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PPG Appoints Maria Karunuñgan as Vice Chair of Its Shelter & Rescue Division

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Please join us in congratulating Maria Karunuñgan as the new vice chair of PPG’s Shelter and Rescue Division! “I am excited to help support Division Chair Holden Svirsky and the PPG in this new role, and continue the volunteer efforts and collaboration that I have been a part of since this division was formed in 2017.”  Maria Karunuñgan, PhD, CTC, CSAT, has spent nearly 10 years working in different behavior and training capacities for various shelters and rescues in the Northern California Bay Area, including the East Bay SPCA, Joybound… Continued

PPG Appoints Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison as Feline Division Vice Chair

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Please join us in congratulating Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison as the new vice chair of PPG’s Feline Division! “I am thrilled to accept the role of vice chair of the Feline Division at the Pet Professional Guild,” said Joanna. “In this position, I will be dedicated to advancing feline welfare through education, advocacy, and support for other cat professionals. Together we will strive to improve the lives of cats and strengthen the bond between pets and their guardians.” Joanna is a Houston-based dog and cat trainer and behavior consultant. She started on… Continued

Pet Professional Guild Announces New Event Titled Celebrating Life Together—A Pet-Approved Event

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Paula GarberEmail: [email protected]: petprofessionalguild.comSocial Media: Facebook, Twitter Pet Professional Guild Announces New Event Titled Celebrating Life Together—A Pet-Approved EventThe August event includes a three-day virtual education event and a month-long community outreach competition whose aim is to saturate social media and local communities with fun, effective pet training and care protocols for pet professionals and pet owners. The Villages, Fla. – May 10, 2024 — The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) has announced a two-part event called Celebrating Life Together—A Pet-Approved Event to raise awareness for humane,… Continued

Tom Candy Is Appointed to PPG’s Steering Committee

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The Pet Professional Guild is pleased to announce that it has appointed Tom Candy to its Steering Committee. Tom, a U.K.-based animal behavior professional, will help build the organization in the British Isles. Click here to read the press release.

“A Dog’s View” by Kristy and Jamie Spencer

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PPG member Kristy Spencer and her son Jamie have made a short film called, “A Dog’s View.” Jamie is doing a filmmaking degree at the Film School in Manchester.   “The aim of the film is to hopefully help people develop a better understanding of how dogs see their world around them, including all sensory inputs,” said Kristy. “It’s going to be the start of a mini series of films to help express how a dog perceives its world and develop a deeper understanding of why dogs struggle with certain aspects… Continued

Industry News: Update on the U.K. “American XL Bully” Ban

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The following update is from Cooper & Co. Solicitors, which specializes in criminal and civil cases involving dogs in England and Wales: The ban is being introduced in stages. The first thing to know is that you should STOP any plans you may have for breeding from an XL Bully, as by the time the puppies are born it will be illegal to sell the puppies (or even give them away). DEFRA has published what it says is the “Official definition of an XL Bully dog” and it summarizes what they… Continued

Industry News: U.K. Aims to Ban “American XL Bully”

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On September 15, 2023, the U.K. government announced its intention to add American XL Bully dogs to its list of dogs banned under the Dangerous Dog Act. Read the full story here. A panel discussion entitled, “XL Bully Ban: What We Know So Far,” was held on September 24, 2023. The panelists included Trevor Cooper (Solicitor), Mel Rushmore and Andrea Phillips (Deed Not Breed), and Mike Webb (Battersea Dogs’ and Cats’ Home). Watch the recording here. As stated in PPG’s position statement on breed specific legislation, “PPG holds that Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) such as… Continued

Action Needed! The Final Push for the U.K. Shock Collar Ban

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We need your help to make a final, hard push for the e-collar ban in the United Kingdom! Please email the Leader of the House and ask her to re-schedule the House of Commons debate that was cancelled back in June, so that the legislation can go through on the timetable stated back in April. This will be a triumph for animal welfare!  If you have friends, family or colleagues in the United Kingdom, please pass this email along to them so they can take action as well. Even if… Continued

