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BARKS Podcast with the PPG Advocacy Panel: Discussion #5 – Meeting People Where They Are to Facilitate Change
Meeting People Where They Are to Facilitate Change
Join the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) Advocacy Panel for a discussion on Meeting People Where They Are to Facilitate Change.
Pet guardians and pet professionals, listen as panel members share their expertise in a fun, free-flowing ...

Managing an Aggressive, Fearful, or Reactive Dog
By Don Hanson
When you have a dog that is exhibiting aggressive behavior, you have a responsibility to keep yourself, your family, your pets, and your community safe.
A dog that is behaving ...

BARKS Podcast with Dr. Hannah Capon of Canine Arthritis Management: December 21, 2020
Join PPG president Niki Tudge and Canine Arthritis Management (CAM) founder Dr. Hannah Capon (right) as they discuss the newly launched CAMadvocate Program.
The CAMadvocate Program is the ...
Latest Articles
In Defense Of Treats–And The Dogs Who Love Them
“My dog will do anything as long as there are treats.” Don’t dog owners say this all the time? Often the tone is light, with a grin and a “that's a dog for you” wink. But sometimes it’s got an undertone, an edge. Some owners wonder why their dog won’t act a certain way or do a specific ...
Is It Worth It?
Working in the industry of companion animal behavior and training, we all do things that are not financially lucrative and maybe take up a lot of our free time. Whether it is writing training articles and blogs; helping to raise money for animal shelters; running a Facebook page to help ...
Seven Effects of Punishment
Here are seven documented possible side effects of the use of punishment, negative reinforcement, and of aversives in general.
Escape/Avoidance: If you hurt or scare your dog, he will likely try to avoid you, the places you frequent, and whatever else it associates with the hurt.
Operant ...
Pet Professional Guild Launches Force-Free Dog Training Program at New Educational Facility
The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) has launched the first in a series of practical force-free dog training workshops and educational seminars at the new Canine Behavior Center on King Lake in Wesley Chapel, FL. The first workshop took place 27 – 28 September, 2014 at the state-of-the-art dog ...
Multiple Dogs Create Joy and Challenges
For many of us, dogs are like potato chips, you can't just have one. Living with multiple dogs can be joyous and chaotic. For 3 years, I had 3 dogs. The dogs, Dale, Jesse and Rio, got along fine for the most part. Dale was firmly in charge of our household. She was the play police, making sure ...
The Best Laid Plans: Adding a New Dog to the Fold
How to introduce a new dog or cat to a home with resident pets has been well-documented by many an expert. Personally, I have done it successfully so many times over the years I rarely bat an eyelid when another creature needs a place to stay. So bringing home dog #5 wasn’t really much cause ...
Forcing Hugs on Dogs Amounts to Punishment
Imagine if somebody, particularly someone you didn't know, were to approach you directly, grab you and, despite your resistance, squeeze and rub him/herself against you, what would you do? Struggle to escape? Shout at them? Call for help? Slap them? I'm sure you would be very fearful of what ...
Pet Professional Guild Promotes Force-Free Training Methods for Hearing Impaired Dogs
Tampa, FL – In line with Deaf Dog Awareness Week taking place from 21–27 September, 2014, the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) is highlighting the message that deaf dogs respond equally as well as their hearing counterparts to force-free training.
According to the Deaf Dog Action Fund, deafness ...
DOWN WITH DOMINANCE
When was the last time you heard "my dog is dominant" or "my dog is trying to be dominant with (fill in the blank)" or "my dog doesn't see me as the dominant one"? Dominance in dogs is scientifically proven to be a myth. The AVSAB (American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior) in its ...