Education is the cornerstone of what we do.
Our goal is to improve the relationship between pets and their guardians by facilitating accessible training classes, workshops, and education programs.
When we come together as a collaborative, we can build a community that truly understands animals.
After all, we are Better Together.
When we come together as a collaborative, we can change lives.
When it comes to animals, there is such a wealth of information available that Pet Guardians are understandably overwhelmed. We advocate for training methods that are not driven by fear, pain, and intimidation. Below are some great resources full of information on pet care, animal behavior, and training that also promote a positive human-animal relationship.
Receive 15% off of ALL services AND training gear by trading in your dog's old choke collar, prong collar, shock collar, bark collar, or boundary fencing!
How Would You Like to Trade Your Old Dog Training Equipment for Great Discounts?
We want to swap great discounts on our most popular services FOR your choke, prong or shock collars or any other qualifying pet gear. By participating in “Project tRade” you can earn up to 15% off our most popular services simply by giving us old pet gear* you have laying around. It couldn’t be easier!
What is “Project tRade”?
Project tRade is the Pet Professional Guild's (PPG) international advocacy program that promotes the use of force-free pet training equipment by asking pet guardians to swap choke, prong and shock collars (and any other devices that are designed to change behavior through pain or fear). Because we want all pets and their guardians to experience the huge advantages and long-lasting effectiveness of force-free training and pet care, we will give you great discounts on our most popular, effective, fun and pain-free training and pet care services in exchange for your old gear.
Effective, humane animal training and pet care methods are the foundation of any animal’s healthy socialization and training and help prevent behavior problems. Since a wide variety of equipment and tools are commonly used when training pets, the pet-owning public needs to be aware of the potential problems and dangers someequipment may pose. Specifically, the use of collars and leads that are intended to apply constriction, pressure, pain or force around a dog’s neck (such as ‘choke chains’ and ‘prong collars’) should be avoided. Distinguishedveterinarians and behaviorists worldwide are joining the discussion and calling for the elimination of such devices from the training efforts of both pet owners and professionals.
What Do the Experts Say?
Respected veterinarian and thyroid expert, Dr. Jean Dodds, recommends against choke or prong collars “as they can easily injure the delicate butterfly-shaped thyroid gland thatsits just below the larynx and in front of the trachea. These collars can also injure the salivary glands and salivary lymph nodes on the side of the face underneath both ears.”
Bestselling author and canine behaviorist, Jean Donaldson, says: "These devices (choke and prong collars), when they work, do so to the degree that they hurt. With the advent of modern methods and tools they are irrelevant.”
According to veterinarian and veterinary behaviorist Dr. Soraya V. Juarbe-Diaz: "Using punishment to stop behaviors is not new. Notice I say ‘stop’ rather than ‘teach’ -- I can stop any behavior, but I am more interested in teaching my students, animal or human, to choose the behavior I want them to perform because they can trust me, because I do not hurt them and they are safe with me, and because the outcome is something they enjoy.”
PPG thus encourages all pet owners and pet professionals to embrace modern, scientifically based, training techniques and tools, especially the latest generation of no-pull harnesses which are free of the risks posed by traditional collars and offer far more benefits. So swap your gear and help create a kinder world for you and your pet!
To learn more just visit PetProfessionalGuild.com.
*qualifying pet gear = prong collars, shock collars, pinch collars, choke chains, citronella collars and the like.
