Meet LT Taylor, Whose “Hyperfixation” on Dogs Led to a Career in Animal Training
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you first get into animal behavior and training, and what you are doing now?
My mother is a dog breeder, so our house always had several dogs growing up, from Jack Russell terriers to Old English mastiffs. I became interested in behavior and ...
Time, Space and Choices: Improving Welfare for Shelter Cats with Dr. Zazie Todd’s Purr
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 on the floor in the open-space “cat zone,” and later peeking into the special studios of the ...
How Writing a Book on Canine Behavior Changed My Life
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, my immediate response was a firm “no.”
I had many reasons to decline. I had removed myself from the ...
20 Problems With Punishment in Animal Training
by Dr. Karolina Westlund
Recently there was a video post in my Facebook feed that caught my attention.
Typically, on Facebook, I’m a bit of a lurker. I’m not very active, and when I do watch videos I often don’t share, like or comment – even when perhaps I should.
This time, I watched, ...
The Dilated Cardiomyopathy and Grain-Free Pet Food Debacle
Don Hanson discusses the FDA’s announcement on December 23, 2022, that it found no evidence to suggest that grain-free pet food contributes to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). He reviews the chronology of the investigation, including the criticism of the FDA and the veterinarians behind the investigation. The article includes links to the references cited.
Common Stumbling Blocks to Behavioral Recovery for Dogs and How to Overcome Them
by Diane Garrod
In response to a survey of more than 1,000 pet parents in the United States by Kinship Partners (2021), 62% said their top priority is their pets’ happiness, and 80% said their pets deserve more of their time. Seventy-one percent said they could not have survived the ...
Meet Laura Cassiday of Pawsitive Vibes Cat Behavior and Training
Laura Cassiday takes cat owners from hopeless to hopeful using her feline expertise and force-free training techniques.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you first get into animal behavior and training, and what you are doing now?
I studied English and professional writing in ...
PPG Advocacy Panel: What Do You Do When You’re the Only Force-Free Professional in Town?
Join the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) Advocacy Panel for a discussion on What Do You Do When You're the Only Force-Free Professional in Town?
Pet guardians and pet professionals, listen as panel members share their expertise in a fun, free-flowing format.
Your Moderator: PPG Advocacy ...