ADVOCACY
Project Trade at Work
Susan Kendrick reports on the Central Florida Force-Free Trainers’ participation in Paws in the Park
T
he annual Orlando Pet Alliance Paws in the Park event, held on February 11, 2017 at Lake Eola in downtown Orlando, Florida, was a huge success. Each year the event brings thousands of dog parents out to learn more about the Pet Alliance, check out adoptable dogs, learn about dock diving and agility, and benefit from visiting the many vendors present, one of which was the Central Florida Force-Free Trainers and Veterinary Behavior Network, www .forcefreeflorida.org. As a network, our goal is to teach, guide and coach animal caregivers how to use force-free methods, rewards, 16
Amanda Burger (left) and Susan Kendrick display some of the gear they traded for nopull harnesses
(Left to right) Amanda Burger, Todd Campbell and Susan Kendrick were on hand to educate dog guardians about force-free training methods
BARKS from the Guild/May 2017
One pet owner looks happy after making the trade -- and so does his dog
and respect to build a bond of mutual trust and love with their pets. I am happy to say we stayed busy all day with interested pet parents wanting to learn more about modern, scientifically sound training methods. The network’s Amanda Burger of Every Dog Has Its Day, Susan Kendrick of Bowser College Inc., and Todd Campbell of South Orlando Dog Training showed great enthusiasm and a non-judgmental attitude that was infectious and drew people in to discuss force-free options. In addition, we also highlighted PPG’s Project Trade gear swap program, www .petprofessionalguild.com /Project-Trade, and had an