11 minute read
NEWS
Geek Week: Everything You Need to Know
The countdown is on and it’s not too late to grab your ticket to Geek Week! If you haven’t already, check out the full schedule and the amazing Virtual Platform where the event is being hosted. You can also read the session descriptions in full and find out more about your presenters.
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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, prizes, networking, geek apparel 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 Unisex Heavy Blend™ Crewneck Sweatshirt, the Unisex Heavy Cotton Tshirt, the Women's Long Sleeve Performance Vneck Tshirt, and the Women's Polo Shirt.
Still want to find out more about Geek Week? Listen to Niki Tudge and Denise O'Moore, chair of INTO Dogs, discuss the event in this BARKS Podcast.
Louise Ginman, president of The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) Australia, one of the co‐hosting organizations for Geek Week, was also a guest in this BARKS podcast, where she talked about her Geek Week pre‐sentations, ‘Navigating Cancer from a Pet Parent’s Perspective’ and ‘Home Alone Program for Puppies and Dogs of All Ages.’
PPG Announces Geek Week Competition Winners
PPG has announced the first winners in a series of Geek Week ticket competitions.
Competition #1 – Share the Geekiness
Congratulations to Marta Young (INTODogs) and CHAAMP Malamutes (PPG) 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 runnerup and who has won a 50% discounted ticket to Geek Week.
You can read the winning and runnerup entries in the writers’ competition on the BARKS Blog:
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 by Sonya Bevan
Good Kharma: Lessons from a Retired Greyhound by Devene Godau
The Fearful Rescue Dog Who Changed My Life by Gloria Schmidt
PPG Responds to Petco's Removal of Electric Shock Collars from Its Stores Nationwide
PPG and The ShockFree Coalition are greatly encouraged by Petco’s Supporters are encouraged to sign the ShockFree Pledge, much in announcement on October 6, 2020 that it will no longer sell electric the same way as Petco has invited supporters to sign its #StoptheShock shock collars “operated by a person with a remote in hand.”PPG has al petition. ways believed unequivocally that the petowning general public needs –and deserves – to have access to better educational tools so they can, 1) Consumer Transparency 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. One of PPG’s key goals is to shape the pet industry to ensure that dog trainers, behavior consultants and professional pet care providers, 1) pursue an ethical responsibility to do no harm to the animals in their Scientific Data care, and 2) present their qualifications and experience truthfully with full transparency and disclosure – including the training tools and methIncreasingly, peer reviewed, scientific studies are showing that, whether ods they use. discussing dogs, humans, dolphins or elephants, shock as a form of PPG recognizes that industry changes will happen in stages and, just training to teach or correct a behavior is ineffective at best and physi like the progressive behavior change programs we create for the anically and psychologically damaging at worst (Schilder & van der Borg, mals in our care, gradual changes must be reinforced. By encouraging 2004; Schalke, Stichnoth, Ott, & JonesBaade, 2007; Polsky, 2000; “anyone using or looking for shock collars to consider training with Cooper, Cracknell, Hardiman, Wright & Mills, 2014). treats instead of electricity and partnership instead of pain,” Petco has
Overall (2013) states that shock collars, aka ecollars, “violate the made an important first step towards improving the lives of pets everyprinciples of three of five freedoms that define adequate welfare for an where, as well as educating dog owners about alternative, kinder trainimals: Freedom from pain, injury, and disease, freedom to express nor ing methods and tools. We look forward to seeing electric fence mal behavior and freedom from fear and distress.” systems, which work in exactly the same way as shock collars, i.e. by
The current scientific data, in addition to the moral and ethical con causing fear and pain, follow suit. cerns about mental and physical damage to animals subjected to methods using force, fear and/or pain, have moved a number of representing *Including, but not limited to, the American Animal Hospital Association, professional organizations* to advocate for the use of humane training the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, the British Veterinary As‐techniques founded on evidencebased learning theories and avoid sociation, the New Zealand Veterinary Association, the European Society training methods or devices which employ coercion and force. PPG is of Veterinary Clinical Ethology and Pet Dog Trainers of Europe. delighted that Petco has now joined their ranks.
