PPG Podcast

Join Niki Tudge and Judy Luther as they chat and chuckle with Veronica Sanchez and Jenn Friedline about the damaging effect of dog trainers dispensing poor advice on social media.

Join Niki Tudge and Judy Luther as they chat and chuckle with Frania Shelley-Grielen about the pet services industry.Frania Shelley-Grielen is a professional animal behaviorist, dog trainer, and educator who holds a Masters Degrees in Animal Behavior from Hunter College and a Masters Degree in Urban Planning from New York University, complimenting her insight into behavior with an in-depth understanding of the built environment. She is a licensed Pet Care Technician Instructor, a registered therapy dog handler, a certified Doggone safe Bite Safety Instructor, and a professional member of the Pet Professional Guild and the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. Frania specializes in behavior modification work and training with cats, dogs, and birds and humane management for urban wildlife.Frania is the author of Cats and Dogs: Living With and Looking at Companion Animals From Their Point of View. She founded AnimalBehaviorist.us in 2009 to share her work on how welfare-based, science-focused strategies and solutions from the canine and feline point of view are more effective and make everyone happier, including the humans. Frania also taught the ASPCA’s Fundamentals of Dog Care course for the Houlton Institute where she is on the zoology faculty. She has worked on research projects at the Wildlife Conservation Society, the American Museum of Natural History, and the ASPCA in NYC. Frania presents and consults in the metropolitan New York area, nationally and internationally. She lives in New York City with her family and cats and dogs.

Listen as the PPG Advocacy Panel discusses how to stay motivated and afloat during challenging times. Advocacy Task Force Chair Don Hanson is your host and moderator, and the panelists are Laura Donaldson, Dayle Pierce, and Sam Wike. Enjoy learning some helpful tips from your colleagues!

Kim Silver fills in for Don Hanson as your host in this episode of the PPG Advocacy Panel about why we use positive reinforcement in pet training. Your panelists for this discussion are Beth Adelman, Pat Miller, Debbie Sheridan, Dr. Kristina Spaulding, Niki Tudge, and Dr. Karolina Westlund. Sit back, relax, and enjoy listening!

Join Niki Tudge as she hosts Jenn Friedline, Zuzanna (Zuzia) Kubica, and Veronica Sanchez in a lively discussion about how to teach loose-leash walking!

Join Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison as they chat and chuckle with the one and only Dr. Susan Friedman about behavior analysis.

In this episode, Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison chat and chuckle with Dr. Denise Johnson about house soiling issues in cats.Dr. Denise Johnson is a general practitioner of veterinary medicine and an International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) Certified Cat Behavior Consultant. Her special interests include behavioral health and low-stress handling. Her qualifications include Elite Fear Free Practitioner, Certified in Low Stress Handling–Silver, and Cat Friendly Veterinarian Certifications. In addition to being a certified member of the IAABC, she serves on their Ethics Committee and as a peer reviewer for the IAABC Journal. Dr. Johnson offers remote behavior consulting, vet-to-vet consultation, and is a member of the AVSAB’s Speakers Bureau. She spends her free time working on Committed to Claws, an education project that provides pet owners and pet professionals with resources to reduce the incidence of onychectomy.

In this episode, the PPG Advocacy Panel discusses ethics—what they are and why they are so important in the pet care professions.Your moderator is Don Hanson and panelists are Allison Hunter-Frederick, Dayle Pierce, Kim Silver, Holden Svirsky, and Niki Tudge.Relax and enjoy listening to the discussion!

Join PPG Founder and President Niki Tudge as she chats and chuckles with Veronica Sanchez of Cooperative Paws Service Dog Education , a PPG Corporate Partner, about her Service Dog Certificate (SDC) program.  Rolling enrollment for the SDC program is back! You can now take the course any time that's convenient for you. Listen to the episode for full details and more information about the program. Apply to the program by February 11 and get a free extra month to complete the course. Click here to learn more.

Join Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachovia- Finlaison as they chat and chuckle with Dr. Mary Gardner about all things senior cats! There is nothing better to Dr. Gardner than a dog with a grey muzzle or a skinny old cat! Her professional goal is to increase awareness and medical care for the geriatric veterinary patient and to help make the final life stage as peaceful as possible, surrounded with dignity and support for all involved. A University of Florida graduate, Dr. Gardner discovered her niche in end-of-life care and is a founder of Lap of Love, which has over 350 veterinarians around the country who are dedicated to veterinary hospice and euthanasia in the home. Dr. Gardner published two books on caring for geriatric pets: It's Never Long Enough (dogs) and Nine Lives Are Not Enough (cats). She is co-author of the textbook, The Treatment and Care of the Veterinary Patient, and co-author of a children’s activity book focused on saying goodbye to a dog called “Forever Friend.” Dr. Gardner also won the VMX Small Animal Speaker of the Year award in 2020!

