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| Stay Up-to-Date with the Latest Developments at PPG! Issue 13: January 2017 Welcome to the latest edition of NEWS from the Guild, published in association with BARKS from the Guild, PPG’s bi-monthly trade publication for pet professionals.
PPG Announces 2017 and 2018 Educational Events
 PPG has announced the dates and location of this year’s annual summit, as well as a smaller educational event next year to incorporate a number of hands-on, multi-species workshops with internationally acclaimed animal training and behavior experts. See below for details. Read the full press release announcement here.
PPG Summit 2017
PPG Launches Scholarship Program
PPG is to provide a limited number of scholarships for members to further their education in force-free training and/or pet care. Under the PPG Education Scholarship Program, members will be able to apply for suitable educational programs offered by organizations that support PPG’s Guiding Principles and goals. Educational organizations that are current PPG members, educational providers, or corporate partners may also apply to be included, and receive a host of marketing benefits in return. For all the details on eligibility and how to apply, click here. Read the full press release here. PPG Heads Downunder  PPG Pens Open Letter to Veterinarians PPG has published an open letter to veterinarians and animal care professionals regarding the practice of referring clients to pet training and behavior consultants. In the letter, PPG expresses its concern that, because the animal training and behavior industry is currently unregulated, pet owners may find themselves being referred to individuals still using outdated training methods that are reliant on the use of aversives, while eschewing modern, humane protocols that are scientifically proven and sound. The letter is available in pdf format for members to download and distribute within their networks. Read the full press release here.
The January 2017 issue of BARKS from the Guild is now available. Read it here. If you would like to write for BARKS, either as a regular contributor or have a one-off article you'd like to submit, please email the editor, Susan Nilson. Print copies will be mailed this week to those who subscribed.
Find back issues of BARKS and read any article, blog or press release, as well as a host of scientific studies/educational resources in the PPG Archive.
Feline Behavior Professionals Join PPG
PPG's feline professional membership is growing rapidly. Click here to find a feline behavior professional. If you'd like to join the Cat Committee or write or blog about cats for PPG, please email the Cat Committee. Workshop Discounts Available _New%20Year%20Sp%20KM%20s.jpg)  Great discounts are on offer for the following two residential workshops in Tampa, Florida: Saturday, March 18 - Sunday, March 19, 2017: Two-day workshop, Foundation Skills for Dog Sports & Heel Workshop 101, with Kamal Fernandez. Saturday, February 18 - Sunday, February 19, 2017: Two-day workshop, The Gift of a Gray Muzzle: Active Care for Senior Dogs, with Kathy Sdao and Lori Stevens. DogNostics eLearning and Doggone Safe have sponsored a limited number of auditor and working places at these incredible events. Savings of up to $100 are available. Email Rebekah King to register. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE! FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED! PPG is now hosting live chats in the PPG members' Facebook group. The first three chats were a great success and featured the Pet Dog Ambassador program, Project Trade and steering committee member Kelly Fahey's "Walk Away" protocol for resource guarders. The next chat is on Friday, February 3 at 4 p.m. EST, on platform training with Kay Atwood . If you'd like to participate in the live chats - or just simply observe - they are announced in the PPG members' group and on social media. You will need to request to join the The Pet Professional Guild Members group on Facebook if you are not already in the group. All PPG members may join this group regardless of location. Email membership manager Rebekah King if you need further assistance. You can read all the past chats on the PPG members' group Facebook page. BARKS Offers Member Ad Discounts BARKS from the Guild is now offering PPG members a 15 percent discount on advertising rates. If you would like your product, service or message to reach thousands of pet professionals worldwide, this is your chance. See here for more details.
Project Trade Update
From PPG Advocacy Committee chairman, Daniel Antolec: "Three Project Trade members gained some aversive gear in November 2016. Breanna Norris of Canine Insights in Maine, USA took top honors as Ambassador of the Month by taking one choke collar, one shock collar and a Pet Corrector spray canister in trade. Meanwhile Pam Francis-Tuss of Obedient Pups Professional Dog Training secured a shock collar in California. As Project Trade swept across north America I represented the Midwest as Happy Buddha Dog Training swapped for a choke collar in Wisconsin. A shock collar slipped through my hands as the owner chose to return it to the retailer for a refund rather than swap it. Even though I missed the chance to add to my collection I am happy that her dog will never know the sting of electric shock."
