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BARKS Podcast with the PPG Advocacy Panel: Discussion #7: How Do We Advocate for Inclusivity and Diversity?
How Do We Advocate for Inclusivity and Diversity?
Join the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) Advocacy Panel for a discussion on How Do We Advocate for Inclusivity and Diversity?
Pet guardians and pet professionals, listen as panel members share their expertise in a fun, ...
The Porcine Phenomenon
By Lara Joseph
As we all know, animals are fascinating, especially when it comes to their ability to learn and their individuality. I am attracted to intelligent animals who learn quickly and ...
BARKS Podcast with Dr. Kristina Spaulding of Smart Dog Training and Behavior: May 7, 2021
Join Niki Tudge and Dr. Kristina Spaulding of Smart Dog Training and Behavior, as they discuss canine stress.
Listen to Podcast here on a choice of platforms. Or simply click ‘Play’ below.
For ...
Latest Articles
Teaching Your Dog Eye Contact
How many times have you thought to yourself, "I sure wish my dog would focus on me and not x." Well, this is something you can certainly start to tackle by teaching your dog a reliable "Watch" behavior. Imagine, how nice it would be if a squirrel ran down the tree and you said, "watch" and ...
Human Attitudes
I’m sure others might feel the same way as I have recently so I have decided to share this as I have found a positive way forward if one is feeling somewhat burned out… The last few months I’ve been feeling slightly overwhelmed with what I face when visiting pet dog and horse owners who call ...
The Game Of Know, Not No!
Many years ago when I was first learning this “new” method called positive reinforcement training, even though my dog was learning in huge leaps to do all the behaviors I asked him to do, I had this nagging question: But how can I tell him when he does something wrong?
Humans seem to be wired ...
Yelling at My Dogs
The “yelling” question comes up regularly for positive reinforcement-based trainers. “Am I a bad person if I yell at my dogs?” “Is it positive punishment to yell at my dogs?” And the accusatory version, “Do you NEVER yell at your dogs? Of course you do! And that’s punishment, so you aren’t a ...
Scent Tracking as Part of Your ABC
When consulting on canine behavior problems, you will be looking at your ABCs - Antecedent - Behaviour - Consequence - as part of your functional assessment.
The immediate antecedents, such as direct environment, setting the dog off doing something the owner is not happy with, are often ...
Do Docked/Missing Tails Lead to Miscommunication in Dogs?
Are dogs with docked or missing tails vulnerable to miscommunication or misunderstanding by other dogs? Or do they learn to rely on other body language communication?
I have a little rescue dog (right) who came to me from Romania with her tail missing. I don’t know where it went or why it ...
Prettier by Another Name
How much does a dog's breed matter, particularly when that dog is of mixed breed heritage?
When people are seeking a pet dog, breed, or, more likely, what they think they know about various breeds, can heavily influence their choices. But in the end, knowing — or guessing at — the dog's mix ...
The Benefits of Keeping Cats Indoors
By Paula Garber, MEd, CATEP, CFTBS
Some cat owners believe it’s “natural” for their cat to be outdoors, or that their cat won’t be happy unless given the opportunity to roam. These days, most pet cats aren’t as suited to outdoor life as one might think. They are simply ill equipped to ...
Socialize Your Puppy but Let Him Play, too!
Fifty years ago not too many trainers or owners talked about socialization. Not because puppies did not need it, but because for the most part puppies ‘self-socialized’, they wandered and roamed the neighborhood, accompanied children to school, hung out with other dogs, sometimes got into ...