Nature Seeks Harmony, Not Confrontation, continued. Niki Tudge, CPDT-KA, NADOI-C, AABP CDT,
AABP CDBC is the founder and president of the Pet Professional Guild (PPG), a member organization that advocates for force-free dog training. Force-free training is teaching a dog without the use of pain, intimidation, threats, force or coercion. It is done without corrections, and without the use of any tools considered aversive, such as e-collars, prong or choke collars.
Niki Tudge, Bailey & Gizmo. The pet services industry is currently unregulated in the
United States. “Anyone can set themselves up to work as a dog trainer – regardless of qualifications, knowledge, skills, or experience,” said Niki. “Dog trainers may use training techniques that bring harm to dogs and deceive consumers as to the efficacy. Therefore, the onus is on the consumer – the pet owner/guardian – to educate themselves when selecting a ‘qualified’ dog trainer.” One of the big issues with regards to dog training, for
Niki and PPG, is how the information is marketed to the unknowing consumer. In the final chapter of the book “Pet Training and Behavior Consultant: A Model for Raising the Bar to Protect Professionals, Pets and Their People,” co- authored by Niki, a model for a Pet Industry Oversight Committee is presented. Once established at the state or regional level, the “Pet
Industry Executive Oversight Committee will monitor the pet industry’s continual evolution in the ongoing effort to bring about professionalization by increasing the standards of required education and service delivery while ensuring con- sumer transparency and protection.” Of the four quadrants in dog training (see page 68), Niki
utilizes two. “I only use two because I didn’t want to use pain or force to train my dog. I don’t need to,” she said. In the book, the co-authors wrote, “
...forceful restraint,
startling, invoking fear, pain and punishment are still com- monly practiced in the pet care industry, including in day care, boarding, groomers and training facilities, and by owners themselves. However, opinions as to what constitutes cruelty differ vastly depending on whom you ask.” “For some, any behavior or attitude toward an animal
that is not productive, helpful or in any way constructional to their physical and mental well-being is considered cruel or inhumane,” said Niki. “For others, there are very specific lines drawn between the animals we nurture in our homes, the ani- mals we farm for food production and the exotic and wild animals some admire and protect from afar, but that others yearn to hunt.”
64 THE NEW BARKER
www.TheNewBarker.com
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