Barks From The Guild - The Pet Professional Guild

Barks From The Guild
(An environmentally force-free online magazine)
The Pet Professional Guild
Vol. 3, No. 1
Winter 2014
No Pain, Lots To Gain.
Relationship
Relationship--Building Between Pets and People.
In this issue:
Targeting in the Avian Trainer’s Toolbox
Are Citronella Spray Collars Force-free?
What I’ve Learned from Shelter Dogs
Henry Ford Did It—So Should You!
Safe Games for Kids and Dogs
Relationships with Shy Cats
What Does Your Dog Know?
How Do I Choose a Trainer?
Upcoming PPG Seminars, book
reviews, member interviews,
product reviews and more!
Don’t Miss Out!
There are member
deals on products and
training programs
inside!
Message from the Founder
Dear Members and Pet Lovers,
Welcome to our first Barks from the
Guild for 2014. As normal for this time
of year, it is always fun to think back
and reflect on the previous year while
we plan our goals for the current one.
What a busy year 2013 turned out to
be and we will all need seat-belts for
2014 — it is taking off at a fast pace
already and we have not yet begun to
roll out our goals.
In 2014 we will be working on the following key programs:
1. A professional level membership criteria
Articles & Columns
Founder’s Message—N. Tudge
Book Review—R. Ingram
Business Bytes— N. Tudge
What I’ve Learned from Shelter Dogs—A. Phenix
Catty Corner—M. Krieger
What Does Your Dog Know—D. Savoie
Ask Leah—L. Roberts
Lofty Learning—L. Joseph
McMillan’s Musings—B. McMillan
Citronella Spray Collars? - D. Lambert
Member Profile—contributed
Force Fallout—A. Steinker
Doggone Safe— J. Orr
Upcoming PPG Seminars
Product Review—L. Clifton
The Guild Steering Committee
2. PPG area chapters
3. A PPG licensed product for members
4. Key advocacy goals
5. Specialized committees for our different divisions
6. The planning and organizing of our first PPG annual
conference
7. Enhanced membership communication tools
8. More membership benefits and programs.
9. The roll out of “The International Day of Celebration
for Force Free Training and Pet Care” (ICFF) on
Feb. 17, sponsored by PPG.
On that note I wanted to talk to you about our ICFF day.
PPG felt it was necessary each year to have a distinct day
for us all to celebrate and advocate for our key mission. This
was not an easy task given that we have members across
the globe. Coordinating everyone on one day would have
been impossible. Thus we came up with the idea of a virtual
event on the honesty system. You can participate anywhere
in the world, whenever (within the event dates) and wherever it is convenient for you! If you don’t have time to complete your chosen event at one time, then you can split it up
over several days. There is also a fabulous and fun competition with some great prizes. Participants can submit photos
to the PPG showing their participation in their chosen event.
These photos will be judged on originality and creativity with
special emphasis on how much force-free fun the human
and pet are having. There is more information on page 25 of
this issue and, of course, on the PPG website. From the
home page, click on ICFF Day to register and learn more.
(Continued on page 4)
Niki Tudge
Catherine Zehner
Diane Garrod
Angelica Steinker
Anne Springer
Caryn Liles
Mark Strauss
Jan Casey
Heidi Steinbeck
Debra Millikan
Louise Thompson
Contact The PPG
Member Communication
[email protected]
Publication Information
[email protected]
Advertisements
[email protected]
International Communication
[email protected]
Mailing Address
1922 Kenton Road
Wesley Chapel FL 33545
Telephone 41 Dog-Train
www.PetProfessionalGuild.com
Newsletter Editor—C. Zehner
Our key business purpose is to initiate a serious effort for the education of pet care providers
and the public coupled with an emphasis on building collaboration among force-free pet
trainers and professional pet-care providers. We aim to publicize “our voice for the profession” that advocates for mutually-agreed guiding principles for the pet care industry.
2
PPG Book Review
Reviewed by Rick Ingram
If you regularly travel with your pet or are planning
to, this handy little guide is just what you need.
Printed on behalf of the Royal Automobile Club
(RAC) of the United Kingdom by Veloce publishing,
Dogs on Wheels is an efficient little volume packed
with much practical and useful advice. At $19.95, it
is not cheap by U.S. standards, but the book
clearly lives up to the publisher’s stated mission of
“providing books of the highest quality in terms of
content, accuracy, presentation and subject for the
discerning automotive enthusiast.” Despite the
book’s cost, I felt the photos alone made the price
a bargain. Don’t let the fact that this is an RAC
book dissuade you from reading it if you don’t live
in the UK — the information covered by the author
is directly applicable to life on the road with your
canine in the US and anywhere else.
There were many features of the book I found refreshing compared to similar books I’ve read recently. For starters, the author keeps the history of
canines brief in his short introduction. I’ve never
understood why so many authors feel they need to
comprehensively cover the “history of…” when the
book is not about “the history of...” But in Dogs on
Wheels, the author keeps the canine history short
and what he does include is pertinent to travelling
with dogs.
The book begins, in my opinion, where a book on
dog travel should begin — with choosing the correct vehicle. Though this information could quickly
Book:
DOGS ON WHEELS
Travelling with Your Canine
Companion
Author:
Norm Mort
Pages:
96 (paperback)
Publisher:
Veloce Publishing, 2012
Suggested
Retail Price:
$19.95 USD
become dated as
new vehicle models
join the market, the
author provides
general guidance
and a handy checklist that can be applied to your vehicle
search whenever
you may choose to
get your next “dog”
car.
It was nice to see that Dogs on Wheels covered
both the physical and mental considerations that
are important when travelling by car with your dog.
The author also covers travel accessories for your
dog very comprehensively, which is refreshing. I’ve
seen too many articles and books giving advice on
travel accessories that advocate equipment that is
either far too expensive, impractical, ambiguous or
unavailable.
I particularly enjoyed the “Dos and Don’ts” section
where the author does an admirable job of balancing good information with a healthy dose of reality,
reminding the reader of how dangerous it can be to
you and your dog when you travel in your car with
your dog unrestrained.
Two other strong chapters were on a dog’s psyche
and veterinary advice – both topics are often given
short shrift in comparable articles and books —
and the book’s guidance is interspersed with appropriate and authoritative quotes and specific advice from experts.
I highly recommend this concise and handy volume
to all dog owners, whether you regularly travel with
your canine pal or not. It is very well-written, visually pleasing, and the photos are fantastic, especially those in the last chapter “Dogs on wheels in
art and advertising,” and compliment the text perfectly.

Rick Ingram is the owner of Critter Care Services in
Wellesly Chapel, FL, US.
3
(PRESIDENT, continued from page 2)
Members are now starting to chat about the ICFF Day in
our official Facebook Group, if you have not yet joined
us there then please do. There are some great conversations going and members are enjoying some wonderful networking opportunities. I am looking forward to
sharing some great successes with you all in 2014.
On another Note...
In December of 2013 PPG rolled out a
GPS zip code search locator tool on the
website. I get several emails a day from
people asking for help as “it is not working” for them.

