New Content

Cooperative Care with Cora: A Case Study

by Jennifer Van Valkenburg Cooperative care is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. I have come to appreciate how important body autonomy and choice can be, especially when experiencing a painful and difficult medical diagnosis. Having some control over even small things can ...

Meet Force-Free Puppy Trainer Colin Spence

By BARKS from the Guild

Force-free training … is kind. It’s what all animals should get from humans—kindness. —Colin Spence Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you first get into dog ...

What Do You Do When You’re the Only Force-Free Professional in Town?

By Pet Professional Guild

by the Pet Professional Guild Advocacy Panel This article was excerpted and edited from the PPG Advocacy Panel discussion on January 18, 2023. Moderator: Don Hanson: Chair of the ...

Abusive Dog Training Practices and Informed Consent, Ethics and “Do No Harm”

by Niki J. Tudge Dog trainers who use punishment-based approaches and equipment designed to work by causing fear and/or pain commonly market themselves under a variety of verbiage and marketing slogans such as “balanced,” “positive relationship,” “natural methods,” “relationship ...

Meet Kim Silver: A Dog Trainer Who Dabbles in Training Parrots

“Dogs are misunderstood, and our cultural ideas about them are hurting them. Dogs need a voice, and often it's their dog trainer who is speaking up for them. I love being that person for a dog.” —Kim Silver Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you first get into animal training, ...

What Do Dogs, Cats, Cars and Chairs Have in Common?

The Need for a New Legal Definition of Living Property by Niki J. Tudge Are Pets Family? According to The Harris Poll (2015), “nearly all pet owners (95%) … consider their pets to be members of the family.” Yet, legally, pets are still considered property or chattel. ...

Nelly the Desert Dog: Once a Feral Night Roamer, Now a Super Trooper

by Sarah Bartley We arrived in the Arizona desert at the beginning of August 2022. What a relief—no stray dogs. Military bases are like gated communities. Resident dogs are always on leash or contained in a yard. A few months later, in November, is when I first saw the little ...

Cats and Kids

by Andrea Carne "And in breaking news … a child was left scratched and in tears after a play session with his pet cat went horribly wrong …” Ever heard that on the nightly news bulletin? No, of course not. We may hear about dog bites from time to time and much has been written over ...

Study, Find a Mentor, Don’t Quit Learning—Sage Advice From Dog Training Professional Angel Rowe

Pet Professional Guild member Angel Rowe shares how he became a force-free dog training and behavior professional, and offers tips and advice to those starting out in the field. Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you first get into animal behavior/training, and what you ...

How to Break Up Dog Fights

by The Pet Professional Guild From time to time, one may have to act quickly to prevent injury to either dogs or humans when one or more dogs get into a bad scuffle or an all-out fight. Unlike a training scenario in which we would reject the use of aversive methods, this is considered an ...

Daily Dog Training Conversations

by Michelle Martiya “He knows you’re the treat person.” Do you know the easiest and fastest way to get your dog to respond to you like they respond to me? BECOME THE TREAT PERSON, TOO! Do you know how I know if you’ve been stingy with the treats or tried bribing your dog instead of ...

How to Book More Clients in Your Dog Training Classes

by PocketSuite As a dog trainer, you give your all in a session, whether you have two students or ten. But, of course, you want to fill those spots to make that hour count. If you want to land more clients for your dog training classes, keep reading! We compiled these expert tips to show you ...