by Pet Professional Guild Cat Committee | Feb 7, 2018 | Animal Behavior, Learning Theory, Pet Guardians, Training
By Paula Garber and Francine Miller Cats learn best when they are comfortable and free from distractions. They are sensitive and will flee from any threat or uncertainty (and we don’t work with them on a leash!) The best place...
by Eileen Anderson | Jan 17, 2018 | Animal Behavior, Training
My back door opens onto an elevated wooden porch. There are ten steps down to the yard. The top of the steps provides a view into the neighbor’s yard, which can be a very interesting place. Clara runs there when...
by Pet Professional Guild Cat Committee | Jan 5, 2018 | Animal Behavior, Learning Theory, Pet Guardians, Training
By Paula Garber and Francine Miller In clicker training, primary reinforcers are things that are instinctively or inherently rewarding to a cat. Reinforcers for cats should be given in small amounts and frequently to maintain learning momentum. For cats who...
by Eileen Anderson | Dec 18, 2017 | Animal Behavior, Learning Theory, Training
It just occurred to me that it is super easy to make assumptions about how much our dogs prefer a particular food toy, or even whether they really enjoy them that much. Don’t yell at me. To be clear: I …
by PPGWorld | Dec 12, 2017 | Advocacy, Animal Behavior, Learning Theory, Pet Guardians, Training
Shocking pet dogs remains a common, if controversial, training practice worldwide. In this open letter, Pet Professional Guild (PPG) combines decades of research, the opinions of certified animal behaviorists, and the question of ethics to explain why using electric...