BARKS Podcast with the PPG Advocacy Panel: Discussion #12 – Animal Emotions and Their Importance in Understanding Behavior
Animal Emotions and Their Importance in Understanding Behavior Join the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) Advocacy Panel for a discussion on Animal Emotions and Their Importance in Understanding Behavior. Pet guardians and pet professionals, we invite you to listen as panel members share their expertise in a fun, free-flowing format. Your Moderators: PPG president Niki Tudge and PPG Canine Committee chair Judy Luther. Your Advocacy Panel for this discussion includes: PPG Shelter & Rescue Committee chair K. Holden Svirsky, PPG Assistance Animal Committee representative Tracey Hagan, Aaron Jones of the PPG Inclusivity Committee, Linda Michaels, Dr. Kristina Spaulding, Dr. Zazie… Continued
Feline Fastidious Foodies
By Patience Fisher From cat food commercials to cartoons and internet cats, it is something of a running joke that cats are picky eaters. But is this common assumption correct? According to C.A. Tony Buffington, a leading researcher in the field of feline nutrition, the answer is a resounding no. Health and Stress Buffington states that cats are very adaptable; left to their own devices they can and do thrive on a wide range of foods. This is important to their survival, since they are opportunistic eaters. If a cat… Continued
Help Animals Survive the War in Ukraine Fundraiser – Latest Updates
Quick Links: Help Animals Survive the War in Ukraine (Click on link to donate.) Meet the People Behind the Fundraiser for Ukrainian Animal Shelters (Click on link to listen to the inspiring BARKS podcast.) Dear Supporters, Here please find the latest updates for the Help Animals Survive the War in Ukraine fundraiser – both the big picture and the individual shelter updates. Some of the highlights include: – animals finding new homes even during the war – expanding capacity by building new enclosures to take in even more animals – kitten and puppy season… Continued
Help the Animals in Ukraine – Inspiring Fundraiser Update
By Dr. Marina Bayeva Dear Supporters, I am happy to bring you the latest update for the Help Animals Survive the War in Ukraine fundraiser – both the big picture and the individual shelter updates. Highlights include: Animals finding new homes even during the war Expanding capacity by building new enclosures to take in even more animals Kitten and puppy season and the need for more spay/neuter access Delivering food all over Ukraine for animals on the streets, in home shelters, and beyond A brand new wood-burning stove to… Continued
Dogs Who Growl with Teeth, Oh My!
My dog growled at me today and that made me happy! Why, you ask? It is very simple actually; he is a rescue dog that had a bite history when I adopted him. Warning Signs He is a dog that had been punished for growling, and so he no longer growled when upset or scared. His name is Oso and he has turned out to be an amazing dog. He just needed love, and to be taught that warning signs are acceptable and appreciated in this house. He… Continued
BARKS Podcast with the PPG Advocacy Panel: Discussion #11 – The Top 10 Things We Can Do to Help Veterinarians Help Us Help Our Pets
The Top 10 Things We Can Do to Help Veterinarians Help Us Help Our Pets Join the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) Advocacy Panel for a discussion on the Top 10 Things We Can Do to Help Veterinarians Help Us Help Our Pets. Pet guardians and pet professionals, we invite you to listen as panel members share their expertise in a fun, free-flowing format. Your Moderators: PPG president Niki Tudge and PPG Advocacy Committee chair Don Hanson Your Advocacy Panel for this discussion includes: PPG Shelter & Rescue Committee chair K. Holden Svirsky, Kristi… Continued
Thunder, Lightning and Barometric Pressure
By Carolyn Kocman Owners and caretakers can almost always recognize phobia related behaviors. Shaking, drooling, panting, restlessness, pacing, clinging to owners and hiding are all fairly overt and recognizable behaviors that can be triggered by such things as loud noises or thunderstorm activity. Immediate Recommendations for Panicking Dogs There are a number of things pet owners can do to comfort an animal that is in the throes of phobia related behavior. What follows is a list of more immediate recommendations. These are not tips on modifying the behavior and should… Continued
BARKS Podcast with Mychelle Garrigan of Pet Pro Marketing
Join Niki Tudge and PPG Canine Committee chair Judy Luther as they Chat and Chuckle with Mychelle Garrigan of PPG corporate partner, Pet Pro Marketing. Pet Pro Marketing provides digital marketing services for pet care professionals including website design, audits and maintenance, search engine optimization, content creation/copywriting, and social media/digital marketing strategy. Listen to the Podcast with Mychelle Garrigan here on your choice of platforms. Or just stay on this page and click on the ‘Play’ icon below. Recorded June 10, 2022. About Mychelle Garrigan Through Pet Pro Marketing Mychelle Garrigan… Continued
