GOING ON AIR

Kelly McFarlane sets out some brief guidelines for speaking to the media in a professional capacity

Three years ago, I was asked to appear on a television show in New Zealand. It was a new show that would be aired on morning time LIVE TV. I was very excited and nervous all at the same time as I had never done anything like that before. I felt very out of my comfort zone and it was something of a learning curve so I would like to share a few tips that others may find helpful if invited to speak to the media in their professional capacity as a pet trainer or behavior consultant. First, to help calm the nerves, have some bullet points ready that detail exactly what you want to cover. You are usually given advance notice about what is going to be discussed, even if it is an interview on live TV, so you do have time to prepare. Also, very important, don’t forget to breathe and be yourself! Remember, everyone wants you to do well and if you do forget something, or stumble on your words, or the dog you’ve brought along decides he doesn’t want to do anything that day, then it really doesn’t matter. Just go with it and try to make light of it. Positive Training The TV slot I aired on was a 4minute segment about training your dog (or puppy). Each segment would cover a topic, ranging from house training, to the types of suitable toys for a dog to play with, to teaching a dog not to jump up. The reason I said “yes” to appearing on this pet segment was to help increase awareness about positive training; as we all know, there have been a lot of shows, articles, and TV and radio segments based on outdated views and methods, not to mention some of the content you can find on the internet. I wanted to show people how easy it is for them to train their dogs and how simple it is to use positive methods.

I found that the main things people wanted to learn about were how to house train their puppies, how to use a crate properly, how to teach recall, and how to stop their dogs from jumping up. My favorite was how to stop a dog from barking. When discussing any of these areas, it is all about helping people understand that the behaviors are normal, explaining the reasons as to why the dog may be engaging in them, and how we can teach him to do something else instead, like eliminating outdoors instead of on the carpet. Getting Your Name Out There Getting yourself on the TV or radio really just comes down to contacting the networks and selling yourself and your services, so to speak. Do your research and make sure you find out the best person to contact. Definitely send your bio, and you can even ask to meet up for a coffee or have a phone conversation to discuss what you can offer as an expert and why you are different from anyone they have had on before. Another good option is to provide feedback when radio DJs or TV presenters ask their audience a question. Often, this is via social media or text. Try to do this as it’s easy, quick and direct. Say who you are and what you do. Become their goto expert. That way, they may just call you specifically next time there is a question about canine behavior, or any animalrelated issue that needs an expert comment.

Finally, do not be afraid to blow your own trumpet. After all, no one else will do it for you and, let’s be honest, if you shout the loudest you will be heard. So my advice is to tell the networks you are here and start branching out into local media. This is good for you as a professional, good for pet owners and their pets, and, of course, good for your business and professional reputation too. n …it is all about helping people understand that the behaviors are normal, explaining the reasons as to why the dog may be engaging in them, and how we can teach him to do something else instead, like eliminating outdoors instead of on the carpet. Kelly McFarlane CSAT CDBC VN ( kellymcfarlane.co.nz ) is a New Zealand based canine behavior consultant with over 20 years of hands-on experience. As a teenager growing up in the U.K., she volun teered at a kennel before she went knocking on veterinary clinic doors to gain work experience. She went on to become a veterinary techni cian and eventually head nurse at a 24-hour veterinary emergency hospital in Central London. When she moved to New Zealand in 2007, she was appointed head veterinary nurse at the Ponsonby Veterinary Clinic. She has completed the acclaimed Delta Training Course in Aus tralia, is accredited as an animal trainer, is a certified dog behavior consultant through the IAABC, and recently became a certified sepa ration anxiety trainer through Malena DeMartini, the only person, to date, in New Zealand to do so. Although she is still practice manager at a veterinary emergency and critical care clinic, these days she spends most of her time helping dogs with separation anxiety, pho bias and fear issues, barking complaints, destructive behavior, and puppy training issues. She shares her expertise on the TV show, The Café on THREE . Becoming the local goto expert on all matters training and behavior is good for a professional’s reputation and business, as well as for pet owners and their pets © Can Stock Photo/ damedeeso