Listen as the PPG Advocacy Panel discusses the people skills animal trainers and behavior consultants need to teach, counsel, and advocate. Your moderator is Don Hanson, chair of PPG's Advocacy Task Force. The panelists are Kristi Benson, Dayle Pierce, Debbie Sheridan, and Sam Wike. Make yourself comfortable and enjoy the discussion!

Join Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison as they chat and chuckle about performing cats and how to get them ready to do their thing! Melissa Millett is the founder and head trainer of In Dogs We Trust and The Ultimutts, and Ultimutt Animal Actors. She has trained thousands of family pets and is recognized globally as an animal expert. Melissa has been featured on major Canadian TV networks, including Breakfast Television (Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary), CP24, Global News, CTV (Toronto, Vancouver), Animal Planet, The Pet Network, and more. She is the host of the popular television shows Doggy House Calls and the spin-off series Doggy Diaries across Canada. Internationally acclaimed as an advanced trick trainer and performer with Ultimutts, Melissa's dogs have appeared on Good Morning America, The Rick Mercer Report, The Family Channel, and Canada's Got Talent. Bella the Boston terrier has traveled across the country with Ripley’s Believe it or Not! to promote her feature in the 2016 publication. Jellybean, the deaf Australian cattle dog, made it to the semifinals of the Facebook Watch show World's Most Amazing Dog, garnering 36 million views and narrowly missing the $100,000 USD prize! Melissa offers an elite service for animals in film and TV, with credits including Pet Sematary, Priscilla, Titans, a 2019 U.S. Super Bowl commercial, as well as commercials for Duracell, Yoplait, and Gund. Past clients have included Paramount, Netflix, Warner Brothers, and others.

In this episode, the PPG Advocacy Panel discusses pet obesity. Your host is PPG Advocacy Task Force Chair Don Hanson, and the panelists are Beth Adelman, Daniel Antolec, Judy Luther, Debbie Sheridan, and Kim Silver. Grab a healthy snack and enjoy the discussion!

Join Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachovia-Finlaison as they chat and chuckle with Dr. Sarah Brown about her book, The Hidden Language of Cats—How They Have Us at Meow! Sarah Brown gained her PhD on the social behavior of neutered domestic cats while working at the Anthrozoology Institute at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom. She has since worked as an independent cat behavior counselor and a consultant for the cat-toy industry, and has conducted research for and worked with several UK animal charities. She has authored and co-authored a number of cat books, including her recent popular science book, The Hidden Language of Cats—How They Have Us at Meow.

Join Niki Tudge as she chats and chuckles with Veronica Boutelle of dogbiz about the five steps to a thriving R+ training business!

Join Joanna Wachowiak-Finalison and Krista Schulte as they chat and chuckle with Alice Chau-Ginguene about comparing attitudes of cat ownership in Ireland and the U.S. Alice Chau-Ginguene is a clinical animal behaviorist with 15 years of experience specializing in cat behavior. Passionate about making animal science accessible and engaging, she is dedicated to enhancing the enjoyment between cats and humans, and improving feline mental health. Through her private practice Alice supports cat lovers worldwide. Her expertise and insights have made her a regular feature in media across Ireland, the U.S., and beyond, where she continues to advocate for better understanding and care of our feline companions.

Join Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison as they chat and chuckle with Dr. Zazie Todd, author of Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy, about the five pillars of feline welfare. Zazie Todd PhD is an animal behaviour expert and award-winning author. She got the world talking about happiness for pets with her first two books Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy and Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy. Her third book, Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog, will be published in October 2024. Todd is the creator of Companion Animal Psychology blog and has a column at Psychology Today. She has a PhD in psychology, is an honours graduate of the prestigious Academy for Dog Trainers, and has an Advanced Certificate of Feline Behaviour (with Distinction) from International Cat Care. Originally from the UK, she lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, a dog and a cat.

