The Pet Professional Guild

May 2021: Issue 65

Listen to the May 2021 Edition of BARKS News

PPG Announces Geek Week 2021

PPG has announced that the second edition of its virtual event Geek Week will take place on November 13-17, 2021. Jointly hosted by PPG, Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) Australia, INTODogs UK, Pet Professional Guild Australia (PPGA), and Pet Professional Guild British Isles (PPGBI), this year’s event will build on the success of the inaugural 2020 event and take on an expanded, more streamlined format. PPG has now placed a callout for potential speakers to submit their proposals for session topics.

Special features at Geek Week 2021:

24 hours of presentations each day.
Two general sessions, chaired by an academic keynote speaker or skill expert, to take place at 8 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. ET each day.

On days 2, 3, and 4, the general sessions will be supported by three educational tracks, the Academic Track (The A Track), the Behavior Track (The B Track) and the Consulting Track (The C Track), that will run simultaneously a minimum of three hours apart.
On days 1 and 5, the general sessions will be supported by several of the A, B and C tracks, a virtual cocktail party, panel discussions, and other fun activities.
The schedule has been structured so it will be accessible to all time zones.

Read full press release.

Register for Geek Week

PPG Invites Proposals for Geek Week Presentations

PPG is inviting potential presenters to submit their topic proposals via the PPG website. If accepted, presenters will be notified of options for a date and time. They will also be able to participate in the marketing of their sessions via the provision of a unique marketing toolkit.

Submit Your Session Proposal for Geek Week.

Sign Up to Pet Dog Ambassador for FREE – till May 19 ONLY!

PPG had such a good time with its virtual April Up Your Business Game event, it has decided to extend a special discount to all attendees to join the Pet Dog Ambassador program – a discount it will also share with all PPG members!

From now until May 19, 2021 only, you can become a PDA Instructor or a PDA Instructor/Assessor for FREE! You can find the code in the vendor discount programs section in the member area of the website.

Announcing the Shock-Free Coalition ‘Tag It’ Competition!

Are you creative?
Want to help promote the Shock-Free Pledge?
Like winning free stuff?

The Shock-Free Coalition is rolling out its new logo and we’re looking for a selection of cute, informative, educational taglines to go with it!

To play to win, simply click this link and give us your best tagline(s). That’s it!

- Winner will be granted a FREE place at Geek Week 2021

- Runner-up will receive a $100.00 PPG credit

Competition closes May 28, 2021.

Winners to be announced by June 15, 2021.

PPG Expands Steering Committee with New Appointment

PPG has appointed Warwick, New York-based veterinarian Pam Shultz DVM CVA to its Steering Committee with immediate effect.

Dr. Shultz has been PPG’s social media coordinator for the past two years, during which time she has also been assisting PPG as a proofreader on its bimonthly trade publication BARKS from the Guild. She now comes onboard in a more official capacity as the organization looks to ramp up its online presence across its social media platforms and in the digital marketing space.

Dr. Shultz is a 2004 graduate of Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, a certified veterinary acupuncturist (CVA) and a reiki master. She has also worked and volunteered extensively with her local humane society.

Read full press release.

Upcoming Facebook Live Sessions

Chat Chuckle and Learn Sessions with PPG president Niki Tudge - save the dates!

Friday, May 21, 2021 / Noon (ET):

Kamal Fernandez of Kamal Fernandez Online Training will be chatting dogs, training, and catching us up on all the fun stuff he is working on. Join the event

Saturday, May 29, 2021 / 5 p.m. (ET):

Rain Jordan from The Fearful Dogs Project will be chatting about how she helps dogs and the humans who care for them move beyond fear and enjoy their lives together with as little distress and as much joy as possible. Join the event.

Friday, June 4, 2021 / Noon (ET):

Ken MacLeod of My Positive Pup will be chatting about the incredible results he got with his reactive puppy Scooter via positive reinforcement training and how they inspired him teach others. Join the event.

