Pets and Their People

12/09/2025

The Pet Professional Guild’s Ethical Stance
https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/pet-owners/pets-and-their-people/pets-and-their-people-blog/the-pet-professional-guilds-ethical-stance/
"Ethical training prioritizes the well-being of the animal, fosters a relationship of trust and respect, and uses methods that are scientifically sound and aversive-free." - The Pet Professional Guild
Read more:

Here at the Pet Professional Guild, we have a strong ethical stance on the behavior and training of both pets and their people.

12/05/2025

"Listen First. Teach Second." - Ready, Pup, Go.

When your puppy barks, nips, zooms around the living room, or grabs your sleeve like it’s the world’s best tug toy… it’s not “misbehavior.”

It’s communication.

One of the biggest mindset shifts new puppy parents can make is remembering this simple truth:
Behavior is information.

Your puppy isn’t trying to be stubborn or dramatic - they’re telling you something about how they’re feeling or what they need.

Biting?
They might be overtired or overstimulated.

Barking?
Maybe they’re unsure, excited, or looking for connection.

Zoomies?
A burst of stress or joy that needs a safe outlet.

When we listen first and teach second, everything gets easier.

Instead of reacting with frustration, we can look at the why behind the behavior and guide them toward choices that work better for life in a human home.

In my newest blog, I break down this idea in a simple, supportive way - so you can feel more confident understanding your puppy, especially during the busy holiday season.

And I’d love to know:
What puppy behavior surprised you the most when you first brought them home?
Share below!

12/04/2025

Caroline Ward of FITdogs Club Dog Training shares some 🎀holiday safety tips🎀 in this blog post:

While the holiday season can be a fun time of year for us, we also need to be thinking about how to keep our canine friends safe. This article explores some

12/03/2025

In the newest Pets and Their People blog post, The Pet Professional Guild's Pet Care Division Team shares another checklist for clients: The Top Questions a Pet Sitter Should Ask You at the Reservation Point:

This resource is a product of the Pet Professional Guild Pet Care Division Team: Kat Frizzell, CPPS, FFCP, PFACCI, PLBS; Kristi Jones, CPDT-KA,

12/02/2025

Dynamic Dog Practitioner and the connection between pain and behavior.
Special guest – Erika Liljefelt, Erika is a Behavior Team Leader and Sponsor for the Bay Area Team.

12/01/2025

🤔Did you know...?

Having food and water in a divided bowl can cause your cat to avoid drinking enough water, especially if food particles drop in there. Always have a separate source of fresh, clean water.

Even if you do have a separate bowl for water, don't place it right next to the food bowl. A little separation may help keep the water fresher. Also, some cats don't want to smell food in-between meals when they go for a drink of water. In addition to the water bowl at the feeding station, provide at least one other water bowl in another room.

11/30/2025

A holiday season reminder...
"When a series of minor incidents pile up to the point where your pet can no longer handle them and has what we might call an overreaction, this is known as trigger stacking." - Petrina Firth of Zigzag Puppy Coach
Trigger Stacking in Pets Explained:

The holidays, a busy time of year, are quickly approaching! This time of year can be stressful for everyone, including our pets.

11/28/2025

Join the author of this post, Erika Liljefelt, for a FREE live chat on The Pet Professional Guild page!
December 2, 2025/1:00 pm - 2:00 pm (ET)

“Your dog wouldn’t be able to run like that if she was in pain.”

11/26/2025

New Post!😺'Choosing Cat litter -Part One: What Is a Preference Test?'
https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/pet-owners/pets-and-their-people/pets-and-their-people-blog/choosing-cat-litter-part-one-what-is-a-preference-test/
"The most important consideration in choosing a litter is whether the cats will use it." - Misty Hampton, owner of Fellow Creatures Pet Consulting
Read more here:

Nowadays, there are many different kinds of cat litter to choose from. The purpose of this series is to compare different kinds of cat litter. This comparison

11/24/2025

Reminder: Keep These Foods Away from Your Dog at Thanksgiving
https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/pet-owners/pets-and-their-people/pets-and-their-people-blog/keep-these-foods-away-from-your-dog-at-thanksgiving/
"Both sweet potato and pumpkin are good for your dog in small amounts but make sure they are nutmeg free before giving them to your dog to enjoy." -Caroline Ward of FITdogs Club Dog Training

11/23/2025

Let’s Create a Better World
https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/join-ppg/
🌠Imagine a world where people and pets live together to their mutual benefit and where pets live as valued family members free from physical and emotional pain, stress and fear.
🌠Imagine a world where pet guardians receive the greatest value and highest quality, state-of-the-art, force-free, science-based pet training and care. The Pet Professional Guild is committed to creating this world.
🌠Let’s do this together—join us!

11/22/2025

'How to Create and Grow a Successful Pet Podcast in 2026'-
with Dr. Zazie Todd of Companion Animal Psychology
Day: January 8, 2026/Time: 12:00 - 1:00 PM ET
PPG Member cost: $20 with discount code
Non-member cost: $30

Zazie Todd is presenting a webinar packed with tips on podcasting to encourage you to get started with a podcast of your own.