Agility for Cats!? A Cat Behavior Consultant Answers What, Why and How
Our three cats coax us daily for their agility time in our basement! Agility is also a sport that I have introduced to more than one of our foster kittens and taught to more than one of my clients and/or students. What is Agility? It’s a sport whereby a handler directs a cat through a preset obstacle course. Modeled after the equestrian sport of show jumping, and adapted first by the dog world, agility is designed to demonstrate coordination, intelligence, beauty of movement, training, and speed. In competition, cats… Continued
New Beginnings
This article relates the impact the pandemic had on one professional dog trainer’s business and how it empowered her to make life-changing decisions about her future – both personally and professionally By Gail Radtke In April 2020, right at the beginning of the pandemic, I closed my dog training facility that I had been operating in Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, and moved all the equipment into my garage. Like so many other people at the time I was unsure, unprepared, and overwhelmed, but knew I had to make fast decisions… Continued
Teaching My Hound NOT To Hunt
This article details how a dog obsessed with chasing squirrels learned, through repetition and reinforcement of an alternative behavior, to leave the squirrels alone By Karen Baragona Shhhh. Can you keep a secret? I used to HATE walking my dog. Why? Because my neighborhood is full of squirrels, and every time my dog saw one, she went freak-show crazy. Airborne. Yowling, lunging, sometimes even pulling me off my feet and dragging me along the sidewalk. People literally stopped and stared. Windows flew open and heads craned out to investigate the commotion.… Continued
Car Woes: A Tale of Botched Socialization
This article tells the tale of Huckleberry, a dog fearful of riding in the car, and the importance of moving at the dog’s pace when engaging in a DS/CC protocol By Karen Baragona Poor shivering, quivering Huckleberry. Not because it’s cold out; she couldn’t care less about that. This is fear. Huckleberry is about to experience something that makes most dogs jump for joy, and she’s beside herself with fright: She’s going for a ride in the car. Part of this is my fault. When we adopted her, Huckleberry was… Continued
Introducing Cats: Slowly Does It
By Patience Fisher There are many challenges for shelters in finding adoptive homes for cats. As an adoption counselor, I always found it disheartening to have a cat returned to the shelter for not getting along with the resident cats. During the adoption process, the concept of slow introductions was explained, but upon the cat’s return we often found out that the introduction process had been rushed. As a result, I saw a need for a very simple, short, how-to brochure for introducing a new cat to a resident… Continued
BARKS Podcast with Molly Neher and Jennifer Kolar of Atlas Assistance Dogs
Join Niki Tudge and PPG Canine Committee chair Judy Luther as they Chat and Chuckle with Molly Neher and Jennifer Kolar of PPG corporate partner Atlas Assistance Dogs. Atlas Assistance Dogs states its mission as follows: “Atlas fundamentally expands access to assistance dogs. We support people with disabilities to train and certify their own service dog using positive, ethical training methods. At Atlas, we believe anyone who would benefit from a qualified assistance dog should be able to have one.” Listen to the Podcast with Molly and Jennifer here on your… Continued
The Aftermath of “Boot Camp”
By Amanda Ballard [At the time of writing] Kobe is an 18-month-old terrier cross, who is loved madly by his person, Lizzie. My private consultation session with them is the only one in 10 years that has moved me to tears, right there in front of the owner. It absolutely broke my heart to witness a dog displaying visible signs of anxiety, triggered by hearing very basic and commonly used verbal cues. Sadly, it would not be the last time I would witness this. There is no doubt about… Continued
From the Editor
One of the most difficult things about being an animal lover is feeling helpless when you hear about pets in need. If that describes you, please take a moment to read this month’s Editor’s Picks about the people behind the fundraiser for Ukrainian animal shelters and how you can help them. How Can You Help Today? Donate: Help Animals Survive the War in Ukraine (Click on link to donate.) Get Inspired: Meet the People Behind the Fundraiser for Ukrainian Animal Shelters (Listen to the BARKS podcast.) Read and Share: Please also… Continued