Do you have something you’d like to share? Join Niki Tudge in one of our Facebook Live sessions! Just fill out this short form to get it scheduled and share your knowledge and experience with PPG members and supporters. The link is also available in the member area of the PPG website.

Check the PPG Facebook group for all live events and to join live sessions.

This Month's Cat Behavior Call-In Lounge

The next All About Cats Call-In Lounge will take place on Tuesday, May 18, at 7:30 p.m. ET. The topic is Dealing with "Difficult" Clients.
The Lounge is open to all PPG members. Please check the PPG All About Cats Facebook group for further details.

May BARKS Now Available Online

The May issue of BARKS is now available!

Click here for immediate access if you are already a subscriber.

If you are not, sign up today for your free lifetime digital subscription and get instant access to the current issue, as well as all back issues.

BARKS Podcasts are now available on Anchor, from where you can select your preferred app to listen any time or download. Make sure you follow BARKS Podcasts on whichever app you choose so you can stay updated with new releases.

Latest Podcasts:

Join Niki Tudge as she chats to:

BARKS Podcast with Dr. Kristina Spaulding of Smart Dog Training and Behavior talking canine stress (May 7, 2021)

BARKS Podcast with Veronica Boutelle, founder, consultant lead, and DWA director at dogbiz, Colleen Ellis, founder of the Two Hearts Pet Loss Center, and Tracey Lee Davis, founder of ZingPop Social Media discussing how pet professionals can grow their businesses. The chat includes packages, social media, pricing… and much more. Direct from PPG’s free-for-members business event, Up Your Business Game! that took place April 19-23, 2021. (April 25, 2021).

BARKS Podcast with Victoria Stilwell of Positively chatting all things "positive." (April 23, 2021)

BARKS Podcast: Expert Panel Discusses Sales in the Pet Industry with Gina Phairas, founder, consultant lead, and dogbiz U director at dogbiz, Colleen Ellis, founder of the Two Hearts Pet Loss Center and Dr. Robert King, director of graduate business programs, assistant professor of marketing, and Wilder professor of business at West Texas A&M University discussing the business of sales for pet professionals (April 21, 2021).

BARKS News – April 2021 edition.

Listen to earlier BARKS podcasts.

Upcoming Live Webinars:

The Benefits of Scent-Work. Presented by Dr. Robert Hewings
Monday, May 17 / 2 p.m. E.T.

Bringing Your New Dog Home – How to Promote a Successful Transition to Family Life! Presented by Louise Stapleton-Frappell
Wednesday, May 19 / 11 a.m. ET

How to Handle Aggression Calls When You Don't Handle Aggression. Presented by Tabitha Davies
Wednesday, June 2 / 1 p.m. ET

Understanding and Helping Your Reactive Dog. Presented by Shannon Riley-Coyner
Tuesday, June 15 / 7 p.m. ET

Discounted Webinars:

PPG is offering the following selected webinars at a discount this month - each webinar is just $15:

Training vs. Management.

Suzanne Clothier

It's Not That Crazy - Voluntary Injection Training.

Emily Cassell

Disaster Preparedness Drills & Safety For Your Dog.

Pamela Johnson

You Deserve Some Help.

Veronica Boutelle

Getting Your Puppy Off to the Right Start in Life.

Maxwell Muir

Project Trade Names March Ambassador

Congratulations to Anastasia Tsoulia of Hug4Pets & Hug4Dogs in Thessaloniki, Greece for trading discounts on force-free training services in exchange for seven shock collars and two prong collars (left). She has been named Project Trade Ambassador for March 2021.

Congratulations too to Jolene Harmer of Homeward Bound Behavior & Training in Wisconsin, USA, who traded one shock collar (center), and to Lee Desmarais of Zippity Do Dog Training and Behavior Modification LLC in Massachusetts, USA, for trading two shock collars and one prong collar (right).