Resources
Local Resources
Humane Society of Clarksville-Montgomery County
Animal Control- Clarksville- Montgomery County
​
​
​
​
Websites
Books and DVDs
Books for Pet Dog Owners
Quick & Easy Crate Training by Teoti Anderson
Your Outta Control Puppy by Teoti Anderson
Dog-Friendly Dog Training, 2nd Edition by Andrea Arden
Small Dogs, Big Hearts by Darlene Arden
Bones Would Rain From the Sky: Deepening Our Relationships with Dogs by Suzanne Clothier
Puppy’s First Steps – A Whole Dog Approach to Raising a Happy, Healthy, Well-Behaved Puppy by
Nicholas Dodman Lawrence Linder/Tufts UniversityCulture Clash, 2nd Edition by Jean Donaldson
Before & After You Get Your Puppy by Ian Dunbar
How to Teach a New Dog Old Tricks by Ian Dunbar
The Thinking Dog – Crossover to Clicker Training by Gail Fisher
Ruff Love by Susan Garrett
The Whole Dog Journal Handbook of Dog and Puppy Care and Training by Nancy Kerns
When Pigs Fly – Training Success with Impossible Dogs by Jane Killion
Parenting Your Dog by Trish King
Cautious Canine, 2nd Edition by Patricia McConnell
Family Friendly Dog Training – A Six Week Program for You and Your Dog
by Patricia McConnell and Aimee MooreFeeling Outnumbered? How to Manage and Enjoy a Multi-Dog Household by Patricia McConnell and Karen London
Feisty Fido: Help for the Leash Aggressive Dog by Patricia McConnell and Karen London
How to Be the Leader of the Pack by Patricia McConnell
I’ll Be Home Soon by Patricia McConnell
Play Together, Stay Together by Patricia McConnell and Karen London
The Other End of the Leash by Patricia McConnell
Way to Go! How to Housetrain a Dog of Any Age by Patricia McConnell and Karen London
Control Unleashed by Leslie McDevitt
Play With Your Dog by Pat Miller
Positive Perspectives 2: Know Your Dog, Train Your Dog by Pat Miller
Power of Positive Dog Training 2nd Edition by Pat Miller
The Dog Whisperer, 2nd Edition by Paul Owens
The Puppy Whisperer – A Compassionate, Nonviolent Guide to Early Training and Care by Paul Owens and Terence Cranendonk
Don’t Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor
On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals 2nd Edition by Turid Rugaas
Living With Kids and Dogs…Without Losing Your Mind by Colleen Pelar
Petiquette – Solving Behavior Problems in Your Multi-Pet Household by Amy Shojai
Happy Kids, Happy Dogs by Barbara Shumannfang
Raising Puppies and Kids Together – A Guide For Parents by Pia Silvani and Lynn Eckhardt
Successful Dog Adoption by Sue Sternberg
The Right Way the First Time – Teaching Your Dog Kindly And Humanely by Alana Stevenson
How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves by Sophia Yin
Help for Your Fearful Dog by Nicole Wilde
DVDs for Pet Dog Owners
Paw-Sitive Dog Training – Allan Bauman
Ready to Rally! A Video Guide to APDT Rally – Clarissa Bergeman
Perfect Paws In 5 Days Featuring Jean Donaldson’s Modern Training Methods – Jean Donaldson
Dog Training for Children – Ian Dunbar
Sirius Puppy Training – Ian Dunbar
Training the Companion Dog Vol. 1, Socialization & Training – Ian Dunbar
Training the Companion Dog Vol. 2: Behavior Problems – Ian Dunbar
Training the Companion Dog Vol. 3, Walking & Heeling – Ian Dunbar
Training the Companion Dog Vol. 4, Recalls and Stays – Ian Dunbar
Crate Games for Self Control and Motivation – Susan Garrett
Lassie, Come! – Patricia McConnell
Really Reliable Recall: Train Your Dog to Come When Called … No Matter What! – Leslie Nelson
It’s Pawsible! Dog Training – Beth Ostrowski-Parks
The Dog Whisperer – Beginning & Intermediate Dog Training – Paul Owens
The Dog Whisperer – Problem Solving Volume 2 – Paul Owens
Train Your Dog – Nicole Wilde and Laura Bourhenne
Books and DVDs for New Puppy Owners
Quick & Easy Crate Training by Teoti Anderson
Your Outta Control Puppy by Teoti Anderson
Dog-Friendly Dog Training, 2nd Edition by Andrea Arden
Puppy’s First Steps – A Whole Dog Approach to Raising a Happy, Healthy, Well-Behaved Puppy by
Nicholas Dodman Lawrence Linder/Tufts UniversityBefore & After You Get Your Puppy by Ian Dunbar
How to Teach a New Dog Old Tricks by Ian Dunbar
