New Content
New Bird on the Block
By Vicki Ronchette
Over the years I have introduced several parrots into my flock of companion birds. During this time I have found there are some things that should be done early on to help shape the bird into a good companion, while also giving him time and respecting his ...
A Life without Pets
By Fiona De Rosa and Fiona Warton
As the aging population of the western world increases, more people are finding themselves moving from their own homes and into aged care accommodations. ...
Stimulation for Psittacines
By Amy Martin
Physical and mental stimulation is vital to every species on the planet. Squid, poison dart frogs, pigs, rats, cats, tortoises, spiders, jaguars, sheep, dogs, ferrets, parrots, ...
Latest Articles
Pet Professional Guild Releases Position Statement on Pet Correction Devices
Pet Professional Guild Press Release
Pet Professional Guild (PPG) has released a new position statement on so-called “pet correction devices” that are used for the management, training and care of pets. PPG does not recommend such devices and the move comes as part of its ongoing mission to ...
Natural vs. Contrived Negative Reinforcement
I read the following online the other day:
People shouldn’t object to the use of negative reinforcement! It’s just stuff like washing my hands when they are dirty or drying them when they are wet. What’s wrong with that?
This is a fairly common defense of using negative reinforcement (R-) in ...
Countering The Aversive
Some pet dog trainers that are either using aversive methods or some that call themselves “balanced”, and use a combination of both aversive approaches and food rewards, may carry the notion that positive reward based trainers are against them personally, or that are looking to have them ...
Proper Education, Not Faulty Legislation For Pet Dog Trainers
The profession of companion, or “pet” dog training is one that requires little more than the willingness to do it and promote oneself. There is no licensing required.
Let me state right up front that given the appalling lack of education and the major divisions among pet dog trainers, there ...
No More Henrys
A headline a few weeks ago caught my eye: PetSmart, groomer are sued in death of dog. Obviously, this should never happen. Reading the article just made me sad, and angry.
The dog, Henry, a year-old dachshund, went to the groomer to get his nails trimmed. He emerged, bloody, with two broken ...
Christmas Puppy – What a Great Idea?
Do not get me wrong, I am not talking about giving someone a puppy for Christmas or buying a puppy on impulse.
I am talking about a long awaited puppy who, for no other reason but the mother coming into season at a certain time, comes home for Christmas.
Or a family deciding to bring a new ...
Ad Hoc Advocacy
Advocacy opportunities sometimes pop up unexpectedly, as happened to me in November 2016.
I contribute a column to a local weekly newspaper and while perusing an issue I found an interview with the public works director of a nearby village. He casually mentioned spraying herbicide in the dog ...
It Was Coming Right At Me!
I am so interested in how dogs perceive things, and how they notice differences that we don’t, or that we take for granted. Those differences can matter to them a great deal. An example of that was the focus of my recent post, “Intruder in the Yard!,” about Zani’s response to a landscape ...
#iSpeakDog Campaign to Bridge Communication Gap between People and Their Dogs
To help improve the relationship people have with their dogs, The Academy for Dog Trainers, the Humane Rescue Alliance, The Bark Magazine, and The Pet Professional Guild have teamed up to launch iSpeakDog, a global campaign and website designed to help people better understand dog body ...