Participants’ medal for PPG’s International Day of Celebration for Force-Free Training and Pet Care (ICFF)
The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) has rolled out the guidelines for its second international virtual community event, The International Day of Celebration for Force-Free Training and Pet Care (ICFF).
Taking place on 17 February each year to honor one of PPG’s founding members, the late Leah Roberts, the event was created to recognize Roberts’ lifelong crusade for force-free training and better treatment for all pet dogs.
Like its predecessor in 2014, ICFF 2015 will entail a photo and video competition where members are invited to make their submissions under a number of different categories.
Categories include:
- Best Overall Picture
- Best Dog(s) and Handler Team
- Best Group Photograph
- Most Creative Complex Training Video
- Best Picture North America
- Best Picture Rest of the World
Each entrant will receive the coveted PPG ICFF 2015 medal and a certificate of entry, and will be eligible for some outstanding prizes, including a place on Dr. Susan Friedman’s ‘Living and Learning with Animals’ Online Educational Course and unlimited PPG webinars for 12 months. The Grand Prize, “The PPG Annual Convention Package,” will be presented to the winner of the Best Overall Picture category and include full entry to the PPG’s inaugural convention to take place in Tampa, FL on 11-13 November, 2015, a $500 credit towards the winner’s airline ticket, hotel accommodation and food at a total value of $2,000.
“This is a fabulous day to celebrate and advocate for modern, science-based training methods that eschew coercion and nullify the use of choke, prong, and shock collars,” said Niki Tudge, PPG President. “ICFF refocuses our attention on the importance of force-free pet care and dog training methods and how those align so strongly with our Guiding Principles. It is also a wonderful community event that helps our members from more than 27 countries come together to celebrate, advocate and educate, and while doing so they can win some fabulous prizes.”
The Leah Roberts Foundation actively manages and implements ICFF and other PPG educational advocacy events each year. PPG plans to dedicate 10 percent of all PPG income to the foundation to spread its message that training animals using forceful and punitive methods is not only ineffectual but in fact counter-productive and aversive.
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About the Pet Professional Guild
The Pet Professional Guild is a 501(c)6 a member organization founded on the principles of force-free training and pet care. Its membership represents pet industry professionals who are committed to force-free training, pet care philosophies, practices and methods. Pet Professional Guild members understand force-free to mean: no shock, no pain, no choke, no fear, no physical force, no physical molding, and that no compulsion-based methods are employed to train or care for a pet.