Before You Get Your Puppy by Ian Dunbar
The Thinking Dog – Crossover to Clicker Training by Gail Fisher
The Whole Dog Journal Handbook of Dog and Puppy Care and Training by Nancy Kerns
When Pigs Fly – Training Success with Impossible Dogs by Jane Killion
Parenting Your Dog by Trish King
Family Friendly Dog Training – A Six Week Program for You and Your Dog
by Patricia McConnell and Aimee MooreWay to Go! How to Housetrain a Dog of Any Age by Patricia McConnell and Karen London
The Puppy Whisperer – A Compassionate, Nonviolent Guide to Early Training and Care by Paul Owens and Terence Cranendonk
Raising Puppies and Kids Together – A Guide For Parents by Pia Silvani and Lynn Eckhardt
Sirius Puppy Training DVD – Ian Dunbar
Training the Companion Dog Vol. 1, Socialization & Training DVD – Ian Dunbar
Books and DVDs for General Training Information
Quick & Easy Crate Training by Teoti Anderson
Dog-Friendly Dog Training, 2nd Edition by Andrea Arden
Small Dogs, Big Hearts by Darlene Arden
How to Teach a New Dog Old Tricks by Ian Dunbar
The Thinking Dog – Crossover to Clicker Training by Gail Fisher
Ruff Love by Susan Garrett
The Whole Dog Journal Handbook of Dog and Puppy Care and Training by Nancy Kerns
When Pigs Fly – Training Success with Impossible Dogs by Jane Killion
Parenting Your Dog by Trish King
Family Friendly Dog Training – A Six Week Program for You and Your Dog
by Patricia McConnell and Aimee MooreHow to Be the Leader of the Pack by Patricia McConnell
Play Together, Stay Together by Patricia McConnell and Karen London
Play With Your Dog by Pat Miller
Positive Perspectives 2: Know Your Dog, Train Your Dog by Pat Miller
Power of Positive Dog Training 2nd Edition by Pat Miller
The Dog Whisperer, 2nd Edition by Paul Owens
The Puppy Whisperer – A Compassionate, Nonviolent Guide to Early Training and Care by Paul Owens and Terence Cranendonk
Don’t Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor
The Right Way the First Time – Teaching Your Dog Kindly And Humanely by Alana Stevenson
How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves by Sophia Yin
Paw-Sitive Dog Training – Allan Bauman
Perfect Paws In 5 Days Featuring Jean Donaldson’s Modern Training Methods – Jean Donaldson
Training the Companion Dog Vol. 1, Socialization & Training DVD – Ian Dunbar
Training the Companion Dog Vol. 2: Behavior Problems DVD – Ian Dunbar
Training the Companion Dog Vol. 3, Walking & Heeling DVD – Ian Dunbar
Training the Companion Dog Vol. 4, Recalls and Stays DVD – Ian Dunbar
Crate Games for Self Control and Motivation – Susan Garrett
Lassie, Come! – Patricia McConnell
Really Reliable Recall: Train Your Dog to Come When Called … No Matter What! – Leslie Nelson
It’s Pawsible! Dog Training – Beth Ostrowski-Parks
The Dog Whisperer – Beginning & Intermediate Dog Training – Paul Owens
The Dog Whisperer – Problem Solving Volume 2 – Paul Owens
Train Your Dog – Nicole Wilde and Laura Bourhenne
Books and DVDs for Homes with Children and Dogs
Dog-Friendly Dog Training, 2nd Edition by Andrea Arden
Family Friendly Dog Training – A Six Week Program for You and Your Dog
by Patricia McConnell and Aimee MooreLiving With Kids and Dogs…Without Losing Your Mind by Colleen Pelar
Happy Kids, Happy Dogs by Barbara Shumannfang
Raising Puppies and Kids Together – A Guide For Parents by Pia Silvani and Lynn Eckhardt
Games & Rhymes for Dog Training Times – A Child’s Dog Training Book DVD by Allan Bauman
Dog Training for Children DVD – Ian Dunbar
Books for Dealing with Dog Behavior Problems
Cautious Canine, 2nd Edition by Patricia McConnell
Feisty Fido: Help for the Leash Aggressive Dog by Patricia McConnell and Karen London
Feeling Outnumbered? How to Manage and Enjoy a Multi-Dog Household by Patricia McConnell and Karen London
I’ll Be Home Soon by Patricia McConnell
Control Unleashed by Leslie McDevitt
On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals 2nd Edition by Turid Rugaas
Petiquette – Solving Behavior Problems in Your Multi-Pet Household by Amy Shojai
Help for Your Fearful Dog by Nicole Wilde