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

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 PPG Advocacy Division and Shock-Free Coalition, board member of the Pet Professional Guild, and owner ...

Time, Space and Choices: Improving Welfare for Shelter Cats with Dr. Zazie Todd’s Purr

By K. Holden Svirsky

by K. Holden Svirsky “Cats are jewels,” I told my family after visiting Cat Town in Oakland, California. I felt lit up, like something magical had happened in the hour I’d spent there, kneeling ...

How Writing a Book on Canine Behavior Changed My Life

By Annie Phenix

by Annie Phenix When my publisher’s acquisition editor called me out of the blue in July 2021 to ask if I would write a second edition to my first canine behavior book, The Midnight Dog Walkers, ...

Introducing Cats: Slowly Does It

By Patience Fisher There are many challenges for shelters in finding adoptive homes for cats. As an adoption counselor, I always found it disheartening to have a cat returned to the shelter for not getting along with the resident cats. During the adoption process, the ...

The Topic of Microaggressions for Identification and Educational Purposes!

Introduction To some degree we are all products of cultural conditioning that instills within us biases and prejudices that can impregnate our behavior towards others. The term and concept microaggressions was first identified and termed in the 1970’s by Chester M. Pierce. The term refers ...

Exotic Animals and Shelter Awareness

By Lara Joseph As animal trainers and behavior consultants, our work can appear very appealing to pet owners and those who work with and take care of animals. What we demonstrate in our training is a very important tool we can use to educate the public about how our work is ...

BARKS Podcast with Molly Neher and Jennifer Kolar of Atlas Assistance Dogs

Join Niki Tudge and PPG Canine Committee chair Judy Luther as they Chat and Chuckle with Molly Neher and Jennifer Kolar of PPG corporate partner Atlas Assistance Dogs. Atlas Assistance Dogs states its mission as follows: "Atlas fundamentally expands access to assistance dogs. We support ...

The Aftermath of “Boot Camp”

By Amanda Ballard [At the time of writing] Kobe is an 18-month-old terrier cross, who is loved madly by his person, Lizzie. My private consultation session with them is the only one in 10 years that has moved me to tears, right there in front of the owner. It absolutely broke ...

BARKS Podcast with Dr. Em of Vet Med Corner

Join Niki Tudge and PPG Canine Committee chair Judy Luther as they Chat and Chuckle with Dr. Em of Vet Med Corner to discuss research based information on all things cats and dogs. Listen to the Podcast with Dr. Em on your choice of platforms. Or just stay on this page and ...

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 ...

BARKS Podcast with Dr. Marina Bayeva: How You Can Help the Fundraiser for Ukrainian Animal Shelters

The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) is supporting an important fundraiser for six animal shelters in Ukraine. In this podcast, we meet the fundraiser creator, Dr. Marina Bayeva, as well as supporting veterinarian Dr. Paula Klek and PPG's Shelter & Rescue Division Chair K. Holden ...

BARKS Podcast with the PPG Advocacy Panel: Discussion #9 – What Key Skills Should Pet Professionals Be Able to Demonstrate and Why?

What Key Skills Should Pet Professionals Be Able to Demonstrate and Why? Join the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) Advocacy Panel for a discussion on What Key Skills Should Pet-Professionals Be Able to Demonstrate and Why? Pet guardians and pet professionals, listen as panel members ...