Kate LaSala Helps Dog Owners Accept Their Dogs for Who They Are
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you first get into animal behavior/training, and what you are doing now?
I’ve been an animal advocate for over three decades. I became vegetarian as a teen and have championed animal welfare as a rescuer, transporter, shelter worker, ...
Cooperative Care with Cora: A Case Study
by Jennifer Van Valkenburg
Cooperative care is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. I have come to appreciate how important body autonomy and choice can be, especially when experiencing a painful and difficult medical diagnosis. Having some control over even small things can ...
Meet Force-Free Puppy Trainer Colin Spence
Force-free training … is kind. It’s what all animals should get from humans—kindness.
—Colin Spence
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you first get into dog training, and what you are doing now?
I got into the industry as a trainer a while ago as I had a ...
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 ...
Abusive Dog Training Practices and Informed Consent, Ethics and “Do No Harm”
by Niki J. Tudge
Dog trainers who use punishment-based approaches and equipment designed to work by causing fear and/or pain commonly market themselves under a variety of verbiage and marketing slogans such as “balanced,” “positive relationship,” “natural methods,” “relationship ...
Meet Kim Silver: A Dog Trainer Who Dabbles in Training Parrots
“Dogs are misunderstood, and our cultural ideas about them are hurting them. Dogs need a voice, and often it's their dog trainer who is speaking up for them. I love being that person for a dog.” —Kim Silver
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you first get into animal training, ...
What Do Dogs, Cats, Cars and Chairs Have in Common?
The Need for a New Legal Definition of Living Property
by Niki J. Tudge
Are Pets Family?
According to The Harris Poll (2015), “nearly all pet owners (95%) … consider their pets to be members of the family.” Yet, legally, pets are still considered property or chattel. ...
Nelly the Desert Dog: Once a Feral Night Roamer, Now a Super Trooper
by Sarah Bartley
We arrived in the Arizona desert at the beginning of August 2022. What a relief—no stray dogs. Military bases are like gated communities. Resident dogs are always on leash or contained in a yard.
A few months later, in November, is when I first saw the little ...