Effects of Electric Shock
The use and application of electric shock provides no effective strategy for an animal to learn a new or alternative behavior. Some common problems resulting from the use of electronic stimulation devices include, but are not limited to:
s Infliction of Stress and Pain s Generalization s Escalation s Global Suppression or “ShutDown” s Fear, Anxiety and Aggression s Redirected Aggression s Unintended Consequences
ShockFree Coalition
In September 2017, the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) rolled out its ShockFree Coalition, the key purpose of which is to build a strong and broad movement committed to eliminating electric shock devices from the worldwide supply and demand chain. This would be achieved by:
1. Engaging and educating pet owners and shelter/rescue workers to help them make informed decisions about the management, care and training of the pets in their charge.
2. Building a worldwide coalition that provides pet owners access to competent, professional pet industry service providers.
3. Creating widespread pet industry transparency and compliance regarding how professionals implement their services and communicate their philosophy to pet owners. Read the complete statement on the Shock‐Free Coalition website
Free movement and COMFORTABLE support behind the armpits, and a SECURE fit at the shoulders
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 and who has been named Project Trade Ambassador for August 2020.
Congratulations too to Alexandra TytheridgeAllan of Girl Friday ACK LLC in Massachusetts, USA for trading one shock collar and one choke collar, and Daniel Antolec of Happy Buddha Dog Training in Wisconsin, USA for trading one shock collar.
Lee Desmarais traded four shock collars, one choke collar, and three prong collars, earning her the title of Project Trade Ambassador August 2020
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. 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). Join today!
Alexandra TytheridgeAllan traded one shock collar and one choke collar (left), and Daniel Antolec traded one shock collar (right) under the Project Trade program in August
- Listen on the Anchor Platform
BARKS Podcasts are now 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:
October 3, 2020: Louise Ginman, president of The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) Australia, one of the cohosting organizations for Geek Week, discussing Louise’s Geek Week presentations: My Dog Has Cancer: Navigating Cancer from a Pet Parent’s Perspective; and Home Alone Program for Puppies and Dogs of All Ages. October 2, 2020: 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 athome service dogs, as well as her new program, Mobility Task Training HowTo’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.
PPG Invites Members to Join Facebook Live Sessions
Would you like to join PPG President Niki Tudge and other PPG members to discuss important educational topics on Facebook? Just fill out this short form to get it scheduled and share your knowledge and experience.
Check PPG Members' Facebook group for further details and to join live sessions. and Educational Summits!
Webinars
Revisiting Respondent Techniques Change the Behavior by
Changing the Emotions Presented by Alexandra Santos
Tuesday, November 3, 2020 1 p.m. (EST)
Understanding Aggression in Dogs Presented by Sezan Ozgunay
Thursday, December 10, 2020 6 p.m. (EST)
Treatment Options for Dogs Showing Aggression Due to the
Emotion of Fear and/or Frustration Presented by Kris Glover
Thursday, December 17, 2020 6 p.m. (EST)
Educational Summits
PPG Geek Week 2020 (Virtual) (see also ads on p.2 and p.64)
Wednesday, November 11 Sunday, November 15, 2020
PPG Summit 2021 (Phoenix, Arizona)
Friday, September 17 Tuesday, September 21, 2021
For a full, up‐to‐date list of webinar listings, see: petprofessionalguild.com/Webinars
PPG Webinars On Demand
Listen any time!: petprofessionalguild.com/RecordedWebinars
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. Learn more about PPG’s
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 Business Contingency Planning section in the Members’ Area of the PPG website.
Earn Your CEUs via PPG’s Webinars, Workshops involvement in the Charter.
Residential Workshops (Tampa, Florida) Reactive to Relaxed: Next Steps in Control Unleashed with Leslie McDevitt
(see also ad on p.63) Saturday, February 13, 2021
Sunday, February 14, 2021
Your PORTL to Shaping with Mary Hunter
(see also ad on p.60) Saturday, March 20, 2021 Sunday, March 21, 2021
Interactive Play Skills Instructor Course with Craig Ogilvie
Saturday, October 9, 2021 Sunday, October 10, 2021
Advanced Agility Workshop with Marita Davies
Saturday, October 16, 2021 Sunday, October 17, 2021
Canine Scent Instructor Program with Dr. Robert Hewings
Saturday, November 6, 2021 Wednesday, November 10, 2021
Canine Scent Advanced Handling Program with Dr. Robert Hewings
Wednesday, November 17, 2021 Sunday, November 21, 2021
Learn How to Train Dogs to Detect Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Nightmares with Dr. Robert Hewings
Wednesday, November 24, 2020 Thursday, November 25, 2020
For a full, up‐to‐date list of all upcoming summits and workshops, see: petprofessionalguild.com/Educational‐Summits
