words on a coffee mug: Please Do Not Confuse Your Google Search With My Medical Degree! And yes, these mugs can be customized for any profession, so I mused at how often I’ve been tempted to use those words when I hear the familiar “Well I looked on the internet about “dog behavior”, and this is what I found…” While we’re fortunate to have information at out fingertips, it just perplexes me that someone might blindly follow advice from a “Dr. Google” with questionable credentials, if any.… Continued
Dog Bites: Who Is Getting Bitten and Why?
The following is an excerpt from PPG’s recently released Position Statement on Breed Specific Legislation. Statistics show that the majority of dog bites occur in children or the elderly. The results of a study by Dixon, Mahabee-Gittens, Hart and Lindsell (2012) assessing dog bite prevention knowledge in children concluded: “Our results show a notable lack of awareness and knowledge regarding dog bite prevention among children, as nearly half of child participants failed a dog bite prevention knowledge test based on well-accepted dog bite prevention recommendations. Moreover, based on parent/guardian responses,… Continued
Breed Specific Legislation: Guesswork Based on Appearance
The following is an excerpt from PPG’s recently released Position Statement on Breed Specific Legislation. BSL (also known as Breed Discriminatory Legislation) is a law or legal ordinance that restricts or prohibits the ownership of certain breeds (or types) of dogs. In places where BSL has been implemented it varies from a complete ban of certain types of dogs to regulations imposing restrictions on ownership and special requirements including, but not limited to, mandatory muzzling; leash laws; special ‘housing’ (for example, fully enclosed cages); chaining; minimal wall enclosure height; mandatory… Continued
What Makes a ‘Good Dog’ and Do Current Dog Training Classes Teach these Skills?
I define a ‘good’ dog as a dog who is considered part of the family, can stay home alone if necessary but goes places if possible, lives in the house, goes on holidays, gets enough mental and physical stimulation, is ‘cool, calm and collected’ most of the time, takes changes like moving or an new addition to the family in his stride and most important spends his entire life with one owner. As most professionals in the pet industry I try to be an advocate for the dogs and puppies… Continued
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