NEWS

PPAB Launches French Language Options

The Pet Professional Accreditation Board (PPAB) has completed translation of its study guides and instructions into French in a move that will make a forcefree credential immediately accessible to French speaking canine training and behavior consultants worldwide.

Two Québec, Canadabased canine training and behavior consultants, Lucie Malouin and Raphaël Pépin, are behind the drive to translate the program, having undertaken and acquired their PCBCA credential and recognized the need to help other French speaking people undertake the same process. Malouin, of Complètement Canin, and Pépin, of Canilogique, were aware of many good trainers throughout Canada who were prevented from undertaking certification through PPAB because English was not their first language. At the same time, they were eager for there to be a greater number of wellcredentialed dog trainers in Canada.

PPAB is currently the only organization to provide accreditation for professionals who believe there is no place for electric shock, choke, prong, pain, fear, coercion or intimidation in dog training and behavior modification. The board also offers the only psychometrically developed, independently assessed examination for training and behavior consultants who support and practice humane and scientific methods only, as set out in its Guiding Principles. At present, PPAB operates three levels of credentials – the Level 1 Canine Training Technician (CTTA), the Level 2 Professional Canine Trainer – Accredited (PCTA), and the Level 3 Professional Canine Behavior Consultant – Accredited (PCBCA).

Malouin and Pépin elected to approach PPAB and set up a meeting with Debra Millikan, project lead and board member of the Pet Professional Guild (PPG), which oversees PPAB. The trio discussed the depth and scope of the task and work started immediately. Malouin and Pépin were committed to getting the job done quickly and efficiently, and their efforts have now resulted in the launch of a dedicated section, Candidats Francophones, in international French, that details each level of the credentials for French speaking training and behavior professionals the world over. A French language study guide is also available for each credential.

“We at PPAB were very pleased that Lucie and Raphaël felt comfortable to ask us about this possibility, in that they each felt that PPAB is very approachable,” said Millikan. “This is something we always aim to be. We hope this translation will help spread the PPAB’s credentialing program further into Canada and also help expand it throughout Europe. I would like to thank Lucie and Raphaël for their enthusiasm, and dedication to the detailed and exacting task they undertook.”

All PPAB programs have a rigorous path to completion whereby applicants are required to show indepth knowledge and competent mechanical skills, supported by people coaching skills. Credentials from other certifying bodies may also be transferred to PPAB at any level, provided applicants can demonstrate that they have the correlating ethics in place, the required competency and knowledge, and the practical ability to carry out their craft. Millikan and Malouin discuss the process of becoming accredited through PPAB in more details in this BARKS Podcast.

PPAB is currently operating a fee waiver that offers significant discounts to applicants, available till July 31, 2021. In addition, PPG has waived its membership fees during COVID, thereby easing the path for members to cement their ethical stance by working through a PPAB credential or transferring an existing credential.

Québec, Canadabased canine training and behavior consultants Raphaël Pépin (left) and Lucie Malouin have translated the PPAB credentialing program into French

Apply Today and Save on the following PPAB credentials:

Canine Training Technician – All fees waived. Save $90

Professional Canine Trainer – All fees waived. Save $90

Professional Canine Behavior Consultant – All fees waived except the proctored online examination. Save $115

If you hold an existing credential and are thinking twice about renewing, now is the time to transfer it! Save the application fee of $50 and all other submission fees until July 31, 2021. Discount codes are available in your member area. (See also ad on p.59).

BARKS News Now Available as a Podcast

PPG is currently trialing a podcast version of BARKS News. We would love to know if this is of value to our members, so please have a listen and then take a moment to let us know what you think! Sometimes people prefer to listen rather than read, so we are trying to offer more communication options for members.

Listen to BARKS News #64 / April 2021 Listen to BARKS News #63 / March 2021 Listen to BARKS News #62 / February 2021

If you prefer to read your BARKS News, you can do so in the PPG Newsroom. New editions are released on or around the 15th of every month.

PPG Announces Geek Week 2021; Invites Proposals for Presentations

PPG has announced that the second edition of its virtual event Geek Week will take place on November 1317, 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 will include 24 hours of presentations each day, as well as 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. The schedule has been structured so it will be accessible to all time zones.

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 A Track will be strictly science based and academic in nature. It will feature national and international academics discussing their research or reviewing the current literature in their field. Each session will be scholarly in nature, breaking down a research subject, its data, findings, and recommendations. The B Track, meanwhile, will be a behavior ‘howto’ track featuring highly proficient, handson, mechanically skilled dog trainers who will provide a comprehensive understanding of how the presented skill should be trained and performed. Each presentation will include a breakdown of the task skills, the required criteria, the goals of the task, and the training steps to teach the skill, accompanied by explanatory videos. These sessions will provide attendees with a takeaway ‘howto’ so that they can implement what they have learned immediately into their businesses. Finally, the C Track will cover consulting, marketing, and personal growth. This track is designed to support personal development and business skills and topics may be academic, operationally focused, or related to human resources.

PPG is now 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 tool kit.

"Just like last year’s event, Geek Week 2021 will present a unique, fun and educational virtual experience that will include funfilled activities, competitions and prizewinning opportunities," said PPG president, Niki Tudge. “We have also streamlined the event by drilling down on specific ‘niches’ to ensure we can reach as broad a cross section of the pet industry as possible, with topics that will appeal to all sectors. Once again, Geek Week will create a onestop shop where attendees can combine great quality education with the opportunity to network with professionals worldwide to share best practices and experiences.”

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. See also ad on p.27.

PPG Expands Steering Committee with New Appointment

PPG has appointed Warwick, New Yorkbased veterinarian Pam Shultz DVM CVA (right) to its Steering Committee with immediate effect. The appointment marks PPG’s continued commitment to promoting humane, sciencebased, forcefree and positive reinforcementbased training methods and skill application in the fields of pet care, training and behavior consulting, an industry that is currently unregulated.