Niki Tudge is the founder of the PPG and The
DogSmith, a national dog training and pet-care franchise. Her professional credentials include; CPDT-KA,
NADOI – Certified, AABP- Professional Dog Trainer,
AABP- Professional Dog Behavior Consultant, Diploma
Animal Behavior Technology, and Diploma Canine Behavior Science & Technology. Niki has also published
many articles on dog training and dog behavior and her
pet dog training businesses have been featured in many
publications including The New York Times.
The system works very well and I have had several
emails from members who have been found by
clients using this feature. To ensure you are coming
up in this new search, please make sure you have
your full address listed. GPS cannot locate you if
components of your address are missing. Once you
update your listing, it then takes several hours to
reset.
-Niki Tudge
Editor’s Nook
Welcome to the Winter 2014 edition of Barks from the
Guild! This online publication is truly a labor of love that
I so enjoy piecing together because it acquaints me with
so many diverse, creative, kind, compassionate and
knowledgeable PPG members. I hope you’ll find this
issue better than ever!
In this and future issues, you will find a standing feline,
avian and pet owner column in order to appeal to more
than just dog owners and trainers. In upcoming issues,
we also hope to have a standing equine column.
And because Barks from the Guild is a publication for,
by, and about Pet Professional Guild members, we welcome member contributions about your experiences liv-
ing and working force-free with your favorite mammals!
Members are encouraged to submit scholarly articles,
opinion editorials, letters to the editor, member achievements, and other information pertinent to the industry.
Articles submitted will be approved for publication by the
Guild Steering Committee.
Because the PPG Steering Committee must review
them, submissions will be accepted no later than four
weeks prior to the publication deadline. Contributions to
Barks from The Guild should be submitted to the Managing Editor at:
[email protected]
Happy New Year, and may the force-free be with you!
-Ed.
4
Business Bytes … Henry Ford Did It, You Should too!
By Niki Tudge
long benefits for you and your company.
We all know that Henry Ford was one of the richest and
most famous industrialists of all time. Though he didn't
invent the automobile, he did, through innovation and
cost control, make it affordable to just about anyone.
With no formal education in engineering, Henry Ford
revolutionized the world.
To operate your business effectively, you need to know
where your money is coming from and where it is going.
You also need to be able to fluently discuss your business decisions with your accountant, lawyers and other
professionals that make up your support team. However, it would be a mistake in any small business to
leave money decisions fully to your accountant. Certainly, take your accountant's advice on taxes, payroll
and the like, but your accountant will never understand
your business or your customers the way that you do.
You are the one who is ultimately responsible for your
business. If you can't
pay your bills or meet
payroll, will your vendors and staff blame
your accountant or
are they going to
blame you?
His success would have surprised his father, who assumed Henry would take over the family farm. However,
Henry hated farming and was a natural tinkerer who
spent hours taking machines apart and putting them
back together. So rather
than farming, Henry took an
apprenticeship as a machinist.
Though his name is synonymous with automobile
engineering and production, few people remember
that Henry actually pursued
a formal education in bookkeeping at Goldsmith, Bryant & Stratton Business
College (now the Detroit
Business Institute). So why
would this natural-born engineer feel that he needed
formal education in bookkeeping and what does that
have to do with your pet industry business?
Henry realized early in his business life that keeping
track of your finances is fundamental to all businesses,
no matter how passionate you may be about your company and no matter how innovative your product or idea.
History gives us many examples of superior products
and ideas that failed because of poor financial management (and the government isn't going to step in and bail
you out). The proverbial “better mousetrap” benefits no
one if the company making them can't stay open for
business. According to the Small Business Administration, 71 percent of the firms that fail do so because of
poor financial planning.
Henry also believed that, even when he had entire accounting departments keeping his books, a business
owner must understand the fundamentals of finances in
order to make sound business decisions and discuss
company accounts intelligently. No one — not your lawyer, your doctor, your accountant, your mother, brother
or sister — will ever care about your money they way
that you do. Understanding your business finances is
crucial to the success of ANY business and returns life-
There are many free
and low-cost resources available to
help you learn the basics of business finances including
SCORE.org, SBA.gov
(finances and accounting) and
www.dwmbeancounter.com to name but a few. Learning to use financial management software is also a great
way to build your financial management muscles. Even
though you got into the pet industry because of your
passion for animals, your financial expertise will directly
contribute to making your business a success so you
can keep your dream alive. Then, when your business is
growing, hire bookkeepers like Henry Ford did. But because you now speak “finances” you will always be in
the best position to manage your financial team and
make the best decisions for your business.

Niki Tudge is the founder of the PPG and The
DogSmith, a national dog training and pet-care franchise. Her professional credentials include; CPDT-KA,
NADOI – Certified, AABP- Professional Dog Trainer,
AABP- Professional Dog Behavior Consultant, Diploma
Animal Behavior Technology, and Diploma Canine Behavior Science & Technology. Niki has also published
many articles on dog training and dog behavior and her
pet dog training businesses have been featured in many
publications including The New York Times.
5
What I’ve Learned from Shelter Dogs...
By Annie Phenix
I rescued my first dog from an Austin high-kill shelter in
1995. Back then, the shelter was so poorly staffed that
anyone could walk into any kennel and introduce themselves to the caged and sometimes hyper or even aggressive dogs. Because I could enter unsupervised, I
quickly learned to decipher body language from a distance and then up close and personal – I had to learn fast
or risk a bite from some very stressed-out animals. In
spite of their high level of agitation, no dog bit me or even
tried. Most were simply terribly frightened.
Many cages housed pit bulls. Actually the order went like
this: pit bull, pit bull, black lab, lab, pit bull, pit bull and
then five cages in a row of pit bull + lab mixes. The pit
bulls provided me something of a master’s degree in canine body language. I say that because some of them
were easily excitable – going from zero to fully-aroused
faster than a Porsche. These dogs showed me how an
overly-aroused canine can swiftly redirect.
One day I was alone in an open field with a pit bull that
no one else wanted to walk because of his size and challenging demeanor, when I came up with the idea of running him in a large circle on-leash because there was no
place where he could run off-leash. He was kenneled 24
hours a day except when he was with me. The dog enjoyed running fast in a big circle around me; he was so
excited that he interrupted his run and flew through that
air straight for me. With quick reflexes, I shoved the leash
into his mouth before he made it to my face … he
dropped the leash from his mouth and continued to climb
up the remaining leash by his strong teeth. I became
quiet and stopped moving, talking softly to him, waiting
for the bite, praying he wouldn’t do it. He calmed down
just in time and didn’t bite me, teaching me a valuable
lesson. Had he bitten, it would have been my fault and
not his. I would not have forgiven myself easily either because a bite would have ended his life that day. I thanked
him for his lesson and was more careful in the future, letting him run in short bursts, then some calming time,
more short running and so on. It worked.
Dogs stuck in shelters taught me more than just canine
body language however. I learned about perseverance,
especially from dogs that had no true behavioral problems but were passed up every day because of human
dislikes, such as being the wrong color, the wrong size or
the wrong age. Most still wagged their tails as people
walked past them. Most still made eye contact with humans every day they sat in their jail cells waiting for
someone to notice them. Many (but certainly not all) dogs
remained upbeat and interested in their sparse surroundings. Would humans in the same environment still be so
optimistic? Doubtful.
I’ve observed dogs euthanized in shelters. I often pulled
shelter dogs for the non-profit rescue I volunteered with
from rural shelters. Often the euthanasia happened in
front of the other dogs still in cages waiting their turn for
the needle. If you want to learn compassion from the
most masterful animal on the planet, watch dog after dog
being “put to sleep” and observe them trying to lick the
hand of the person administering the death serum, most
often through a small opening in the muzzle they were
forced to wear. Yes, some dogs fought not to die. Many
more of them, however, gave what looked like love to the
person doing the killing. I’m not convinced at such times
that we humans are completely deserving of a dog’s love.
We let them down again and again but still they love us
unconditionally, even as we kill them every day, cover
them in black, plastic bags and send them to the dump
like trash.
One of my favorite ACOs (Animal Control Officer) worked
in a tiny town outside of Austin where, as with many small
towns, the animal shelter was under the direction of the
police department. The local police chief walked through
this particular kennel early one day and announced to the
ACO that the room stunk. He told the ACO, who had purchased a washing machine and dryer with her own mea6
… A PPG Feature Opinion
ger funds so she could wash the towels she brought to
keep the animals warm, to kill every dog in the shelter.
All of them — even the 17 puppies. She had to do what
she was told or be fired, and she did, weeping over
each one. I came in that afternoon to pick up puppies
not knowing what had transpired earlier that day. I was
too late.
I quit fostering after that.
For a decade I had walked through crowded shelters
willing to face the heartache of not being able to save all
of the dogs. The heartache became too much for me to
bear – I hit my compassion fatigue level.
That experience and countless ones like it taught me
that there are two types of humans — those who have
empathy for other living creatures and those who do not.
In rescue work, you see too many of the uncaring sort of
human. In order to continue to help dogs where I could
and not hate every person on the planet, I had to concentrate – hard – on the kind humans. I learned to
avoid the unaffected humans like the police chief who
could waltz through a shelter and order every dog to be
killed – not even allowing a scheduled rescue pick up of
several puppies. Did he lose sleep over it? Doubtful. I
did, and the ACO was so heartbroken that she quit
shortly thereafter. I opened my heart to the good people
adopting the formally unwanted dogs. We successfully
found a loving home for every dog through the non-profit
rescue organization: even the blind ones, the old ones
and the rowdy ones. The dogs needed time and a
healthy place to live while waiting for a hero human to
find them. That’s what rescue is about; Life and, in particular, valuing a dog’s life. We just never had enough
time to save them all, or really do more than make a
small dent in the massive number of “throw-away” dogs.
I switched my focus from being a rescuer to becoming a
professional dog trainer as a way to stem the tide of incoming dogs. I attended a dog training “academy” and
later learned about canine behavior from some of the
best of the best in the industry in my quest to stop so
many dogs from being dumped in shelters for infractions
such as acting like a dog (chewing, barking and even
something as ridiculous as “growing too large”).
With each dog I am given the privilege of training, I silently thank all of those shelters dogs for what they
taught me. Perhaps becoming a dog trainer from this
hardscrabble background is a bit unorthodox, but it
turned me into a dog trainer who is highly-attuned to
canine body language. And somewhere along the journey my rescuing these unlucky dogs became a mutual
saving grace because the nearly 400 dogs I have fostered showed me things about life I could not have mas-
tered without them. They demonstrated kindness, compassion, mercy, hope and unconditional love. I often
struggle with the lessons taught by the callous humans
who think nothing of dumping a dog. There are huge
numbers of people willing to do this. Yes, I understand
sometimes life brings unexpected hardships; I am talking about the thousands upon thousands of humans
who dump the dog when he is no longer a cute puppy or
when he becomes inconvenient.
Because I am disturbed with how many careless humans there are regarding the fates of animals, I turn to
Viktor Frankl often and think of his quote: “Our greatest
freedom is the freedom to choose our attitude.” I try to
focus on the people with the big hearts doing yeoman’s
work through non-profit rescues. I concentrate on the
kind ACOs who go out daily with the intention of helping
dogs. I think about all of the lovely people I’ve met over
the years that open their hearts and homes to the unwanted dogs and I train like crazy to help stop the rush
of incoming dogs at my local shelters.
Some days, this is enough.
Some days, it will never be enough.

