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Don’t be misled; many pet professionals still rely on outdated training practices and cultural myths while ignoring the growing body of science that proposes specific, humane methods and approaches. Listed below are just some of the abusive practices still seen across the dog training industry: Hanging – the dog is raised off the floor by...

There is no complete or consistent explanation as to why people are sadistic or cruel to pets. In those who choose to work with pets as an occupation, a commonality would appear to exist in a tendency to view the animals as “other” or significantly different to people. Hunter and Brisbin (2016) explain that the...

Let's face it, who doesn't love looking at cute photos of happy dogs?  Teaching your dog to happily respond to a "Say Cheese!" cue is lots of fun and should also result in some lovely photos of your best friend! Some pets are more than happy to have their photo taken, but others are often...

Professionals Should Exemplify and Promote Anti-Cruelty Statutes by Niki Tudge As a population, human beings are all unique. Each one of us is a combination of our genetics and environment. We are shaped by how we filter stimuli and how we think. Our behavior is an output of our own individual experiences, assumptions and perceptions,...

Waiting For the B12 Kick! I recently had a full medical examination; the results were good, except the blood tests identified that I had extremely low Vitamin B12. Over the last two months, I knew something wasn’t right as I have felt very tired and quickly exhausted from office work. Given my running schedule, preparing...

If we were to ask a sports doctor or a physiologist why people love to move, walk or run, they would probably explain that humans love to run because our bodies are designed for this very function. We are designed to walk and run. We have running bodies. Yes, you heard correctly; our bodies are...

Moving The Dopamine! Running Can Positively Change Your Brain. Did you know that pleasure and pain are co-located? Well according to Dr. Anna Lembke (2021) “in addition to the discovery of dopamine, neuroscientists have determined that please and pain are processed in overlapping brain regions”. Our brains work to keep a balance of dopamine, an...

Body movement is essential to our well-being, and getting a movement program going often comes down to choosing which one is for you, walking, running, or both.   But did you know there is only one slight difference in the definitions of walking & running? When you walk, you have one foot on the ground.  When...

Just a Few Ramblings  Regarding  Ethics In The Pet Industry An excerpt from Pet Training and Behavior Consulting: A Model for Raising the Bar to Protect Professionals, Pets and Their People.  It is our view that dog trainers, behavior consultants and professional pet care providers are bound to pursue a philosophical approach that blends both the Golden...

Misleading Terminology Dog trainers who use punishment-based approaches and equipment designed to work by causing fear and/or pain commonly market themselves under a variety of verbiage and marketing slogans such as “balanced,” “positive relationship,” “natural methods,” “relationship building,” “positive only,” and “no food necessary.” These are all taglines that are bandied around but mislead unsuspecting...