What started as a simple plan to change my pet business

ended up becoming, with the help of people like you….

 

A Mission to Change the Pet World – Join Us Today

 

I left the store in tears.  How could this happen in a well-respected, nationally-recognized pet store? I got into my car where my husband sat waiting, now looking concerned. “What’s the matter, what happened?” he asked.  I had only come in to town to buy some supplies for our pet resort. But about half way through my shopping, I heard a horrible scream, a dog’s scream, from another aisle.  Thinking a dog must be in trouble, instinct took over and, leaving my shopping cart,  I rushed to help.  But what I saw sickened me.  In the middle of the aisle I found a dog “trainer” shrieking ‘NO’ while hanging a dog in the air using a leather leash and a choke chain. The dog’s owner stood to one side, perplexed, helplessly watching her beloved pet suffer at the hands of this trainer.  I couldn’t believe it. I was stunned.  What I saw was so brutal and inhumane.  And so pointless.  Don’t we know better by now?  Haven’t we all read the scientific studies?  Don’t we all understand the needless cruelty and ineffectiveness of such methods?  I immediately sought out the manager who told me simply, “Oh, it’s one of our trainers, off duty, running a reactive dog class.”  Horrified,  I abandoned my shopping cart where it was and left the store.  In tears. I couldn’t understand how this could be happening? What could I do about it, I asked myself?  I figured there had to be other trainers like me who were not okay with the type of out-dated ‘training’ methods I had witnessed. But what to do?  As we drove off my husband said, “You should start your own organization. Channel your frustration and tears into action.” So, I did. In November 2011, I began formulating the idea for the Pet Professional Guild with a goal of creating an alliance of like-minded pet professionals that could make a real difference in the pet world.

But PPG Is Not For Everyone

From that modest beginning the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) has grown into a world-wide alliance of over seven thousand talented and caring pet professionals and pet owners who are at the very forefront of animal behavior science and the training methods.  Everything PPG delivers is informed by the latest and most rigorous scientific studies. We are spreading the word through numerous educational programs, annual events, position papers and legislative efforts.  And though we’ve made great progress, we have a long way to go to educate even more pet professionals, government leaders and owners on the power and efficacy of Force-Free pet training and care methods. So if you believe in the Force-Free Method – Informed by Science, Guided by Empathy and Governed by Ethics, we invite you to Join Us.  Help us continue the effort to create a better business environment for pet professionals and pet owners who are committed to our Guiding Principles giving a voice to those who cannot speak – the animals in our care.

What Can PPG Do For You?

We recognize just how difficult it can be for your potential clients to differentiate between you, a force-free, ethical pet trainer and care-giver, and an unqualified trainer or care-giver or those that use harsh, harmful and dangerous methods. This is especially challenging because pet owners typically know very little about the different techniques and methods used by animal trainers and handlers. Because we live in a world that popularizes over-hyped, highly edited television programs with flashy ads, promising instant results and unrealistic expectations that are too often marketed as “documentaries”, it can be next to impossible to be heard above the noise. And that leaves your clients in the classic “Comparing Apples to Oranges” dilemma when trying to find appropriate training and pet care solutions for their needs,.

To address these challenges, PPG members represent you and your business in the marketplace through education and advocacy.  In addition, as a PPG member, you have access to a wide array of services and resources to help you gain an advantage for your business, professional growth and your personal development.

To Name Just a Few of the Many Advantages That Are Yours as a PPG Member

  1. You get to use the prestigious, federally registered PPG Trademark, The Pet Professional Guild, the Association of Force-Free Pet Professionals. Proudly displaying your membership sets you apart from the crowd and announces to the world your affiliation with the only international membership association for pet professionals who subscribe to the view that aversive methods should never be used – or even deemed necessary – in the training, care or behavior modification of any animal,
  1. FREE access to numerous programs that will help you and your business stay on the cutting edge of everything ‘pet’ including popular resources such as “Canine Training Technician” credentialing with the Pet Professional Accreditation Board (plus reduced cost for the more advanced credentials),
  1. Stay on top of your career the easy way with a minimum of 1 FREE Member webinar each month – and discounts on all other webinars presented by the leading experts in the pet and business industry such as Dr. Karolina Westlund and Kathy Sdao to name just two.
  1. Keep Current with the pet industry (at no cost to you) with our renowned publication, BARKS From the Guild, including BARKS newsletter, Guild news and updates. All provided to you with convenient delivery and every issue filled with useful, actionable articles, advice and information. And that’s not all. We understand how busy you are so you’ll also get BARKS Podcasts and Monthly Member Live Radio/Podcast, the easiest way to stay abreast of what is new and vital in our industry. Just think how easy it will be for you to gain all of this vital knowledge while driving to a client or relaxing between appointments.
  1. PPG hasn’t forgotten about the ‘business side’ of things either. Your membership not only gets you a full business listing with a ‘search by zip code’ function but you also have access to an entire database of public relation news releases and business webinars.  Everything you need to help you market and operate your business, including essential Position Statements, Open Letters and Guiding Principles.  All for you to use and distribute to your customers and colleagues.  And everything is available to you at the click of a mouse.  We’ve also archived almost 4000 PPG articles, branded client handouts, personalized marketing tools and educational handouts, just for you.
  1. AND, PPG has great program modules that will help you enhance your business, attract new clients, improve your bottom line and give back to your community.  Each program is complete and ready for you to roll out.  Programs such as our Pet Dog Ambassador Program (Instructor, Assessor, and Pet Dog Owner), Project Trade and Be A Tree Dog Bite Prevention Make more money and attract new clients with less work and effort.
  1. Earn more and save more. Your membership gets you discounts galore. Not only do you get a wide variety of vendor and corporate partner discounts but you also qualify for slashed rates on a subscription to The Journal of Veterinary Behavior and business insurance.  And we’ve got you covered for your continuing education.  PPG members enjoy reduced costs for PPG annual summits, Geek Week educational events, 3rd party educational programs as well as great savings on print materials, marketing collateral and sales aids.  PPG membership can save you thousands every year.

PPG Membership Saves You Thousands Every Year

Any one of these benefits would cost you far more than your annual membership.  But with PPG, your modest annual dues cost you far less than even a single advertisement. It truly pays to belong to the Pet Professional Guild.

What Can We Do Together?

Here at PPG we believe that pets can be trained and cared for without the use of  Shock, Prong or Choke and/or the application of  Pain, Force or Fear.  Together we can spread this philosophy and create an advantageous business environment for pet professionals who provide humane, force-free training and care to an informed public.  Together we can emphasize a holistic, force-free approach to pet training and pet care focused on the physical, emotional and environmental well-being of pets in our care.

First, Do No Harm

Imagine a world where people and pets can live together to their mutual benefit and where pets can live as valued family members free from physical and emotional pain, stress and fear. Imagine a world where pet owners receive the greatest value and highest quality, state-of-the-art, force-free, scientific based pet training and pet care. That is the world PPG is committed to.

 Creating a Better World Together

If you support our mission, believe in our Guiding Principles, aspire to always demonstrate integrity, compassion and an uncompromising commitment to excellence in the care and support of clients and their pets then join us.  If you are determined to     continually expand your knowledge and improve your skills to serve your clients and serve as a valuable resource to your community  providing the most innovative pet training and pet care possible,  then let’s do this together.

 

Together we can put our commitment into words and our words into action.  Join Us Today!