Annie Phenix is a positive reinforcement dog trainer and
a professional writer. She is a popular columnist for
Dogster.com and is the Chief Writer for the dog training
website MotivateYourDog.com. Her work has appeared
in The Huffington Post and other national publications.
She and her husband live in Colorado and share their
lives with five dogs, six donkeys and two horses. Her
website is www.phenixdogs.com
7
Catty Corner…Building Relationships with Shy Cats
By Marilyn Krieger, CCBC
It is not unusual for shy cats to take up residence under
sofas and beds when they are newly adopted. The only
evidence their people have that they are there is the
diminishing amount of food in the bowls and the daily
deposits in the litter boxes. Typically, these little ones
will not reveal themselves unless their people take
steps to help them feel secure and safe.
Although it can take time and patience, cat parents can
help change the way their shy cats perceive the environment and them. Every cat is unique — their histories
and previous treatment influence both the degree of
socialization and the amount of time it will take until the
cat feels secure enough to hang out with people. Cat
parents can help them to feel safe by encouraging the
kitties to see them as the
provider of everything
good. It is also important
that they do not set up
situations where the shy
ones feel cornered with no
way to retreat or escape.
Encouraging shy cats to
feel secure enough to socialize begins with the environment. Newly-adopted
and shy cats should have
their own sanctuary rooms
that are fully equipped with
the necessities. They also
need high places to climb,
toys and places to retreat, such as boxes and tunnels.
In addition to banning other resident animals from the
sanctuary room, only one person — the designated
“socialize” — should spend time with the cat. Later,
when the cat is feeling secure and interacting with his
or her person, other people can be quietly introduced.
Here are some other tips for helping cat parents encourage their shy cats to feel secure enough to start
socializing:

Stop free-feeding. Cat parents should feed their
cats multiple meals throughout the day. They will
associate delicious meals with the people who feed
them.

Feed on a schedule. Cats will start anticipating visits
accompanied by meals from their people.

Treats help too! Every time the cat parent enters the
sanctuary room, they should place a treat near the
cat’s hiding place.

Reinforce every step towards socializing. The smallest step is progress and needs to be reinforced with
a treat.

In the sanctuary room, cat parents should sit either
on the floor or in a chair and acclimate the cats to
them by reading, talking and softly singing to them.

Fearful cats should never be cornered or chased.
They should always have the option of coming towards their people or retreating when afraid.

Avoid direct eye contact. Shy, fearful cats often perceive this as a threat.

Some cats are players and can be persuaded to
socialize through playing.
Clicker training can be a useful tool for socializing. Because the click from a traditional clicker can frighten
fearful cats, either muffle
clickers or use another
softer-sounding device as
an event marker.
“Formally greeting” cats can
also encourage them to
come forward. Cat parents
can sit a short distance
away and extend one finger
towards their cats. When
cats want to interact, they
will approach the outstretched finger, touch it
with their noses and mouths
and then turn their heads so their cheeks make contact
with the outstretched finger. This is the go ahead signal
for petting cats on their heads, necks and cheeks.
The socialization process should not be hurried. Cats
have their own schedules, regardless of what ours is.
With time and consistency, the cat should eventually
respond positively to the overtures of friendship.
© September 24, 1913 by Marilyn Krieger, CCBC
Marilyn Krieger, Certified Cat Behavior Consultant and
owner of The Cat Coach, LLC® www.thecatcoach.com
solves cat behavior problems nationally and internationally through on-site, phone and Skype consultations.
Marilyn’s award-winning book, Naughty No More! focuses on changing unwanted cat behaviors through
clicker training, environmental management and other
force-free methods.

8
What Does Your Dog Know—And How Do You Use It?
By Donna Savoie, CDBC, CPDT-KA,
CBATI, ABCDT
On this gorgeous day in August, it’s not hot or humid
and there is a beautiful breeze. I’m sitting outside on the
deck drinking my morning coffee while my dogs are
happily chasing each other around the garden, when my
next-door neighbor comes outside and says hello from
across the yards. I smile and wave, recall my dogs so
that they do not bark at my neighbor, ask them to lay
down on the deck with me and then I say hello and have
a lovely conversation with my neighbor.
What do my dogs know?
They know how to come when they’re called, under
most distractions.
How did I use it?
I used it to prevent them from barking at someone I
wanted to have a conversation with.
Later on this gorgeous day, as tumbleweeds of German
Shepherd fur blow throughout my house because I have
every door and window open, I decide that it’s high time
I do my weekly vacuuming. As I wheel my canister vacuum around and vacuum my home, my dogs could be
having a blast chasing it, barking at it, and herding it
which could be really irritating to me and could make my
vacuum time much longer than it needs to be on this
beautiful August day. But instead one dog is laying
nicely on her bed, and the other two are following behind me.
What do my dogs know?
They know how to “go to place and
stay,” and they know how to “get behind.”
How did I use it?
I used both behaviors to prevent
them from causing chaos while I
was vacuuming my home.
So I ask you, what do you dogs
know and how do you use it? So
often we see folks spend lots of
time and invest money in training useful behaviors but do
not use those useful
behaviors later on. In
the two examples above
I could have hollered “No, no
bad dog” to my dogs
as they barked at
my neighbor for
saying “good morning,” but instead I was proactive and
called them to me, told them what to do, and had a conversation without the distraction of barking dogs. In the
second example above I could have been trying to vacuum around three dogs, while hollering “No, no bad
dog” to my three dogs, I could have put them outside
and closed my doors (my yard is fenced in), but instead
I gave them a job to do.
Whether you have taken an obedience class or taught
your dog a few things on your own without the help of a
professional trainer, chances are your dog knows how
to “sit” or “down” or “come.” So how do you use those
behaviors, when do you ask for them, and do you as a
normal human default to “No, no bad dog stop it?”
Teaching any dog a few polite obedience behaviors is
the key to having a good relationship and harmony with
your pet dog.
Teaching your dog what to do in any given situation is
really quite simple. First, teach a nice behavior such as
“sit.” Second, use that nice behavior, for example, while
you are preparing dinner if your dog is staring at you,
kicking you, pestering you and obnoxiously begging you
can ask for “sit” and the dog will know what to do and,
by default, not be doing those other unwanted behaviors.
Does your dog know how to come when he is called?
Does
he know how to sit? And when you
have company does he get all
excited and jump on your company? Then think about what
your dog does know, and
use it. If you step away from
your guest and you recall
your dog, he will not be
jumping on your guest because he will be several feet
away from your guest. This gives you
the opportunity to ask him to sit while your
guest enters your home and gets settled.
So the next time you are about to say “No, no bad
dog, stop it, cut it out,” instead use those seconds to
think to yourself, “What DOES my dog know, and
how can I use it?”