Join Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison as they chat and chuckle with Sassafras Patterdale (Lowrey) about tricks, games, and enrichment for cats! Sassafras Patterdale (Lowrey) CPDT-KA is an award-winning author whose books have been honored by organizations ranging from the American Library Association to the Dog Writers Association of America. Sassafras’ books include Tricks In The City, Healing/Heeling, and Chew This Journal: An Activity Book For You And Your Dog. Sassafras is also the author of the Cat Writers Association Finalist book, Claw This Journal: An Activity Book for Cat Lovers. Sassafras is a Certified Trick Dog Instructor (CTDI) and Certified Fear Free Professional who writes regularly about cat enrichment for magazines and publications across the country. Sassafras lives, writes and trains in Portland, Oregon. Learn more at www.SassafrasPatterdale.com. 

Don't miss this special episode from PPG's Advocacy Task Force in its series, Conversations About Compassionate Care and Connection! These special Advocacy Panels feature a special guest and two co-hosts.  The special guest for this Advocacy Panel is Dr. Karolina Westlund! Your Co-hosts: Judy Luther and Debbie Sheridan Your Moderator: ⁠PPG Advocacy Task Force⁠ Chair Don Hanson Enjoy listening to the Advocacy Panel’s informal, free-flowing discussion!

Join Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison as they chat and chuckle with Laura Monaco Torelli about cooperative care with cats! Laura Monaco Torelli is the founder of Animal Behavior Training Concepts in Chicago, Illinois. Her career began in 1991 with Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, where she was part of the animal care team for beluga whales, dolphins, sea otters, seals, river otters, and penguins. After nearly a decade at the Shedd, she moved on to the San Diego Zoo and then Brookfield Zoo as a lead supervisory trainer. During her time in the zoo community, Laura worked with a wide variety of species, including primates, large cats, birds of prey, horses, parrots, tree kangaroos, giraffes, red pandas, and dogs.  Laura is a faculty instructor of Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training & Behavior and serves as a teaching assistant for Dr. Susan G. Friedman’s Living & Learning with Animals online course. She has presented at professional conferences and taught seminars across the United States, Italy, Sweden, United Kingdom, Singapore, Japan, and Caribbean. She has been an invited speaker for numerous conferences that include the American Veterinary Medical Association Convention, Midwest Veterinary Conference, Penn Vet Working Dog Conference, ClickerExpo, and the Aggression in Dogs Conference.  Laura has appeared on various broadcast media, including FOX 32, WGN, NBC 5 news, WGN Radio with Steve Dale, and WCIU’s You & Me This Morning. She contributed training video content for the Fear Free Professional Trainer Certification program and the Karen Pryor Academy Better Vet Visits online course.

Join PPG Advocacy Task Force chair Don Hanson as he hosts a clowder of feline training and behavior experts for a discussion about the most misunderstood facts about cats and their behavior. Your panelists for this discussion are Dr. Zazie Todd, Beth Adelman, Allison Hunter-Frederick, Holden Svirsky, and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison. Enjoy listening to the Advocacy Panel’s informal, free-flowing discussion!

Join Niki Tudge as she chats and chuckles with Veronica Sanchez of Cooperative Paws Service Dog Education about her service dog coaching program!

Join Niki Tudge and Judy Luther as they chat and chuckle with Dr. Kristina Spaulding about her new classes and courses! Dr. Spaulding's educational offerings can be found on her website, Science Matters Academy of Animal Behavior.

Join Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison as they chat and chuckle with Grace Taylor about promoting your business by collaborating with cat sitters. Grace Taylor is the owner of Furever Friends Catsitting in Baltimore, Maryland. With a deep passion for animal welfare, she has been actively involved in cat rescue and fostering for many years, specializing in neonates. Grace has fostered over 180 cats and kittens, dedicating her life to providing loving homes and care for the most vulnerable felines.

Listen as the PPG Advocacy Panel addresses these important questions: What do we mean by violence? Why do some professionals and non-professionals choose violence? Why are empathy, compassion, and rewards a better choice? What can PPG members do to bring about change and to end the violence? Your moderator: PPG Advocacy Task Force Chair Don Hanson Your panelists: Daniel Antolec, Pat Miller, Dayle Pierce, Holden Svirsky, Melissa Taylor, Jennifer Van Valkenburg, Sam Wike

Listen to this fun-filled discussion about PPG's upcoming advocacy event, Celebrating Life Together, taking place in August and September 2024! Learn how you can help raise awareness for humane, ethical, and effective pet training and care, and win amazing prizes!

