Pet Loss and Grieving
In my opinion, the only downside to having a dog is the brevity of their life span. Recently, I said good bye to my canine friend of 15 years, Dale. Dale had a good long life for a large dog, but it was still too short to me.
I will be forever grateful for all the things she taught me. ...
Pet Professional Guild Celebrates National Mutt Day with Mutts Gallery; Poignant Tales of Rescue
Tampa, FL – The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) is celebrating National Mutt Day with the creation of its very own Mutts’ Gallery. The gallery features photos of PPG supporters’ mutts along with incredible tales of their rescues, their achievements once given a second chance in life and the ...
Be Brave – Take a Stand, Move Shock Off The Table!
by Niki Tudge
For a force-free trainer, shock collars are off the table. There is never a need or time when considering using one would be acceptable. Why?
An effective pet dog training program is one component of your dog’s physical, mental, environmental and nutritional ...
What Does “Aggressive” Look Like Anyway?
I was recently looking for photos of dogs displaying “aggressive behavior” for an article in BARKS from the Guild, the quarterly publication produced by the Pet Professional Guild. There were plenty of them in the image library. Pictures of dogs showing their teeth that is. The only problem ...
Enjoyable Walks: More Than Just Dog Training – a Holistic Approach
This is the story of a new client I went to the other day with two three-year-old re-homed German Shepherds: Princess and Duke. I was called because walks are a nightmare for the whole family, the lady in particular.
First a bit of background.
The five family members are very conscientious ...
A Little Truth in Advertising, Please
Can a dog trainer advertise that they’re “force-free” and then strap a shock collar on your dog? Surprisingly, they can — and some do. This puts dog owners in a bad place if you believe positive training is the only acceptable way to help your furry friend learn your rules. How do you wade ...
It’ll Be a Cold Day in July…
Thanks to the polar vortex, Lexington, KY enjoyed near-record low temperatures in the mid-50s (Fahrenheit) and lower humidity this past week of July. I took advantage and walked Zip and Trevor in my neighborhood after work most evenings. One evening Zip and I shared dinner ...
Getting Started in Getting Organized
by Niki Tudge
One of the hardest parts about getting organized is sorting and sifting through all the “stuff”. But all this “stuff” can cause distractions and take up valuable space. When you find yourself among stacks and piles of “stuff” it feels really overwhelming. So let’s breathe and ...