Donna Savoie, aCDBC, CPDTKA, CBATI, ABCDT, is the
owner and president of Pack of
Paws Dog Training in Southbridge,
MA, USA.
9
10
Ask Leah … How Do I Choose a Good Trainer?
By Leah Roberts
Anybody can hang out a shingle, call himself/herself a
“dog trainer” or “behaviorist,” and take your money for
doing things he saw on TV or she read in a Google
post. Additionally, people who use harsh and punitive
methods are getting savvy, taking the pictures of dogs
in prong collars off their sites, and calling themselves
“positive reinforcement” because they may use treats
also. How do you know whether the dog trainer you are
considering is experienced?
Be suspicious of “experienced” trainers.
Don't be fooled by the “I've been training for 20
years” (or whatever) that they may say. Training for a
long time doesn't mean keeping up on the newest research on dog training.
Would you want a doctor
who still used leeches to
treat your appendicitis because he had “always done
it that way?” Though experience may be helpful, experience without education can
be dangerous.
You do want a trainer who
has experience with your
specific issue. For example,
a class trainer who has little
or no experience with aggression issues may not be
the best choice for a dog
who is reactive to other
dogs. But beware of the “I've
been doing this for years” as
a declaration of competence.
flat out if he/she uses choke, prong,
shock, or “dominant dog” collars.
There are now disguises for these collars that make them look like flat collars,
and a lot of shock trainers use euphemisms like “tap” or “e-stim” for “shock,” so
you will have to listen carefully. If the
trainer ever uses these collars, for any
reason, he/she is not the trainer you want.
Also be aware that to use force-free methods, one has to use something the dog likes!
Most of the time this is food, which is a fairly
universal motivator. Many good trainers
use clickers, which signal to the dog that
they met criteria and a treat is on the way.
Some dogs work better for toys or other activities than
they do food, but generally
praise is a very weak reinforcer, especially for beginner dogs who are just learning new skills. If your trainer
does not use food, you
should also be very suspicious and go back to Question No. 2 – so what exactly
DO you use?
Is my dog being dominant?
Trick question here! If your
prospective dog trainer talks
about alpha/dominance, or
any other status-seeking
type of parameters for dog
training, it should be an inDogs should be as happy in
their classes as Dixie is, at
stant alarm bell. Status has
Dog Willing Positive Training
absolutely nothing whatever
Solutions in the Orlando area.
to do with dog training, and
All dog training is motivano dog is trying to be a
tion.
leader or take over the world. Dogs do what works. It's
as simple as that. Some may be pushy in temperament,
Ask prospective trainers how they motivate a dog. You
others soft and pliant, but all of them will do what motican either motivate by making the dog fearful of retribuvates them. If your dog trainer uses this kind of talk, he/
tion, or making him eager to earn a reward. One way he
she has probably gotten most education off the TV or
will perform the behavior to escape something unpleasfrom the followers of TV – not real, solid science.
ant, and the other way he will perform the behavior to
earn something he likes. There is really no other way. If The best and safest way to determine if your dog trainer
your trainer can't answer this question without mystical is valid is to check if they are a member of PPG. The
“energy” talk, or talks about all dogs being different and Pet Professional Guild does extensive research on
so each technique depends on the dog, be suspicious. each and every trainer listed in their database, and will
If they don't know how to intelligently create the re- not take on any who do not strictly fit the qualifications.
sponse they want, do they force it?
The rest of the alphabet soup after their name may or
may not have meaning. Just because your trainer may
What equipment is used?
have a trail of letters after his or her name is not an indi(Continued on page 12)
This question is also about motivation. Ask the trainer
11
(ASK LEAH, continued from page 11)
cation of expertise. There are a lot of organizations that will take money from
anybody who offers it, and have no standards of training whatsoever. However,
being a member of PPG at least tells you
that the trainer motivates without the use
of pain or discomfort, and does not engage in the mythological belief of alpha/
dominance status in dog training.

