May 2020: Issue 53

Pet Dog Ambassador Adapts to COVID-19 Restrictions

During lockdown, video submission of exercises should be offered by all Pet Dog Ambassador assessors only if it is possible to do so. The program does allow for modification of exercises under certain conditions. However, some exercises cannot meet the criteria because of current legal restrictions. To this end, PDA has made modifications to Levels One and Two and requests that assessors do not undertake Levels Three, Four and Five until restrictions are lifted. PDA welcomes suggestions as to how exercises can be modified so they are legal but still meet the required standard. Please email Debra Millikan with any possible modifications you deem to meet the program requirements. Click here for more details.

BARKS from the Guild: May Issue Now Online

The May issue of BARKS has now been released online. In this issue:

• Cover Feature: Niki Tudge examines harassment in the workplace and encourages pet industry professionals to speak up about harassment of any kind, providing a range of guidelines to help enable them to do so.
  
• Competition: #PPGValentine photo favorites.
• Events: Report from PPG’s February certification workshop on pet loss and grief companioning.
• Training: Identifying what clients' mean when they label behavior / Troubleshooting the hand-delivered retrieve / Triage for ‘laundry list’ dogs / Teaching recall: A new standard / Creating positive workspaces for dogs.
• Canine: Activity and enrichment for aging dogs / Strategies for managing canine stress.
• Rescue: Setting criteria and the importance of a written training plan.
• Feline: Educating clients on the need for environmental enrichment.
• Business: Dressing appropriately for the job.
• Education: Courses for animal training and behavior professionals from PPG corporate partner Animal Courses Direct.

Sign up for your free lifetime digital subscription to gain access. Already signed up? Click here to read and download the May issue and/or individual articles.

Print and Back Issues Now Available for BARKS Members

PPG has added a print-on-demand option for all back issues of BARKS in the member area of the BARKS from the Guild website. We have also added a new page featuring all the 2018 editions and another new page featuring every issue from 2014-2017 so you can now download any issue or read it online, as well as order your print copy. The same options are already available for the 2019 and 2020 issues of BARKS to date. To access all these features, make sure you become a member by registering for your free lifetime digital subscription. You will need to create a new account as it is a separate platform from PPG and your PPG login details will not work. If you have already registered, you can access all back and current issues in your BARKS Digital Membership area.

PPG Announces Summit Writers’ Competition Winner and Runners-Up

Congratulations to Kim Geisert of Dynamite Dog Training in Deerfield Beach, Florida, who is the winner of our PPG Blog Competition, and has been awarded a free entry ticket to PPG Summit 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona on September 18-22, 2020. Congratulations too to Heddie Leger of Hero's Hope Pet Assist in Waverly, Tennessee and Metis Riley of Positive Effects Training in Fritz Creek, Alaska who are the runners-up and have both won a free recording of PPG’s Virtual Summit which took place last month. All three articles have been published on the BARKS Blog and will also be featured in the July issue of BARKS from the Guild. There were so many more great entries and we will soon be featuring some of our favorites on the BARKS Blog and in upcoming issues of BARKS. A big thank you to everyone who entered and for sharing their inspiring stories about their work and experiences with shelter and rescue pets. Read the winning and runner-up entries:

Note: You can still register for your Virtual Summit recordings, featuring eight exceptional educational experiences with 12 hours of recordings + Q&A sessions. Photo: © Can Stock Photo/damedeeso

Cat Committee Launches Call-In Lounge

The PPG Cat Committee launched its PPG Cat Group Call-In Lounge last month, with great success. The next Lounge will take place on Tuesday, May 19, at 7 p.m. ET and the discussion topic will be Working with Veterinarians. The event will start with a 30-minute discussion among a smaller group of people ("the fishbowl") and everyone else on mute. During that time, the participants who are on mute can make comments and ask written questions via the Chat function, then it will be opened up for 30 minutes of wider discussion among the whole group. The Lounge will be held on the Free Conference Call platform, which can be used on smartphones, iPads, and desktop/laptop computers. Participants will be sent an invitation and instructions on how to join. Please check the PPG All About Cats Facebook group for further details. Photo: © Can Stock Photo/cynoclub

Canine Arthritis Management Member Offer

PPG corporate partner Canine Arthritis Management (CAM) is a vet led education service for owners and pet professionals. Osteoarthritis, a leading cause of premature elective euthanasia, is a complex and common disease that is often overlooked as simply ageing or slowing down. It frequently underlies unwanted behaviors and results in a poor quality of life for dog and owner. CAM believes that education is key to changing this and has made a special discount available to PPG members to get 10% off all its shop products. Find the discount code in your PPG member area under vendor discount programs.

Transpaw Gear® Offers Special Member Discount

Smart Dog Training and Behavior Offer

Business Contingency Planning for PPG Members

PPG is still offering a range of services to support members and their businesses during the current pandemic. These include free member webinars, Facebook Live sessions offering business and marketing advice in the PPG members’ Facebook group, virtual PPG Social events, educational blogs, deferral of membership renewal fees, waiving of Pet Professional Accreditation Board application and transfer fees and more. Watch out for the regular Business Contingency Planning member email updates and keep an eye on the new Business Contingency Planning section in the members’ area of the PPG website for more details and ongoing updates.

Congratulations to Daniel Antolec of Happy Buddha Dog Training in Wisconsin, USA for trading two prong collars and who has been named Project Trade Ambassador for March 2020.

Project Trade is PPG's advocacy program whereby members offer service discounts in exchange for aversive training gear.

Find out how Project Trade can help your business in Helping Dogs, Helping Families.