PPG’s Steering Committee is tasked with driving new projects, building awareness of scientifically sound, nonaversive training methods for animals, educating both pet professionals and the pet owning public in all matters related to training, behavior consulting and pet care, and expanding core membership worldwide.

Dr. Shultz has been PPG’s social media coordinator for the past year, during which time she has also been assisting PPG as a proofreader on its bimonthly trade publication BARKS from the Guild. She now comes on board 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. In addition to providing holistic pet care in a private practice setting, she has also worked and volunteered extensively with her local humane society and has been a foster mom to an array of animal teachers –from ‘bottle baby’ kittens to fearful dogs. These experiences led her to seek out resources to share with her coworkers, clients and pet guardians on the benefits of forcefree pet care.

“Due to the importance of Dr. Shultz being up to speed on our many ongoing projects, it makes perfect sense that she takes a seat on the Steering Committee as we continue to develop our marketing and social media plans and coordinate a rolling marketing program,” said PPG president, Niki Tudge. “This will ensure we have the time and resources to coordinate all our efforts across our different programs and marketing needs. As a veterinarian of many years’ experience who also has experience in the editing and proofreading space, Dr. Shultz, with her unique skill set, is ideally placed to help PPG in this endeavor.”

Dr. Pam Shultz with Tesla

PPG Names February, March Project Trade Ambassadors

- Listen on the Anchor Platform

Congratulations to Lee Desmarais of Zippity Do Dog Training and Behavior Modification LLC in Massachusetts, USA for trading discounts on forcefree training services in exchange for a choke collar, two shock collars and three prong collars, and who has been named Project Trade Ambassador for February 2021. Congratulations, too, to Trista Miller of Polite Paws in Indiana, USA for exchanging one choke collar.

Further congratulations go to Anastasia Tsoulia of Hug4Pets & Hug4Dogs in Thessaloniki, Greece for trading seven shock collars and two prong collars and who 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, and again to Lee Desmarais of Zippity Do Dog Training and Behavior Modification LLC for trading two shock collars and one prong collar in March 2021.

Lee Desmarais (above left) and Trista Miller (above, second left) collected a range of aversive training equipment under the Project Trade program in February Anastasia Tsoulia (left), Jolene Harmer (below right) and Lee Desmarais (below second right) collected a range of aversive training equipment under the Project Trade program in March

Project Trade is an international opt‐in advocacy program for PPG members that promotes the use of force‐free training equipment by asking pet guardians to trade choke, prong and shock collars (and any other aversive devices). Sign up today! Find out more about how Project Trade can help your business in Helping Dogs, Helping Families, BARKS from the Guild, March 2017, pp.20‐25.

You can find older podcasts in the BARKS Podcasts Library and on PPG’s YouTube and Vimeo channels. If you would like to be a guest on a BARKS Podcast, please contact Louise Stapleton‐Frappell for more details.

BARKS Podcasts are available on the Anchor platform, 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. In the most recent podcasts, join PPG president Niki Tudge as she chats to:

Victoria Stilwell of Positively about all things "positive" (April 23, 2021). Listen here.

Expert Panel from PPG’s virtual event Up Your Business Game! about sales in the pet industry (April 23, 2021). Listen here.

Dr. Karolina Westlund of Illis Animal Behaviour Consulting about emotional learning (April 9, 2021). Listen here.

Alex Pietraszko about all the great programs offered by PPG corporate partner Animal Courses Direct (see also ad on p.41) (March 26, 2021). Listen here.

Dr. Dorothy Heffernan of the Horses Under Our Skin blog about all things equine. (March 19, 2021) Listen here.

Lisa and Brad Waggoner of Cold Nose College in Murphy, North Carolina about their dog training program, RESCUED: Saving Detainees and Dogs One Life at a Time, at the Colwell Probation and Detention Center in Blairsville, Georgia. The program focuses on the rehabilitation of detainees through training their dogs using positive reinforcement training techniques (March 12, 2021). Listen here.

Earn Your CEUs via PPG’s Webinars, Workshops and Educational Summits!

Webinars

Getting Started with Instagram. Presented by Tracey Lee Davis Thursday, May 13, 2021 / 1 p.m. (EDT)

The Benefits of ScentWork. Presented by Dr. Robert Hewings

Monday, May 17, 2021 / 2 p.m. (EDT)

Bringing Your New Dog Home – How to Promote a Successful Transition to Family Life! Presented by Louise StapletonFrappell

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 / 11 a.m. (EDT)

Understanding and Helping Your Reactive Dog. Presented by Shannon RileyCoyner

Tuesday, June 15, 2021 / 7 p.m. (EDT)

Positive Puppy Socialization in Times of Restricted Real World Interactions. Presented by Louise StapletonFrappell

Wednesday, June 23, 2021 / 11 a.m. (EDT)

Can Being a Little More Human Make a Difference? Presented by Dr. Robert Hewings

Monday, July 12, 2021 / 2 p.m. (EDT)

PPG Webinars On Demand

Listen any time! Workshops

Your PORTL to Shaping. Presented by Mary Hunter

Saturday, April 9, 2022 Sunday, April 10, 2022

Educational Summits

PPG Geek Week 2021 (Virtual)

Saturday, November 13 Wednesday, November 17, 2021 Note: All dates and times are correct at time of going to press but are subject to change. Please check PPG website for an updated list of all events, workshops and webinars, as well as discounted and on‐demand webinars.

SPECIAL NOTICE: 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, and more. Check listings in the PPG Members' Facebook group for event dates and times. See also the Business Contingency Planning section in the Members’ Area of the PPG website.