Food is used in this puppy
training class to reward dogs
for responding to being
called out of play.
Leah Roberts is the owner of Dog Willing, which teaches owners and dogs
skills that allow better communication
with one another. She is a PPG founding
member, a mentor trainer for the Animal
Behavior College and is currently participating in the Academy for Dog Trainers
online program. A nationally-respected
writer about dog issues, her online articles can be found at Orlando Dog Training and Behavior Examiner and Dog Star
Daily. Leah is currently writing a book on
how to teach Puppy Kindergarten
classes.
Family Paws Discounted
Licensed Products for PPG
Members.
Contact Jennifer Shryock to receive a 20 percent discount of
these licensed products and become a licensed presenter of:
Dogs & Storks
Dog & Baby Connection
12
Lofty Learning ... Targeting in the Avian Trainer’s Toolbox
By Lara Joseph
the body language given right before the lunge occurred.
Targeting is getting the animal to touch a predetermined
body part to an object. The object can be many things,
such a stick, the palm of your hand, a syringe, etc. It
can serve many purposes for the animal and the trainer
and is often used on a daily basis. When we ask a bird
to step on a scale, we are targeting their feet to a certain part of the scale. When we call a bird to the glove
we are targeting their feet to a particular part of the
glove.
It is not uncommon in the bird world for birds to have a
history of reinforcement of lunging, biting, or flying away
from people. This is why I begin shaping a touch with a
target stick if I feel I can not accurately read the individual bird’s body language. If the bird slightly leans away
from the target stick, I know I need to present the stick
at a further distance or lower height, bridge, and reinforce from there. The bird will let me know if I can then
advance to bringing the target stick closer. In my opinion, this is a great way to introduce myself to an unfamiliar bird by making my intentions clear that my association with them will always be a positive one, to the
best of my ability.
Often when I begin training a bird I have no prior history
with, I will begin shaping the behavior of touching their
foot or beak to a stick on cue. I do this for several reasons. When shaping behaviors through small approximations, I can better learn to read their body language
through pairing feather placement, how quick they
move, pinning of the eyes, or vocalizations with
the behavior I am requesting, the size of the behavior I am requesting, and the positive reinforcer I am delivering for the requested behavior. I need to learn what calm behavior looks
like because this is the behavior I want to reinforce and this is the behavior I want from
them on a consistent basis when being
paired with me as their trainer.
Never do I want to instigate a bite from a
bird, but I also learn through my mistakes.
If I inaccurately misread alerted body
language and ask for the bird to touch
its beak to the stick and the bird
lunges and bites the stick, not only
do I learn that I have misread behavior, I also have spared my fingers the trauma. At this point I
also know I have some counterconditioning to do. I want to make
sure not to make that mistake
again, otherwise I could be pairing myself, my requests, and
the target stick as an aversive
to the bird. This is something
I definitely do not want to do,
especially if my end goal is to
have this bird fly to my hand or
glove on cue. If this happens, I
will take a few steps back in
my training approach and reshape the target stick being
presented at a comfortable distance from the bird. Through my
mistake I have learned what
“uncomfortable” looks like through
Targeting is a great way to also get the bird to another
area of its cage or aviary. If the bird already understands the cue to “touch”
or “target” when it sees the target, it
knows if it flies to an area to touch
the target, the positive reinforcer(s)
will be delivered. If I need to enter a
cage and the bird is by the door, I
don’t want to reinforce the behavior
of the bird trying to get out the door
when I enter. I will then go to the
back side of the cage and ask the
bird to target through the cage. I will then
teach them to station (stay in that location until cued to do otherwise) as I
then enter the front of the cage.
Often times carrying around a target
stick is not convenient. In these instances, I also present my index finger and ask a bird to touch with its
beak or foot. This comes in very handy
when I need a bird to step off of me. I will
raise my finger at a distance where the bird
has to step off of me in order to touch my
finger with its beak or foot. When they
step off I bridge and reinforce. Often
times with companion animals, the
reinforcer isn’t always food. Many
times with parrots I will deliver a head
scratch for a requested behavior. The
length of time that I deliver the head
scratch is also a very valuable reinforcer.
I keep the request of targeting by saying
the word “touch” very strongly. When I
say the word paired with different objects
such as a “dremel” or “syringe,” based on
(Continued on page 19)
13
McMillan’s Musings … It’s Just A Dog, Right?
By Bob McMillan
places today, dogs are what’s for dinner. It’s just a dog,
right?
It’s just a dog, right? If
you’re a pet owner
you’ve heard that one
before, usually as a mild
rebuke. Why all this fuss
over how we treat a toothy
mop of fur? Lose one, get
another. The shaggy little
things are running around
everywhere these days.
Yet, the ancient way of seeing dogs still exists and still
calls to us. Fortunately, some can still look at a dog today and see past the cultural misconceptions and see
beyond the talking cartoon parodies of dogs and see
the dog, the companion we chose to keep at our side
through the millennia. You’ve joined the Pet Professional Guild because you’re in the business of teaching
owners to respect their dogs while teaching them our
rules. Or, you’ve turned to the Guild for the latest findings to help you understand your dog and help him fit
graciously into today’s hectic households. Just a dog? Bunk. You’ve looked into the eyes of a dog. And what
looked back changed you forever.
Try running that notion past the ancient
Natufians. When archaeologists looked
into one of their graves in what is now Israel recently,
they found an altogether different idea about dogs.
About 12,000 years ago, the hunter-gatherer group was
on the verge of making the precarious switch to an agricultural lifestyle when they paused and held a funeral.
They buried an old woman. Obviously, they believed in
some form of afterlife because they sent her into the
great unknown with a companion to protect her and
show her the way. Of all the animals they could have
picked from their prehistoric world, which one filled the
bill?
They buried her with a puppy cradled in her arms.
They expected the woman and the puppy to go on. The
woman would protect the puppy and teach it. In turn,
the puppy would grow, learn her ways, use its unique
skills and watch over her. And they would take that
bond into eternity.
Today we’d call the Natufians a primitive people. No
wheels, no electricity, no computers. Questionable hygiene. A lot of silly ideas. They’re long gone now. But
the dog is still with us in this, our advanced and enlightened world of the 21st Century. Nearly four million dogs
in the United States alone are euthanized each year
because no one wants them. Yet dogs are bred litter
after litter for profit and sold in pet stores or out of cardboard boxes on the roadside. Many who have dogs
keep them chained outside. Others are brought home
on a whim and when they fail to guess our rules, they’re
carted away to shelters or dumped on the roadside.
Many who do take the time to train dogs shock them
with electric collars or jerk them around by their necks,
shouting commands that the dogs are too traumatized
and fearful to begin to comprehend. They live out their
brief lives never sure what the crazy human is going to
do to them next. Dogs are chattel, dogs are commodities, dogs are accessories, even “bling,” and in some
The dog who opened my eyes was named Cuchulain.
And, yes, I’m the one who stuck him with that name.
He’d have preferred The Dude. I went with Ireland’s
version of Hercules after I realized what I was getting
into. An old college friend set out to breed Irish wolfhounds and Scottish deerhounds. Separately, of
course. But she was new at it and suddenly she had a
mixed litter of gigantic puppies on her hands. Without a
clue, I said, sure, I’ll take one. How much trouble could
it be? Then I began to read. And then I began to batten
down the hatches. Because here was a puppy who
weighed 40 pounds at 12 weeks. Shortly, he’d be able
to effortlessly hit 40 mph. In months, he’d be strong
enough to take down a 300-pound stag. He’d be the
stuff of legends, the original long-legged beastie. Living
on my couch. The clock was ticking on my education.
I’d had other dogs — a boxer when I was a baby and a
German Shepherd as a teen because dad was keen on
Rin-Tin-Tin. They were yard dogs. Except I snuck my
shepherd inside when dad wasn’t around because we
were buddies. I put my buddy through a traditional snap
and jerk obedience class, but this was the 1960s. It was
all we knew. Mostly, King and I roamed the hills and
woods together and he forgave me for the indignities of
that class. We looked into one another’s eyes often.
And then I grew up and forgot what little I knew about
dogs. Kids, they say, need a dog. So, my kids had a
shepherd mix who grew up mostly alone in our backyard. Who had time? Riley had food and water and a
doghouse. What else could he need? He was... just a
dog.
Hurricane Cuchulain arrived at the McMillan household
and I thought I was braced. I’d read books. Lots of
books. He became an inside dog because one book
told me wolfhounds and deerhounds bond especially
(Continued on page 15)
14
(Continued from page 14)
tight with their human packs. They shouldn’t be left
alone outside. Check. But, don’t let your dog sleep on
your bed, they said. He’ll take over the house. Don’t let
him exit a door before you. He’ll think he owns the
place. The dog, they said, is like a wolf. You are his
pack leader. Act like it or he’ll want the car keys next.
Be firm. Think like a wolf. Cuchulain read none of these
books. The dominance theory meant doodly to Cuchulain. He knew darned good and well I was no wolf. I was
He Who Has Thumbs, the Keeper of the Can Opener.
Mr. Goodtimes. He grew alarmingly fast and my bed
was just too soft and tempting. All of it. His gangly
puppy legs dangled off either side. When we went for
walks, I was The Dead Weight on the End of the Leash.
Clearly, it was time for training.
Because that’d just be primitive.
Dog owners can evolve. They just need to see the dog.
To become aware that the dog is aware. To look into its
eyes and be shocked with the recognition of another
soul looking back at them through the shag.
The Natufian woman 12,00 years ago had looked. She
was ready to spend eternity with the treasure that a dog
is. Just a dog? I don’t think so.

