New Content
BARKS Podcast with Dr. Karen Becker, Author of ‘The Forever Dog’: January 14, 2022
Join Niki Tudge and PPG Canine Committee chair Judy Luther for a very special Chat and Chuckle with Dr. Karen Becker.
Dr. Becker is discussing her New York Times bestseller, The Forever Dog - Surprising New Science to Help Your Canine Companion Live Younger, Healthier, and Longer!, co-authored ...
Navigating the Storm
By Mary Jean Alsina
“I'm not afraid of storms, for I'm learning how to sail my ship.” - Louisa May Alcott
Many dogs who come into this world quickly learn that there are many storms of which ...
BARKS News – March 2021
Listen to the March 2021 edition of BARKS News!
Highlights include:
FREE member event Up Your Business Game!
PPAB credentials now in French
White House dogs
Cat behavior call-in ...
Latest Articles
Sink or Swim: Eight Ways You Might Be Flooding Your Dog
Thank you to Marge Rogers, Debbie Jacobs, and Randi Rossman for discussions regarding this post. The point of view expressed and any mistakes are solely my own.
The journey of becoming a positive reinforcement-based trainer sometimes seems like an endless stream of goodbyes to methods I once ...
Pet Professional Guild links up with Victoria Stilwell to support National Puppy Mill Awareness Day
National Puppy Mill Awareness Day falls on September 27, 2015 and the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) has partnered with renowned dog trainer, television personality and PPG Special Counsel member, Victoria Stilwell, in an effort to highlight the plight of millions of dogs held in puppy mills ...
Is Fetching Really All That “Fetching” for Dogs?
As science sheds more light on the popular game of “fetch”, it is fascinating to learn that “fetch” may not always be that “fetching” after all for some dogs. Stressed dogs in particular may take longer to recover if they are playing fetch. This article discusses how this game affects a ...
Pet Care on a Budget
Many households are on a tight budget when it comes to things like food and health care costs, while the same can be true for our four-legged family members. While we do treat our companion animals like family, sometimes the cost for caring for them can get a little pricey, depending on the ...
Dog Training: It’s Not Just Semantics
Stop press! Have you heard? You don’t need to be a military commander to train a dog! You don't need to yell or shout. You don’t need to use threats or physical punishment. You don’t need to know a single command. You don’t need to be the dog’s “master” or “pack leader”. The dog does not ...
The Arrogance of Punishment
As a professional force-free dog trainer I often hear dog owners use the term “punishment” and understand it from their perspective as a word in common use.
Webster’s dictionary: 1 the act of punishing; 2 a. a suffering of pain or loss that serves as retribution; 2 b. a penalty inflicted upon ...
But It Worked for My Dog!!
What happens when someone shares a “success” story about training with aversives? Here’s my response to a commenter who did so on one of my previous posts.
A Parable
Once there was a woman named Reva who had a serious health condition that needed intervention. Her intexagog was inflamed and ...
The Prodigal Dog
It is so hard not to be cross when Rex runs off. You call him, and without even a backward glance he keeps on running towards something he would rather be doing than keeping you company.
I think of the parable of the prodigal son where in essence the younger son is a waster who leaves home ...
Why is Empathic Practice Important?
While historically empathy has perhaps been seen as a fluffy, feel good emotion with little relevance to science, or science based practice, our lack of empathy has, arguably, led us into the dangerous territory we entered in decades gone by. Those beliefs include the view that animals are ...