The Pet Professional Guild - News October 2020

October 2020: Issue 58

Win a Free Ticket to Geek Week!

We want to see you, your pet, or both Geeking Out with your favorite book on training or behavior! Here's the deal:

1.     Take a photo of you and/or your pets all Geeked Out

2.     Make sure the book title is clearly displayed

3.     Post the photo to your own Facebook, Twitter or Instagram page

4.     Use the hashtag #PPGGEEKOut (so we can find it!)

5.     Describe in a couple of sentences why it is your favorite book to geek out to!

The competition is only running from October 10 - 20, so get your photo posted soon! Winner will be announced on October 28.

Geek Week Competition Winners

Competition #1 – Share the Geekiness

Congratulations to CHAAMP Malamutes (PPG) and Marta Young (INTODogs) for winning a free ticket to Geek Week!

Competition #2 Writers' Competition: Animals Can Be Geeks Too!

Congratulations to Devene Godau (PPG), Sonya Bevan (PPG Australia), and Kitty Lee (APDT Australia) for their winning entries to our writers’ competition. They have each won a free ticket to Geek Week. Congratulations too to Gloria Schmidt (PPG) who was the very close runner up and who has won a 50% discounted ticket to Geek Week.

You can read the winning and runner-up entries on the BARKS Blog over the coming few weeks. Here's are the first two:

A Creative Solution for the Dog Who Barks at Other Dogs by Kitty Lee

Getting Willow: How the Loss of One Dog Taught Me How to Grieve and Love Again - Sonya Bevan

Geek Week: Everything You Need to Know

It’s not too late to grab your ticket for Geek Week on November 11-15!

Pay in one go or schedule payments, whichever works best for you.

Click here to register

If you haven’t already, check out the full schedule for Geek Week and the stae of the art Virtual Platform where the event is being hosted. You can also read the session descriptions in full and find out more about your presenters.

Payment plans are still available. Just email Sharon Nettles or Rebekah King and they will set it up for you.

Geek Week in a Nutshell

·        134 Sessions delivered by 85 presenters - education at less than $1.55 per hour.
·        5 day event - 24 hours a day to suit all time zones.
·        Live Q&A sessions.
·        Daily competitions, fun sessions and sponsor spotlights, virtual exhibitor booths, virtual swag bags, competitions, prizes, networking and more...
·        Access to session recordings for 12 months.
·        Registration: Member* $220 / Public $440.
·        Geek Week apparel is available in the PPG Store.
·        CEUs: PPAB 36, PPGA 24, INTODogs 30, KPA 36,CCPDT 30, IAABC 36.

*Members of APDT Australia, Canine Arthritis Management, INTODogs, PPG Australia, PPG British Isles and PPG – discount codes are available on your respective websites

Geek Week Gear

Check out the PPG Store for your Geek Week apparel, including (left to right) the Geek Week Unisex Heavy Blend™ Crewneck Sweatshirt, the Geek Week Unisex Heavy Cotton T-shirt, the Geek Week Women's Long Sleeve Performance V-neck T-shirt, and the Geek Week Women's Polo Shirt.

PPG Responds to Petco's Removal of Electric Shock Collars from Stores

PPG and The Shock-Free Coalition are greatly encouraged by Petco’s announcement on October 6, 2020 that it will no longer sell electric shock collars “operated by a person with a remote in hand.” The pet-owning general public needs – and deserves – to have access to better educational tools so they can, 1) make the right decisions regarding their pets’ training, care and welfare, and 2) ensure they live in safe, nurturing and stable environments, free from fear and pain.

PPG recognizes that industry changes will happen in stages and, just like the progressive behavior change programs we create for the animals in our care, gradual changes must be reinforced. By encouraging “anyone using or looking for shock collars to consider training with treats instead of electricity and partnership instead of pain,” Petco has made an important first step towards improving the lives of pets everywhere, as well as educating dog owners about alternative, kinder training methods and tools. We look forward to seeing electric fence systems, which work in exactly the same way as shock collars, i.e. by causing fear and pain, follow suit.

Read complete statement.

UK Dog Behaviour and Training Charter Adds New Signatory

The UK Dog Behaviour and Training Charter, of which PPG is one of seven founding organizations, has announced that the Kennel Club Accredited Instructors (KCAI) Scheme will be joining the Charter Group and becoming a signatory to the Charter. The Charter is building a strong consensus around the ethical treatment of dogs, professional conduct, and accountability. Just six months in and real change is already happening and the potential for the future is phenomenal. Read more about PPG’s involvement.

Facebook Lives This Week

Tuesday, October 13 – 6 p.m. EDT

PPG Chat & Chuckle with Barbara Hodel, president of PPG Australia to discuss her Geek Week presentation, Teenage Dogs in Training Classes

Thursday, October 15 – Noon EDT

PPG Chat & Chuckle with Denise O'Moore of INTODogs to talk all things Geek Week.

Friday, October 16 – 3 p.m. EDT

PPG Chat & Chuckle with Melissa Pezzuto of The Grateful Dog to talk all things shelter and rescue.

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.

Check PPG Members' Facebook group for further details and to join live sessions.

Join PPG Members' Facebook Group.

November BARKS Preview Available for Subscribers

To get a sneak preview of what’s coming up in the November issue of BARKS (above, left), 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 (above, right), as well as all back issues.

PPG Names August Project Trade Ambassador

Congratulations to Lee Desmarais of Zippity Do Dog Training and Behavior Modification LLC in Massachusetts, USA for trading four shock collars, one choke collar, and three prong collars (above, left) and who has been named Project Trade Ambassador for August 2020. Congratulations too to Alexandra Tytheridge-Allan of Girl Friday ACK LLC in Massachusetts, USA for trading one shock collar and one choke collar (above, right), and Daniel Antolec of Happy Buddha Dog Training in Wisconsin, USA for trading one shock collar (above, center).

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.

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:

October 3, 2020: BARKS Podcast with Louise Ginman, president of The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) Australia, one of the co-hosting organizations for Geek Week, discussing Louise’s Geek Week presentations:

1. My Dog Has Cancer: Navigating Cancer from a Pet Parent’s Perspective.
2. Home Alone Program for Puppies and Dogs of All Ages.

October 2, 2020: BARKS Podcast with Debra Millikan of PPG Australia discussing the Pet Professional Accreditation Board and the Pet Dog Ambassador program.

September 9, 2020: Veronica Sanchez of Cooperative Paws Service Dog Education discussing the service dog industry, public access dogs, and the concept of at-home service dogs, as well as her new program, Mobility Task Training How-To’s.

September 4, 2020: Laurie C. Williams of Pup ‘N Iron Canine Fitness and Learning Center discussing diversity and inclusivity in dog training.

August 26, 2020: Judy Luther, PPG Canine Committee chair, exploring the great programs her committee is working on, such as Project Trade, standard training procedures for boundary training, and more.