Bob McMillan is a newspaper editor and columnist who
lives in the foothills of Middle Tennessee with his Irish
wolfhound, several rescues and a remarkably tolerant
cat.
I’ll never forget the yip and the look he gave me in
puppy class the first time I snapped the leash and his
choke chain went “zzzzzzzk.” It was a withering look of
betrayal. Oh come on, said the trainer, it doesn’t really
hurt them. It sure didn’t seem to improve his attitude.
She jerked again and my hulking black puppy yelped.
And so it went for four more weeks, and again later in
obedience class when I failed to protect Cuchulain from
the kindness of strangers.
He was the smartest dog I’ve ever known. He was one
voice box away from human speech. What his eyes and
body language told me was he didn’t like this being
jerked about by his neck business at all. Since he’d
reached the size of a Highland pony... he had my full
attention. He was the first dog I’d ever lived with inside
and the more he revealed about his inner life, the more I
wanted to see. His behavior fascinated me. He didn’t
act like a wolf. Proudly, he was all dog and he was family. And when I heard of clicker training, I jumped. Our
bond survived. But he trusted strangers less and less.
First it was a lip curl, then a growl, then a lunge. Our
long walks together became limited to my back yard. I failed my giant friend listening to the wrong “experts.”
Enter Finn, my wolfhound, my gentle giant, my fur child,
my shaggy mentor. Finn began positive training at 9
weeks old. He was thoroughly socialized in his first 16
weeks. He goes wherever I go. He knows no fear. From
a place of trust and self assurance he’s free to reach out
to me and he does, over and over. I revel in daily contact with The Other, a separate species but one with
remarkably similar feelings as mine. Finn knows I’m listening. He communicates across the gulf. The whole
dog he is has made me a whole human.
Knowing Finn threw open the door to knowing the four
rescues my daughter parked with us for nearly a year
while she changed jobs and found a new place to live
after the recession hit. Obviously, my house became a
lunatic circus. But Sully, Bentley, Memphis, and Gilda
spoke to me, I listened and we worked things out. Without shock collars, without coercion.
15
Do Citronella Spray Collars ...
By Dorthea Lambert
decrease the probability that the behaviour (barking) will
occur in the future.
Citronella spray collars are advertised as harmless,
easy-to-use and natural dog training aids and come as
remote spray-collars or anti-bark collars. A citronella
scented solution is released from a small reservoir attached to a collar beneath the dog’s muzzle. The spray
can be remotely triggered on demand or, in the case of
anti-bark collars, is activated by noise. These training
aids have been described as having a preventive, interruptive, refocusing and calming effect.
What are they used for?
How do they work?
Citronella is a strong-smelling scent (similar to a lemon
scent) and not that unpleasant to most humans but it is
highly offensive for dogs. Taking into account the incredible sense of smell dogs have we can just try to
imagine how unpleasant the smell is for canines.
In the case of anti-bark spray-collars, a microphone is
built into the device and the release is automatically triggered by noise. This tool falls into the positive punishment category. The consequences (getting sprayed in
the face with citronella solution) of a behavior (barking)
Citronella spray collars are mainly used as anti-bark collars, but are also used similar to electric shock collars as
remote-training collars for corrections in obedience
training and to stop other undesirable behaviors such as
aggressive displays toward other dogs, animals and humans.
What are some of the consequences of using spraycollars?
The anti-bark collar contains a microphone which triggers the spray when it senses barking noise. That does
not necessary always mean barking noise from the dog
wearing the collar — it might be even just noises from
the environment. So another dog could bark next to the
dog wearing the citronella collar and trigger it — or even
the television. The dog is then exposed to the citronella
spray randomly without any connection to the undesired
behavior, which makes it not punishment, but abuse, as
the dog cannot avoid being sprayed by adjusting his behavior.
Dogs also can habituate
(get used to) the citronella scent used in spray
collars and continue with
the unwanted behaviour,
in which case trainers
might look for a more severe aversive method
such as electric shock
collars.
Dogs can learn not to
exhibit specific behaviors
as long as they are wearing the spray-collar, but
continue with the undesired behaviors when collars are removed or if the
spray reservoir is empty.
This means spray collars
do not work effectively
when not worn constantly.
The worst cases to use
spray-collars for are anxiety or fear-related behaviors and aggression,
Advertisements for spray collars use pictures such as this one to market their devices as a nonpunitive deterrent to barking.
(Continued on page 17)
16
… Have a Place in Force-free Dog Training?
(Continued from page 16)
cue from handler in the next session.
since spraying citronella into the dog’s face adds stress
to an already highly-stressed animal.
In another instance, an owner whose fearful and dogreactive dog barks and lunges when too close to other
In using a tool based on correction/positive punishment, dogs was subjected to training with a remote-controlled
the underlying cause for the unwanted behaviour is not spray collar. The owner also used an anti-bark spray
addressed. The symptoms are suppressed and that can collar to stop the dog's barking when left home alone.
lead to other behavioral issues such as aggression, in- According to the owner, the spray-collar worked for a
creased aggression, learned helplessness or shut-down couple of weeks — the dog stopped barking when being
sprayed. Unfortunately on one occasion, after being exand/or other problematic behaviours.
posed to the spray-collar for a while, the dog lunged and
At the moment there is not sufficient
snapped at a passing dog and
research data available to detercaught/bit his owner in the process.
mine long-term physical health risk
This incident took the owner by surof prolonged use of citronella scent
prise, as his dog did not growl or
spray on dogs, especially with rebark before snapping at the other
gards to the respiratory-system.
dog. Rather than learning not to
Nevertheless, the psychological
“In using a tool based on
bark and lunge at other dogs, the
damage short and long-term
dog had simply learned not to trigcorrection/positive
should lead us to the conclusion
ger the spray collar before lunging
punishment, the underlying
that citronella spray collars do not
for other dogs.
have a place in force-free training.
cause for the unwanted
Instead, positive reinforcement
Another owner contacted me with a
behavior is not addressed. The
procedures should be used and
barking dog issue in a household of
promoted to help dogs become
three dogs. Neighbors were comsymptoms are suppressed and
well-adjusted and balanced and to
plaining about noise when dogs
that can lead to other
help dogs enjoy, not fear training.
were left alone in the house. The
behavioral issues such as
owners had purchased an anti-bark
While I have personally never used
collar for the oldest dog as they
aggression,
increased
any kind of spray-collars including
identified him as the culprit. The
aggression, learned
citronella spray collars on my own
dog’s barking improved for the first
dogs nor recommended, sold or
helplessness or shut-down
day using the spray-collar and then
used on clients’ dogs, I have excontinued with high-pitched whining
and/or other problematic
perienced the fall-out of sprayand howling, plus the other two
behaviors.”
collars used in training and for bedogs were barking as well. The dog
havior issues.
wearing the collar had been
sprayed even without barking himIn one case, a citronella sprayself.
collar was used in pet obedience
class for the purpose of reinforcing
In all three cases the use of the
a “leave” cue. A remote spray-collar
citronella spray collar was absolutely unnecessary and
was placed in a bag with food on the floor and handlers in the second and third example made the behavioral
and dogs were encouraged to walk past the bag using a issue worse for dog and owner. Despite their marketing
verbal “leave” cue if the dog showed any interest in the as a pain-free remedy for problematic behaviors experibag. If the dog did not listen to the verbal “leave” cue ence dictates that they cause more problems than they
and approached the bag to investigate, the spray device solve.
in the bag was activated. That had a deterrent effect on

the dog that had his nose in the bag as well as on all
other dogs as the bag was now smelling of citronella. So
Dorthea Lambert, a qualified and professional dog
all following dogs looked well-behaved and seemed to
trainer, owns the Dog Activity Spot in Yately, Hampshire
have learned the meaning of “leave,” but actually they
in the UK. Dorothea is a fully approved instructor with
just avoided the citronella smell. They might have been
ADTB (Academy of Dog Training and Behaviour) and a
a little more suspicious of a bag on the floor in the same
proud member of the Pet Professional Guild.
training hall the following week, but would still approach
toys or food in a different setting regardless of “leave”
17
PPG Member Profile ...
Name:
Diane Gardner
Business Name:
Premier Dog Training Services
Location:
Rochester, NY, USA
Email:
[email protected]
Telephone No.:
585-764-8187
Web Site:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Premier-Dog-TrainingServices/116459575032625
Tell us a little bit about
your own pets:
I am a long-time Dalmatian owner and have trained and shown my Dalmatians in
conformation and obedience competition, which really isn't important because I
just love my dogs to pieces and I'm pretty sure the feeling is mutual and that’s all
that matters.
What do you consider
your area of expertise?
Training people to train their dogs.
What do you consider to
be your area of expertise? Why did you become a dog trainer or
pet care provider?
My first two dogs as well as working as a pet sitter/dog walker and training my clients' dogs brought me such joy and, seeming to have a knack for it, launched me
on the journey that has made my life feel purposeful.
Are you a crossover
trainer or have you always been a force-free
trainer?
I am a crossover trainer.
What drives you to be a
force-free professional
and why is it important
to you?
My first dog was trained “the old-fashioned way.” She suffered fallout that I didn't
realize until she was elderly and started to experience cognitive dysfunction,
probably from brain cancer. One thing she remembered very well was to be afraid
of me and it taught me, in a very profound and haunting way, the power of fear.
I'm sure my dog was a one in a million, but no one, no one, had the right to tell me
to train my dog in that manner because you never know the future. There are several dominance, force-based trainers out there who didn't know one of those onein-a-million dogs passed through their classes — that what they were doing was
taking a risk with my dog and me and the end result was horrible. They didn't
know any better and they still don't know and better.
What awards, competition placements, have
you and your dog(s)
achieved using Force
Free methods?
AKC Champion; Rally Novice; Companion Dog.
Who has most influenced your career and
how?
My dog Ashley, described above. That experience has grabbed a hold of my soul
and driven me to never stop learning, from everyone I can (experts to students)
how to be a better trainer and teacher to people and dogs
18
… Diane Gardner
How has the PPG
helped you to become
a
more
complete trainer?
The PPG shares my commitment for force-free training without qualification. I think the
handouts and other free materials are helpful to share with those on their own journey to
a better relationship with their dog.
What are some of
your favorite
positive reinforcement techniques for most
commonly encountered clientdog problems?



What is the reward you get out
of a day's training
with people and
their dogs?
Seeing that I've made a difference.
What is the favorite part of your
job?
Being able to say to people, who thank me after a session, that it is my pleasure. It is truly
my pleasure.
What advice
would you give to
a new trainer
starting out?
Remember that patience is a virtue. Be patient with yourself, your clients and dogs. And be
patient with those who have yet to cross over. 
Go to and settle on mat.
Sit to greet people.
Using a clicker to shape/capture specific behaviors.
(LOFTY, continued from page 13)
previous training, the bird knows I am asking them to
touch the object with their beak or foot. I will often touch
a toe while I present the Dremel and ask the bird to
touch its nail to the Dremel. I will present the syringe
and ask the bird to touch its beak to the syringe tip. This
allows husbandry behaviors and administering medication to happen with no use of force, coercion, or restraint.
In this way, if we always use and correctly identify the
bird’s positive reinforcers, administering medication or
trimming nails is
something the
bird can now
look forward to.

