business
Going on Air Kelly McFarlane sets out some brief guidelines for speaking to the media in a professional capacity
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hree years ago, I was normal, explaining the reasons asked to appear on a tel as to why the dog may be en evision show in New gaging in them, and how we Zealand. It was a new show can teach him to do something that would be aired on morn else instead, like eliminating ing time LIVE TV. I was very ex outdoors instead of on the car cited and nervous all at the pet. same time as I had never done Getting Your Name anything like that before. I felt Out There very out of my comfort zone and it was something of a Getting yourself on the TV or learning curve so I would like radio really just comes down to share a few tips that others to contacting the networks may find helpful if invited to and selling yourself and your speak to the media in their services, so to speak. Do your professional capacity as a pet research and make sure you trainer or behavior consultant. find out the best person to First, to help calm the © Can Stock Photo/damedeeso contact. Definitely send your Becoming the local goto expert on all matters training and behavior is good for a nerves, have some bullet bio, and you can even ask to professional’s reputation and business, as well as for pet owners and their pets points ready that detail exactly meet up for a coffee or have a what you want to cover. You phone conversation to discuss are usually given advance notice about what is going to be discussed, what you can offer as an expert and why you are different from anyone even if it is an interview on live TV, so you do have time to prepare. they have had on before. Another good option is to provide feedback Also, very important, don’t forget to breathe and be yourself! Re when radio DJs or TV presenters ask their audience a question. Often, this member, everyone wants you to do well and if you do forget some is via social media or text. Try to do this as it’s easy, quick and direct. Say thing, or stumble on your words, or the dog you’ve brought along who you are and what you do. Become their goto expert. That way, they decides he doesn’t want to do anything that day, then it really doesn’t may just call you specifically next time there is a question about canine matter. Just go with it and try to make light of it. behavior, or any animalrelated issue that needs an expert comment. Finally, do not be afraid to blow your own trumpet. After all, no one Positive Training else will do it for you and, let’s be honest, if you shout the loudest you The TV slot I aired on was a 4minute segment about training your will be heard. So my advice is to tell the networks you are here and start dog (or puppy). Each segment would cover a topic, ranging from branching out into local media. This is good for you as a professional, house training, to the types of suitable toys for a dog to play with, to good for pet owners and their pets, and, of course, good for your busi teaching a dog not to jump up. The reason I said “yes” to appearing ness and professional reputation too. n on this pet segment was to help increase awareness about positive Kelly McFarlane CSAT CDBC VN (kellymcfarlane.co.nz) is a New training; as we all know, there have been a lot of shows, articles, and Zealand based canine behavior consultant with over 20 years of TV and radio segments based on outdated views and methods, not to hands-on experience. As a teenager growing up in the U.K., she volunmention some of the content you can find on the internet. I wanted to teered at a kennel before she went knocking on veterinary clinic doors show people how easy it is for them to train their dogs and how simple to gain work experience. She went on to become a veterinary techniit is to use positive methods. cian and eventually head nurse at a 24-hour veterinary emergency I found that the main things people wanted to learn about were hospital in Central London. When she moved to New Zealand in 2007, how to house train their puppies, how to use a crate properly, how to she was appointed head veterinary nurse at the Ponsonby Veterinary teach recall, and how to stop their dogs from jumping up. My favorite Clinic. She has completed the acclaimed Delta Training Course in Auswas how to stop a dog from barking. When discussing any of these tralia, is accredited as an animal trainer, is a certified dog behavior areas, it is all about helping people understand that the behaviors are consultant through the IAABC, and recently became a certified sepa…it is all about helping people understand that ration anxiety trainer through Malena DeMartini, the only person, to the behaviors are normal, explaining the reasons date, in New Zealand to do so. Although she is still practice manager as to why the dog may be engaging in them, and at a veterinary emergency and critical care clinic, these days she how we can teach him to do something else spends most of her time helping dogs with separation anxiety, phobias and fear issues, barking complaints, destructive behavior, and instead, like eliminating outdoors instead of on puppy training issues. She shares her expertise on the TV show, The the carpet. Café on THREE.
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BARKS from the Guild/March 2020