Listen as the PPG Advocacy Panel talks about ways to turn prospects into clients. Your Moderator: PPG Advocacy Task Force  Chair Don Hanson Your Advocacy Panel for this discussion: Dr. Eduardo Fernandez, Dr. Kristina Spaulding, Beth Adelman, Daniel Antolec, Allison Hunter-Frederick, Judy Luther, Sandra Machado, Debbie Sheridan, and Sam Wike Enjoy listening to the Advocacy Panel’s informal, free-flowing discussion!

Savannahs and Bengals (and spraying) ... oh my! Join Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison as they chat and chuckle with Michelle Martiya about working with hybrid cats! Michelle Martiya is an ABI certified exotic animal trainer who works with canines, equids, and exotic species. Michelle specializes in connecting and building relationships with fearful and feral equids, combining her natural ”way” with animals and her many years of experience, with a robust education in animal behavior and training. Michelle’s animal experience includes both domestic and exotic species, and she currently coaches people in training their animals through video conferencing and other virtual media through her company Essential Animal Training.

Join Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison as they chat and chuckle with Katlyn Grayson about making modifications for cats with mobility issues. Katlyn Grayson is a Fear Free Certified Professional (FFCP), Licensed Family Dog Mediator (LFDM), CertifiedProfessional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) and a Certified Cat Behavior Consultant (CCBC). She is the owner of Pets Knead Peace in Northeast Ohio providing in-person and virtual behavior assistance for dogs, cats and their guardians.  She began her behavior journey when she started working in animal shelters in 2009. Since then, she has filled a variety of roles at shelters, but her favorite are behavior-centric positions. Katlyn has been training professionally since 2019 and started her training and behavior consulting business in 2021. She specializes in animals withspecial needs, including mobility limitations; cat and dog introductions; shelter behavior work, which includes adjustment to a home post adoption; and cat and dog behavior modification. Katlyn loves teaching others about cat and dog body language as well as small modifications we can make to improve the lives of our pets. However, her ultimate goal is to improve the relationship people have with their pets through a better understanding of their pet’s body language and needs.

You don't want to miss this special episode! It's the first for a new Advocacy Task Force program called Conversations About Compassionate Care and Connection. These special Advocacy Panels feature a special guest and two co-hosts. The special guest for this Advocacy Panel is Dr. Laura Donaldson! Your Co-hosts: Judy Luther and Debbie Sheridan Your Moderator: PPG Advocacy Task Force Chair Don Hanson Enjoy listening to the Advocacy Panel’s informal, free-flowing discussion!

It's time to get real! Listen as the PPG Advocacy Panel discusses unrealistic expectations for pets, where those expectations come from, and how to diffuse them. Your moderator for this discussion is Don Hanson and the panelists are Dr. Kristina Spaulding, Daniel Antolec, Kristi Benson, Kim Silver, and Sam Wike.

Change can be good, especially when it comes to understanding cats better! Join Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison as they chat and chuckle with Beth Adelman about shifting people's perspectives about cat behavior. Beth Adelman, MS, is a Cat Behavior Consultant in Brooklyn, New York. Beth is currrently on the executive committee of the Pet Professional Guild’s Feline Division, and was a founding member of the Cat Division of the IAABC. She is the former editor in chief of Cats magazine and DogWorld and former cat columnist for the New York Post. She currently is a regular speaker and resident cat behaviorist at Meow Parlour, New York’s first cat café. Beth has worked as a writer and a speaker for the Every Cat Foundation and received their Media Appreciation Award in 2011. She has also been a speaker for Cat Camp, the Pet Professional Guild, Catsbury Park, the Cat Writers Association, IAABC, Kutztown University, Pet Sitters International, the Garden State Cat Club and the Cat Fanciers Association, and she has been a guest on many radio shows. She has edited more than 100 books about companion animals, many of them award winners.

In this episode, the PPG Advocacy Panel discusses changing a pet's behavior by changing human behavior. Your Moderator: PPG Advocacy Task Force Don Hanson Your Advocacy Panel for this discussion: Dr. Zazie Todd, Dr. Karolina Westlund, Beth Adelman, Daniel Antolec, Judy Luther, Sandra Machado, Pat Miller, Debbie Sheridan and Sam Wike Enjoy listening to the Advocacy Panel’s informal, free-flowing discussion!