Lara Joseph is
the owner of
The Animal Behavior Center,
LLC in Ohio.
She is an animal trainer and
behavior consultant focusing on positive reinforcement
interactions and modifying behavior through applications in behavior analysis. She is also the Director of
Avian Training for a wildlife rehabilitation center. Lara is
a professional member of The Animal Behavior Management Alliance, The American Federation of Aviculture, a professional member of the International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators and the founder
of The Parrot Society of NW Ohio.
19
Force Fallout — Tales from Crossover Trainers
This column is dedicated to all the brave owners and trainers who are willing to share their stories of
crossing over from older, punitive methods to force-free training.
Guest: Mauricio Rosas a Tampa, Fla. resident who
works in dog rescue and has recently spearheaded a
project to build Tampa's first handicap-friendly dog park.
Rosas envisions the park as the City of Tampa's first
handicap-friendly dog park and will be dedicated to service animals, as well as first responder K9s who have
lost their lives in the line of duty. Rosas, who lives with
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, rescued his now-eightyear-old service dog named Roscoe.
Interviewer: Angelica Steinker
AS: Would you be willing to do an interview regarding
your past use of shock collars?
shock him again. When we rescued him his name at
time was Lucifer but even the devil himself should never
wear a shock collar.
AS: What happened to the shock collar?
MR: It took a couple of minutes to take it off which wasn't fast enough for us. The rest of the evening we cuddled him, loved more on him than usual and continued
this for a few more days. We returned the shock collar
to the store.
AS: Would you recommend shock collars to your
friends or family?
MR: Excuse my delay but this is no easy subject. The
day it happened is embedded in my mind and I will
never forget his high-pitched yelp.
MR: NO! IF you are working with a professional trainer
who understand classical conditioning and the power of
positive reinforcement there should be no reason for
using it.
AS: Please share with us why you purchased a shock
collar.
AS: Any additional comments?
MR: Roscoe was not socialized as a puppy. He was
kept outside in an open linked-chain kennel or tied to a
tree. He barked at everything. He appeared angry. We
were asked if we would take him because he was "out
of control." We met — he was 13 months old — we
bonded instantly and we rescued him.
AS: Was the brand and make of the shock collar reputable?
MR: Though I don't remember the brand (Roscoe is
now eight years old) it was reputable according to Consumer Reports.
AS: What behavior problem did you use it for?
MR: His constant barking and lunging at everything that
moved.
AS: What happened when you used the shock collar?
MR: We were at a public park where they have a huge
area for running. Most dogs’ owners at the park do not
interact with their dogs, which is okay because sometimes dogs need to play with dogs. So we arrived at the
park. He was excited, I placed the shock collar on him
before we went into the park. Once inside he sniffed
around. A dog approached him and Roscoe barked and
the collar activated. He squealed. He barked again, the
unit activated again, and he squealed even louder. I
could not run fast enough to take it off. I just cried.
AS: Did you have the desired behavioral result?
MR: The idea of shocking a domesticated dog does not
make sense. My Roscoe today is my service
dog he knows what to do — when I ask him, "close the
door" he pushes the door. He picks things up and most
importantly, he helps me maintain my balance. All this
was trained using positive reinforcement. If Roscoe violates a rule, the most we ever do is tell him to go to his
crate for a time out.
Thanks for giving me a chance to get this off my chest.

Angelica Steinker is the president and founder of
Courteous Canine. She has authored Agility Success: Training and Competing with Your Dog in the Winning Zone and Click and Play Agility and has been published in the Journal of Applied Companion Animal Behavior and the Journal of Veterinary Behavior. She is
certified by the Association of Animal Behavior Professionals, and she serves on the Advisory Board and instructs at the Companion Animal Sciences Institute. Angelica is also certified as Dog Behavior Consultant
through the International Association of Animal Behavior
Consultants. She has her CAP2 through Kay Laurence’s Learning About Dogs and a Master’s degree in
Education, which has served as the foundation for her
continued certifications in dog training and her extensive
understanding of dog behavior and operant and classical conditioning, the science of how animals and people
learn.
MR: Yes, it kept me from ever buying anything that will
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Doggone Safe! Safe Games for Dogs and Kids.
By Joan Orr
Upstairs, downstairs, under the table, behind the
couch…Bella is a sixmonth-old bouncing bundle of fluff playing her
favorite game of hideand-seek with her best
friends, Austin and Jordan McIntyre. The McIntyre family has always
had dogs, but now the
boys are the perfect age
to take a part in Bella’s
care and training. “We
love having Bella around,” says 11-yearold Jordan. “She’s always ready to play.”
Ten-year-old Austin agrees: “She will
play as long as we want, and when we
just want to hang out and read or watch
a movie she lies
quietly with us.”
Showing your
children how to
interact safely,
playfully and
positively with
your puppy or
dog not only
strengthens the
bond between
them, but also
enhances the
training process
by teaching the dog to respond to your cues. Here are
some fun and simple training games your children and
dog can enjoy together.
Hide and seek
This activity is a hit with both two- and four-footed family
members. Have one child distract the dog, while the
other hides and calls for her. At first, instruct your kids to
hide in easy places so the dog can’t go wrong. When
the hider is found, he gives the dog a treat. Once the
dog gets the hang of the game, the hider can make it
more challenging by going out of sight or into another
room while the other child encourages the dog to “go
find Jordan!” This game exercises the dog and is also
mentally stimulating
Fetch
This is another good game that gives the dog exercise
and is fun for kids. It is important, however, that the dog
is taught to give back the fetched object and to step
back and wait for the next throw. If the dog tries to engage in a game of tug of war, or refuses to give up the
object, the kids should end the game and ignore the dog
for awhile. “Any game that pits the strength or
speed of the dog against those of the child could
lead to over-excitement and even a biting accident,” says canine behavior consultant Teresa
Lewin, co-founder of Doggone Safe. “Adult supervision and proper training are essential,” she adds.
Stay inside the rope
Clicker training is the best
way for kids to get involved
with training, and this game
gives them a good opportunity to try it. Place a circle of
rope on the floor and give
each child a clicker and
some small dog treats (the
kids can make a clicking
sound with their tongues if
no clickers are available).
Toss a treat into the center
of the circle to get started.
When the dog has eaten
the treat, click before she
steps outside the rope and toss another treat into the
circle. The goal is to click and reward as often as possible while the dog has all four paws inside the rope circle. Once the dog has the idea that the place to be is
inside the rope, the children can start moving around the
room, still clicking and tossing treats into the circle. Play
this in various locations and eventually the dog will learn
to go and lie within the rope. You can then take the rope
into any situation where you need to establish a boundary for the dog. It’s easier and safer than using the rope
to tie the dog up! Variations on this method can be used
to teach the dog to prefer a certain room in the house,
lie on a mat or in a crate, shake a paw, jump over a stick
or just about anything else you and your kids can think
up. Just remember to teach your kids never to scold or
use physical force. The word “no” is never used during
training, and there is no need to try to “dominate” the
dog. If the dog does the wrong thing, the kids ignore
her; if she responds correctly, she receives a treat reward.
Who says training isn’t fun?

Joan Orr is the president of Doggone Safe, a non-profit
organization dedicated to dog bite prevention education.
For more information, visit www.doggonesafe.com or
www.doggonecrazy.ca.
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The Pet Professional Guild membership offers a variety of benefits for the force-free dog training and pet care community and others interested in the behavior and care of pets. It is the Mercedes Benz of the Pet Industry. The Guild
is not designed to attract the masses — we aim to attract the best. The only pet care providers and dog trainers that
are listed on our pages abide by all our guiding principles and are proud members of the Guild.
Membership Levels








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
Membership Benefits

Full Member, Dog Training - A Professional Dog Training
Business Owner.