PPG’s New Pet Training Science Alliance Program

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Join Niki Tudge, Jean Donaldson, Judy Luther, and Rebekah King as they gather to officially launch PPG’s new Pet Training Science Alliance (PTSA)! Learn about what the program is, how the program works, and how you can help support it as an educator or as a learner.  Stay up to date on the latest PTSA projects here: ⁠https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/Pet-Training-Science-Alliance Listen to the podcast on a choice of platforms here. Or simply click on the “play” button below. Recorded September 25, 2023

Take Part in Groundbreaking Puppy Research Run by University of Lincoln and Zigzag

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Did you know? There has been minimal research surrounding puppy development since the 1960s, with huge gaps existing in our knowledge—particularly in relation to specific breed behaviours and traits. Crazy, isn’t it? Zigzag has joined forces with the University of Lincoln, and we want you to join us and be a pioneer in new, modern research—research that could prove crucial to puppy development. Through this research, you and your clients could be a direct reason for people to gain a better understanding of puppy behaviour that would ultimately help improve… Continued

PPG’s Ethics Review Process—A Reminder

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Professional ethics are of utmost importance here at PPG, and we take reports about ethics violations very seriously. PPG’s ethics review process is detailed and confidential, and has worked exceptionally well since it was created more than 12 years ago. However, in order for PPG’s Ethics Committee to investigate an ethics violation report, the person making the report must provide complete information and evidence to support their claim. For legal, ethical and other reasons, PPG can’t investigate ethics complaints based on hearsay. Read more about PPG’s ethics review process and requirements… Continued

Call to Action! Please Speak Out Against Abusive Dog Training Methods

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It is extremely unusual for PPG to name individuals we disagree with. Normally, we speak to methods, philosophy and approach using facts. THIS IS DIFFERENT. Augusto DeOliveira (aka “the Dog Daddy”) is not training pets—he is inflicting pain and fear. This is not dog training; this is abuse. Some of the abusive practices the Dog Daddy exhibits in his videos are: Since its inception, PPG’s mission has been to combat cruel and abusive dog training methods like those used by the Dog Daddy, while simultaneously promoting its Guiding Principles and… Continued

Action Needed! The U.K. Shock Collar Ban

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Your action is urgently needed. PPG British Isles members, please take immediate action and follow the instructions below. If you are not in the United Kingdom but have friends, family or colleagues there, please pass this email along to them so they can take action as well. As anticipated, the supporters of electric shock collars have come out in force to lobby Defra, insisting that e-collars are necessary for training dogs and modifying behavior. There is a real danger that this may sway the government, which is currently listening to… Continued

Update on Radio Systems Corporation Class-Action Lawsuit

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On May 10, the judge denied the defendant’s second motion to dismiss the case. This order is even better than the one before. It expands the number of PetSafe products subject to the case to 24. Click here to read the minutes from the May 10 court hearing.

Michelle Martiya Returns as Chair of the Equid Division

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Join us in welcoming back Michelle Martiya as chair of PPG’s Equid Division! Michelle helped found the Equid Division in 2018 and owns Essential Animal Training in Boca Raton, Florida. She takes the reins from Dorothy Heffernan, who served as chair of the division for two years. Click here to read the news release.

England Bans Shock Collars

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Great news! England has banned the use of remote-controlled electric collars on dogs, effective February 1, 2024. The Kennel Club, which led the decade-long effort, made the announcement on Friday, April 28. Please help keep the momentum going! If you haven’t already done so, sign the Shock-Free Pledge today and encourage your friends, clients and colleagues to sign as well.

Welcome K. Holden Svirsky, New Chair of the Shelter & Rescue Division

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K. Holden Svirsky of HoldenK9 LLC has stepped up as chair of PPG’s Shelter & Rescue Division. Holden is a dog behavior consultant with a certificate in training and counseling from the Academy for Dog Trainers. She is also a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer through Malena DeMartini’s certification program. She has been with PPG’s Shelter & Rescue Division since 2019 and helped author and develop the Pet Rescue Resource, an online toolkit for shelters and rescues to improve the adoption and retention rates of homeless pets, launched by the division in 2020. Read the full news… Continued

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