You'll feel enriched after listening to Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison chat and chuckle with the incredible Kate Benjamin about environmental enrichment for cats! Founder of the cat style brand Hauspanther, Kate has been writing about cats and design since 2007. Her website hauspanther.com is the top online resource for design-conscious cat lovers. She has been interviewed as a cat style expert by The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, NY Daily News, CBS Sunday Morning, O, The Oprah Magazine and many other media outlets.  Kate co-authored with cat behaviorist Jackson Galaxy two New York Times bestselling books on residential design for living with cats, Catification and Catify to Satisfy. Kate made numerous guest appearances on Jackson’s show My Cat From Hell, where the duo put their catification skills to the test. Kate is now bringing her catification expertise to the shelter world, working with animal welfare organizations across the country to create beautiful, enriched environments for shelter cats. Kate’s passion and mission are to use design to make the world a better place for cats and the people who love them.

Join Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison as they chat and chuckle with Mary Stevens about how cat consultants can build relationships with veterinary practices. Shortly after Mary graduated from Villa Julie College with a degree in biology, she fell upon a job in veterinary medicine. She has now been a veterinary technician for almost two decades, and in 2022 she began her journey into feline behavior. Mary studied the basics of feline behavior and training through Animal Behavior College, receiving her certificate in December 2022. She began her mentorship with Laura Cassiday at Pawsitive Vibes Cat Behavior and Training in January 2023. Although new to the behavior field, Mary brings a unique perspective to the table with her years of experience in the world of veterinary medicine and through the relationships she has built with cat owners. Mary hopes to use her expertise to help owners understand their cats and to embrace the unique and special relationships they can have with them. 

Join Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison as they chat and chuckle with T. Hamboyan Harrison of A Cat's Purrspective about strategies for handling fearful cats. T Hamboyan Harrison is a cat behavior consultant at A Cat’s Purrspective, LLC. As a disabled person, T especially enjoys helping cats with chronic medical conditions. T has spent over a decade volunteering with cats in local rescues and shelters, and has several cats of their own at home. T has certifications through IAABC (CCBC, ACSB-C) and Fear Free Pets (FFCP, animal trainer) and is an active participant in online cat behavior conferences. T also serves on the board of directors of Diabetic Cats in Need, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping diabetic cats and their caregivers. T completed UVM’s Companion Animal End-of-Life Doula Certificate Program in February 2023, and is now offering cat end-of-life doula services. T is also passionate about human rights, fighting invasive plants, and character-driven video games.

Listen in as the PPG Advocacy Panel answers these questions: Are we trainers or teachers? What best describes what we do for our clients? Your moderator for this discussion is Don Hanson, and the panelists are Beth Adelman, Judy Luther, Sandra Machado, Kim Silver, and Sam Wike.

Join Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison as they chat and chuckle with Tabitha Kucera, RVT, VTS (Behavior), about cooperative care for cats—an important topic since significantly fewer cats than dogs see a veterinarian every year, and cooperative care can make vet visits less stressful and more comprehensive for cats! Tabitha Kucera is an Elite Fear Free and Low-Stress Handling Certified Registered Veterinary Technician, VTS (Behavior), Certified Cat Behavior Consultant, and Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner. She is the owner of Chirrups and Chatter Cat and Dog Behavior Consulting and Training in Cleveland, Ohio. She is a Fear Free certified speaker and coach, a Fear Free Practice Certification Consultant, host of the Tails from a Vet Tech podcast, and serves on the Pet Professional Guild’s Feline Division. Tabitha has helped to develop training and behavior programs for various veterinary hospitals and shelters, and she works as a consultant for many shelters and private veterinary practices.

Join Niki Tudge, Jean Donaldson, Judy Luther, and Rebekah King as they gather to officially launch PPG's new Pet Training Science Alliance (PTSA)! Learn about what the program is, how the program works, and how you can help support it as an educator or as a learner. Stay up to date on the latest PTSA projects here: https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/Pet-Training-Science-Alliance

Join Niki Tudge, Don Hanson and Judy Luther as they chat with Lorna Winter and Kat Williams of Zigzag Puppy Training App about the Zigzag Fellowship Program for PPG members!