Associate Member, Dog Training – An Employee of a Dog

Training Professional.
Cat Behavior Consultant - A Cat Behavior and/or Cat Train- 
ing Professional.
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Veterinarian Member - A State Licensed Veterinarian Professional.
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Veterinarian Technician - A Licensed Veterinary Technician
Professional.
Pet Care Professional - A Professional Pet Care Service Pro- 
vider.
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Pet Grooming Professional - A Professional Pet Groomer.
Provisional Member, Dog Training Student - A dog training

student or dog training apprentice or a professional dog
trainer looking for support and education to make the transi
tion to force free dog training methods.
Provisional Member, Pet Care Business - A pet care student 

or individual looking to open his or her own pet care busi
ness.
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Equine Professional. A Professional who specializes in
Equine training
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An electronic copy of our Proud to be a
Member Badge.
The Guild membership certificate.
Group insurance policy pricing.
Access to a minimum of one FREE educational webcast each month.
Discounted educational programs via third
party providers.
Discounted pricing on print materials, marketing collateral and sales aids through
our online member print store.
A monthly newsletter.
A quarterly FREE online copy of our
"Barks From The Guild" magazine publication.
Networking opportunities with fellow members.
Public relations and news releases.
Community outreach programs.
PPG branded client handouts.
Marketing Tools.
Multiple vendor discounts across pet industry partners.
Annual industry pet business survey.
PPG-licensed products and services.
22
Member Educational Programs
How to Effectively Counsel and Motivate
Separation Anxiety Clients and Keep
Them Committed - With Malena DeMartini-Price
Join Malena DeMartini-Price for this webinar focusing
on Separation Anxiety. This webinar is about understanding separation anxiety and the various facets of its
treatment ‐ from client support to protocols, technology
and a bit about medication. Separation Anxiety is
a behavior disorder that for so long has plagued trainers, behaviorists, owners and veterinarians as being
truly problematic in treatment and often unfixable.
DATE: Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014
TIME: 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM (PST)
LIVE MEMBER WEBINAR
Non Member Registration - $30.00 (USD)
PPG Member - $20.00 (USD)
1 CPDT CEU
Clicker Training for Small Pets - with
Emily Cassell
Working with small animals is a fun and challenging experience for any trainer! Working with members of another species can only enhance your ability to work with
dogs (or whatever your species of choice is)! Small animals are cute and lovable, but can be difficult to work
with due to their frequent, instinctual fear responses.
This webinar covers everything from how to properly
house and feed your small pet to training advanced husbandry behaviors! While we all know the only way to
change our dog's behavior is by changing our own, it is
more difficult to determine how a small animal such as a
rabbit is reading your body language and actions! Enjoy
this learning experience and take lessons from a guinea
pig to your next behavior consult with a fearful dog, cat,
horse, or bird!
DATE: Wednesday, January 22, 2014
TIME: 7-8 PM (EST)
LIVE MEMBER WEBINAR
Non Member Registration - $20.00 (USD)
PPG Member - FREE
1 CEU CPDT
1 CEU CDBC
Over Threshold: The Changing Definition
- With Eileen Anderson
Something has happened to the word “threshold.” Surprisingly, the way the term is used in the force free dog
training community is comparatively new. The general
consensus is that the term “over threshold” refers to a
dog that has been adversely affected by a stimulus and
demonstrating that by overt behavior. However, this usage differs from the original definition of “threshold" as
used in the discipline of psychology. The discrepancy
between the usages contributes to some confusion in
the training community. The webinar will cover several
different usages of the word “threshold” as applied to
the senses, emotions, and behavior of dogs, and how
different methods of training and conditioning dogs with
behavior problems fit with regard to these various tipping points.
DATE: Wednesday, February 19, 2014
TIME: 12-1:30 PM (EST)
LIVE MEMBER WEBINAR
Non Member Registration - $20.00 (USD)
PPG Member - $10.00 (USD)
1 CEU CPDT
The Seductiveness of Shock - with Kathy
Sdao
Join Kathy Sdao for this webinar on the seduction of
Shock. Though you may refuse to ever use shock as a
dog-training tool, some of your potential clients have
used it (especially in the United States). And some will
want to continue using it, in lieu of your suggestions of
positive-reinforcement alternatives or possibly in addition to them. Each of us dog-care professionals must
decide how to respond to this dilemma. In doing so, it’s
beneficial to understand the unique power that shock
has to damage the psychological well-being of the animals in our care and also to deceive its users regarding
its efficacy. We’ll examine a few of the complexities of
this emotional and crucial issue.
DATE: Monday, May 19, 2014
TIME: 12-1:30 (PDT)
LIVE MEMBER WEBINAR
Non Member Registration - $35.00 (USD)
PPG Member - $25.00 (USD)
1 CEU CPDT
Just because you missed one of PPG’s educational seminars doesn’t mean you missed out! Now
PPG members can watch them any time! Log in to your PPG account to take advantage of this
amazing member benefit!
23
Our Vendor Partners — They Support You!
Check out these participating businesses for
special PPG benefits! Simply log into the PPG site using
your member login, and click the “Member Discounts” tab.
Business Insurers of the Carolinas
Family Paws
Doggone Crazy!
LabraDoodlez
Doggone Safe
Positive Animal Solutions
Dog Kingdom Pet Supply
The Clicker Company
DogNostics Career College
Your Mannerly Mutt
DogWise
2013 PPG Membership Certificates
Now available. You can download them here. Enter your name,
print and display proudly.
You Can Advertise in Barks from the Guild!
FULL PAGE
$145
1/2 page Horizontal
$100
1/2 Page Vertical
$100
1/4 Page
$65
Business Card
$35
For more information, contact Niki Tudge
[email protected]
41-DOG-TRAIN ((413-648-7246)
24
25
Product Review — Bumi Toy by West Paws
By Leslie McGavin Clifton
How many times have you heard that “tugging makes my
dog aggressive?” We all know that done properly the opposite is true: tugging enhances the dog-human relationship, provides an appropriate outlet, and improves impulse
control.
Enter the flingy, stretchy, floaty Bumi toy by West Paws. It
features an eco-friendly design with an eye towards powerhouse jaws. At the Clifton household, it is not unusual for
two labs to be engaged in a friendly tug contest, without
serious side effects to the Bumi.
Features: Durable Zogoflex material stretches, floats,
bounces, 100% recyclable, BPA and phthalate-free,
non-toxic and dishwasher safe.
Colors: Aqua, Granny Smith or Tangerine
Size: large or small
MSRP: From $12 USD
Made in USA
All the resident board/train dogs are willingly enlisted as toy testers. Nell found the Bumi to be quite fascinating.
Nell & Bumi
I have had only one report of a staffy mix, tearing off an end chunk
of the boomerang-shaped toy, which speaks to its durability. Our
own Bumi has been in play for some time and is still going strong.
As with any toy, do not leave unsupervised with a determined
chewer!
Ever versatile, whether for an awesome fetch or tug game, the
Bumi, as do all the West Paws toys, floats! Imagine the fun with
your water dog. Just make sure you toss within swimming distance should pooch become distracted! Take a quick peek at this
fun video: Bridget Bumi Water Fetching Fun. Here at the Kingdom “where your dog rules” we give the Bumi our seal of approval. Eco-friendly of recycled materials and made in
U.S is also very important to us. Bright colors, including seasonal pink, are visually appealing. Two sizes ensure a
good fit for most breeds.
Argil and I would just like to add that we are so pleased in our progress with Niki Tudge via Dognostics eLearning &
Business Coaching that we recommend it highly. Run, don`t walk to get a coaching session to build your own pet
related business. In regards to progress, our Force Free Affiliate Program is rolled out and growing daily!
In closing, just get tugging!

Leslie McGavin Clifton, PMCT, CPDT-KA is the owner of Look What I Can Do dog training and Dog Kingdom Pet Supply in Earleville, MD.
26
27
The Pet Professional Guild
stands alone
as the only single point of access to a variety of information and tools provided by pet care professionals who adhere to a strict code of conduct.
The Pet Professional Guild affiliates & members
offer a selection of force-free, learning theory-based
dog training services and professional pet-sitting
and dog-walking services.
Whether you’re a dog owner looking to solve a specific behavioral problem, a dog lover simply wanting
to gain more control and clarity in your relationship
with your dog, or a family burdened by the question
of how to take care of your pets while you’re away
from home, the Guild Members can help you.
Barks from The Guild
is the
official Pet Professional Guild quarterly
publication. The publication is circulated in
March, June, September & December.
© 2012 PPG. This journal may be printed
once by the received, for personal use
only and may not otherwise be copied or
transmitted in any manner in part or in full
without permission from the Managing
Editor. Quotes of fewer than 200 words
are allowed as long as the source is
properly cited.
BFTG is produced by Guild members
with contributions from industry experts
and featuring a selection of informative
articles, reviews and news stories supported by regular columns.
Members are encouraged to submit scholarly articles, opinion editorials, letters to
the editor, member achievements, and
other information pertinent to the industry.
Articles submitted will be approved for
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Contributions to Barks from The Guild
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28