Meanwhile, December 2016's Project Trade Ambassador is, for the third time, Anastasia Tsoulia of Hug 4 Pets in Thessaloniki, Greece who swapped four prong collars for service discounts. Congratulations also to Agnes Kavalecz of Let's Get Pawsitive in Cameron, North Carolina, who collected three prong collars.
 Project Trade is PPG's international advocacy program that promotes the use of force-free equipment for pets by asking pet owners to relinquish choke, prong and shock collars, and any other devices that are designed or function to reduce behavior through pain or fear. Project Trade is an opt-in program for PPG members that has been designed to create incentives for pet owners to seek professionals who will exchange aversive training and pet care equipment for alternative, more appropriate tools, training, and educational support. LIVE Webinars Saturday, January 28, 7 p.m. (EST): It's Not That Crazy - Voluntary Injection Training presented by Emily Cassell Friday, February 3, 2 p.m. (EST): Errorless Learning: Setting Up For Success presented by Kate Mallatratt Friday, February 10, 12 p.m. (EST): Incredible Tricks Through Shaping Part 2/6: Teach Your Dog to Back Up Using Shaping presented by Mariah Hinds
Discounted Webinars - This Month ONLY!
PPG is offering selected webinars at a discount this month (discount valid till January 31, 2017).
PPG World Service Radio Show, Podcasts
Sunday, February 5, 2017 - Noon (EST) with guests: Kamal Fernandez: Living with high drive dogs in domestic situations and the effective use of toys as rewards. Lori Nanan: Breed Specific Legislation and future plans for Your Pit Bull and You, an educational resource for dog owners of all breeds. Fill out this form if you’d like to submit a question to any of the guests or hosts.Recent Podcasts Listen to the Sunday, January 8, 2017 podcast featuring Pat Miller, Maria Colleen Daines and Erica Beckwith. New Ask the Experts Column in BARKS
From March 2017, BARKS from the Guild is to feature a new Ask the Experts column hosted by dog*tec, whereby business experts Veronica Boutelle and Gina Phairas will respond to PPG members’ questions. Topics may span such things as setting rates, policies, marketing, dealing with difficult clients, employee issues, networking, building your business, etc. Essentially it will cover anything business-related. If you have a question for the experts, please email it to BARKS from the Guild.
Member Brags
Congratulations PPG member Susan Claire who is supervising coordinator for this dogs and kids program in Florida: A Magnet High School Filled with Animals Where Students Learn About Compassion and Save Lives to Boot. If you have something you'd like to brag about, email the details to NEWS editor, Susan Nilson. PPG is greatly saddened to learn that member Jonathan Philip Klein has passed away. "Jonathan was a fabulous professional, a great ambassador for PPG and he helped thousands of dogs and pet owners. We will miss him and keep the force free message bright in his name. Our thoughts go out to his wife and family," said PPG president, Niki Tudge. RIP Jonathan. QUICK LINKS* BARKS from the Guild: back issues * BARKS from the Guild: subscribe * PPG Archive (links to over 1,200 articles, blogs and studies and growing daily) * PPG Blog: latest blogs and subscribe * PPG Education Scholarship Program * PPG Educational Resources: webinars and workshops * PPG Member Discussion Board (note: you must be logged in) * PPG Summit 2017, Orlando, Florida * PPG Summit 2018, Sydney, Australia * PPG Training and Behavior Analysis Workshop 2018, Kanab, Utah * PPG World Service Podcasts |
PPG’s third annual educational Force-Free Summit will take place at the Sheraton Lake Buena Vista hotel in Orlando, Florida from November 16-20, 2017 and feature three and a half days of lectures and practical workshops. Presenters will include Dr. Karen Overall, Chirag Patel, Janis Bradley, Emily Larlham, Pat Miller, Veronica Boutelle, Jacqueline Munera, Dr. Robert King, Dr. Nathan Hall, Sherry Woodward, Dr. Lynn Honeckman, and Dr. Frank McMillan. Monthly payment options are available. More details 
PPG has announced a Training & Behavior Analysis Workshop, which will take place at Best Friends Animal Society (BFAS) in Kanab, Utah from April 22-26, 2018. The event features a brand new concept boasting four days of hands-on clinics across multiple species hosted by industry experts around the theme of shelter pet management and rehabilitation for adoption and successful family integration. The current line-up of specialists who will be on site includes Janis Bradley, Chirag Patel, Emily Larlham, Jacqueline Munera, Emily Cassell and Lara Joseph, as well BFAS experts Dr. Franklin McMillan, Sherry Woodard, Glenn Pierce and BFAS co-founder, Faith Maloney. More details 