Join Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison as they chat and chuckle with Katenna Jones of Jones Animal Behavior about working with dogs and cats together. Animal behavior is not a new field for Katenna, nor a hobby turned into a career—it's all she's ever done. She became a shelter volunteer in 1998 while earning a Bachelor's degree in biology, then went on to earn a Master's in psychology with a focus on animal behavior from Brown University. Katenna is Rhode Island's only Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and Certified Cat Behavior Consultant, and she is also a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant and Certified Fear Free. Katenna works virtually with families and their cats and dogs, and also provides professional development and coaching services locally, internationally, and online.  Cuddle up with your furry or feathered best friend, relax, and enjoy!

Join Niki Tudge as she chats with Dr. Marc Bekoff about his recent book, Dogs Demystified: An A-to-Z Guide to All Things Canine, including some annoying dog myths that are covered in the book. ⁠The book is available on Amazon here.

Join Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison as they chat and chuckle with Beth Brown about Control Unleashed for cats! Beth Brown (CDBC, CCBC, CSAT, CPDT-KSA, CCUI, FFCP) is passionate about educating people to advocate for and use force-free approaches to living with their animals. Specifically, teaching people and animals to communicate more effectively together using Leslie McDevitt's Control Unleashed pattern games is the most rewarding thing she does. Beth works with private clients through her behavior-consulting business, Ear to Tail, and on a variety of behavior issues for both dogs and cats, though she specializes in separation anxiety. And while she primarily works with cats and dogs, she has been known to train any animal she has access to whenever possible. 

Grab your favorite snack or beverage, and settle in to listen as the PPG Advocacy Panel discusses the why and how of teaching our students the importance of understanding our pets' emotions and body language. Don Hanson is your moderator for this discussion, and the panelists are Beth Adelman, Daniel Antolec, Judy Luther, Sandra Machado, Kim Silver, and Sam Wike.

Listen as the PPG Advocacy Panel addresses these five important questions: What are the PPG Guiding Principles? What is LIMA? How do the PPG Guiding Principles and LIMA differ, and why does it matter? How do we get our profession to better understand the differences between these approaches to self-regulation? How do we get the average person with a pet to understand the importance of ethical standards and principles in our profession, considering it is under-regulated? Don Hanson is your moderator for this discussion, and the panelists are Niki Tudge, Dr. Eduardo Fernandez, Dr. Zazie Todd, Sue Kocher, Debbie Sheridan, and Kim Silver.

Join Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison as they chat and chuckle with Alejandra López Irala of Rasca y Pica in Buenos Aires, Argentina, about how to make your cat behavior consulting business stand out. Alejandra is a Certified Cat Behavior Consultant, CCBC. She is the owner of Rasca y Pica, whose goal is to help everyone learn about cats and highlight their welfare.  Her life focuses on the domestic feline so she can help people better understand and relate to their pets, leading to a stronger bond and a more rewarding relationship between animal and human.  She loves teaching others through writing, behavior consulting on all things cat related, including feline behavior. She is an active member of Pet Professional Guild, Member of International Companion Animal Network, and Fear Free. Ale is passionate about continuing education and has completed university level veterinary extension courses, AVEPA, Karen Pryor Academy, NAC, Maddie’s Fund. She has a degree in Management as well as being a Veterinary Assistant for over 8 years and has worked many times at the University of Florida at Operation Catnip. She has worked in organizations, rescues, and with pet owners throughout Argentina and part of the USA. She is currently completing her degree in Environmental Management. Ale never spends a day without a cat, and is still surprised every time she sees one. She loves to use all her time and resources to take classes, attend workshops and all kinds of topics related to animal welfare in Argentina and other countries. After 10 years of hard work, training and research, she is proud to have co-created the First Feline Festival exclusively in Spanish.

Join Niki Tudge and Judy Luther as they chat and chuckle with Dale Ward of Dale's Dog Training Academy about her book, Raising the Worst Dog Ever: A Survival Guide—winner in the Human/Animal Bond category of the 2020 Dog Writers Association of America competition!

Join PPG's Feline Division Chair Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison as they chat and chuckle with Dr. Mikel Delgado of Feline Minds about play and enrichment for cats! Be on the lookout for Dr. Delgado's new book, Play With Your Cat, coming out in February 2024!

Join the PPG Advocacy Panel for a discussion about the most misunderstood facts about dogs. It's a long list! Your moderator for this panel is Don Hanson, and the panelists are Judy Luther, Sam Wike, K. Holden Svirsky, Aaron Jones, Sandra Machado, Kristi Benson, and Daniel Antolec. Enjoy listening to the Advocacy Panel's informal, free-flowing discussion of misunderstood facts about dogs!