People Are Risking Their Lives to Help the Pets of Ukraine – And They Need Your Help
Quick Links: Help Animals Survive the War in Ukraine (Click on link to donate.) Meet the People Behind the Fundraiser for Ukrainian Animal Shelters (Click on link to listen to the inspiring BARKS podcast.) Everything has changed for the beloved pets of Ukraine. You Can Help The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) Shelter & Rescue committee is asking you, our dedicated and generous community, to help these animals and the people caring for them. On Wednesday, May 4, PPG livestreamed a free event for the public to meet… Continued
Just the Thought of Leaving Pets in a War Zone is an Incredibly Difficult Mental Exercise
The thought of losing my dogs or being forced to leave them behind in a war zone if I had to evacuate is an incredibly difficult mental exercise. I can barely even write about it. And yet I had been faced with this dilemma in my previous life when I lived in Nigeria. During my three years there we experienced two coups and I had to face the possibility that in the event of a mandated evacuation I would have to leave my pets behind. I was told in clear… Continued
The Pets Left Behind in Ukraine Need You – Here’s How You Can Help Today!
By K. Holden Svirsky This article looks behind the scenes to find out how the animals left behind in Ukraine are being cared for by a dedicated and devoted network of animal lovers and professionals (including photos and video footage). It also explains why they urgently need donations from the international community, shows how the funds donated so far are being utilized, and if you want to make a contribution, tells you exactly how you can do it. Quick Links Help Animals Survive the War in Ukraine (Direct link to… Continued
Can’t Find the Right Dog Trainer? Become One Yourself!
PPG Member Profile featuring Pet Professional Guild member Kim Jukes, owner of People & Pups, located in Waco, Texas, USA Kim Jukes became a certified dog trainer when she couldn’t find the right trainer to help her reactive rescue dog. Tell us a little bit about yourself, how you first got into animal behavior and training and what you are doing now… There were a lot of things that brought me to becoming a trainer. About four years ago, I adopted a rescue dog that was highly… Continued
Enrichment – Providing Pets with Activities to Improve Welfare
You know we don’t really think about our pets as being in captivity but if you think about it, they are. Animals that are held by humans and prevented from escaping are deemed to be captive. The term captive is usually applied to wild animals that are held in zoos and theme parks, but this can be a general term used for all types of animals confined whether it be in zoos, farming and agriculture or our pets. Think about this for a moment. Our pets are captive animals. What does that… Continued
Running in Circles
By Jane Gerard It is often stated that the relinquishment of dogs to animal shelters in Europe and the US is largely due to behavior issues (American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, 2008; Miklósi, 2007). I am saddened but not surprised by this. As a trainer I have witnessed it many times. Perhaps around half my clients have adopted rescue dogs and they often present with behavior issues. With behavior modification and training these can eventually be extinguished in many cases, but it takes time and commitment. If a shelter… Continued
BARKS Podcast with the PPG Advocacy Panel: Discussion #6 – What Does Pet Industry Licensing Look Like?
What Does Pet Industry Licensing Look Like? Join the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) Advocacy Panel for a discussion on What Does Pet Industry Licensing Look Like? Pet guardians and pet professionals, listen as panel members share their expertise in a fun, free-flowing format. Your Moderator: PPG Advocacy Committee Chair Don Hanson Your Advocacy Panel for this discussion includes: PPG president Niki Tudge, K. Holden Svirsky – PPG Shelter & Rescue Committee, Aaron Jones – PPG Inclusivity Committee, Monique Williams – PPG Equid Committee, Dr. Eduardo Fernandez, Laurie Williams, Pat Miller, Linda Michaels, and Sam Wike. Listen to the… Continued
Please Don’t Touch
In this article the author shares a tale of nature versus nurture based on her experiences with Zia, whose reluctance to be touched led her to seek a behavioral consult to help snap her out of the training impasse she suddenly found herself in. You know how some clients start their story about the current dog they’re having problems with by describing their previous dog’s behavior? How the last one “was perfect, but this one……” Okay, so bear with me, because I’m going to be “that client.” In describing my… Continued