Chat & Chuckle: The Ethics of Pet Shows

Chat & Chuckle: The Ethics of Pet Shows

Tune in as Niki Tudge, Dayle Pierce, Jenn Friedline, and Erika Liljefelt chat about pet shows and conformation. How ethical are they, and what needs to change? Recorded June 11, 2026. The Price of the Ribbon: While the public often sees the polished glamour of major conformation dog shows, there is also another side to the conversation - one that focuses on animal welfare, health, and quality of life. It is important to acknowledge that many exhibitors care deeply about their dogs, provide excellent care, and genuinely enjoy participating in shows with their canine companions. Many dogs also appear to enjoy aspects of the experience and are not subjected to all of the concerns discussed below. Nevertheless, critics of the conformation show world continue to raise important questions about how some dogs are housed, transported, handled, groomed, and judged. The following are ten of the most commonly cited welfare concerns associated with major conformation events: 1. Extreme and Prolonged Confinement ("Warehousing") 2. High-Stress Transport Logistics 3. The "Exhibitor's Blind Spot" to Environmental Stress 4. Cosmetic Invasiveness and Forced Grooming Restraint 5. Intrusive and Forceful Ring Handling 6. Intrusive Physical Exams by Strangers 7. Suppression of Natural Behaviors and Emotional Regulation 8. Deprivation of Social and Behavioral Enrichment 9. Lack of Standardized Veterinary Oversight During Events 10. Prioritizing Aesthetics Over Functional Biomechanics The Core Ethical Conflict: The future of conformation showing does not have to be a choice between celebrating breeds and protecting welfare. Many people within the show community are already advocating for healthier breed standards, improved welfare practices, and greater recognition of the emotional and physical well-being of the dogs involved. Meaningful progress is most likely to come through open discussion, ongoing research, thoughtful breeding practices, welfare-focused judging criteria, and a willingness to continually re-evaluate traditions in light of what we now know about canine health and behavior. Whether you agree with all, some, or none of the concerns discussed above, one principle should unite everyone involved: every dog deserves a life that prioritizes health, welfare, choice, enrichment, and quality of life alongside any competitive achievements.

PPG Advocacy Panel: "Beyond Belly Rubs" with Niki Tudge and Louise Stapleton-Frappell

In this episode, Niki Tudge & Louise Stapleton-Frappell Join Us to Discuss Their New Book, Beyond Belly Rubs: The Compassionate Pet Guardian [https://dognosticseducation.com/dn-courses/beyond-the-belly-rubs-the-compassionate-pet-guardian/] Hosted by: Don Hanson Panelists: Dayle Pierce and Tasha Attwood About Beyond Belly Rubs This book was written because love, while essential, is often asked to do too much work on its own. ·    Love does not automatically teach us how fear works in the brain. ·    Love does not explain why a dog can know a cue at home and seem to forget it outside. ·    Love does not tell us how to respond when kindness alone doesn’t seem to help. That isn’t a failure of love. It’s a gap in guidance.  This book exists to help bridge that gap. You don’t need to be a trainer, behaviorist, or expert in learning theory. You don’t need to memorize terminology or follow rigid rules. What you do need is a way to understand what your dog is communicating, how learning actually happens, and how to make choices that protect both emotional and physical well-being - without fear, force, or guilt. At its heart, this book is about turning care into clarity. It offers a calm, science-based framework to help you make sense of your dog’s behavior, respond with confidence rather than frustration, and build a relationship rooted not just in love, but in understanding, safety, and trust.  ·    You are not behind. ·    You are not failing. You are here - and that already tells us a great deal about the kind of guardian you are.

Chat & Chuckle: Chatting About Behavior Acquisition

In this episode Niki Tudge, Dayle Pierce, and Jenn Friedline chat about behavior acquisition, training mechanics, and much more!

Scholarly Circle – Professional dog trainers’ perspectives on training methods: ethical and evidentiary insights with Dr. Jamie DeLeeuw

Recorded April 7, 2026.    You can download the research paper ⁠here⁠ [https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2026.1744448/full].  This research was funded by the Pet Professional Guild’s Pet Training Science Alliance Program. The APC was funded by Grand Valley State University. Academic Mentor: Jamie DeLeeuw, PhD, is a community psychologist and evaluation leader specializing in animal welfare systems. She is the Founder of Community Research Plus, where she leads mixed-method research and evaluation initiatives grounded in ecological systems theory and an implementation science lens. Her work examines professional decision-making, governance structures, stakeholder attitudes, and policy-to-practice gaps shaping humane outcomes for animals. She previously served as Director of Evaluation and Impact for Austin/American Pets Alive!, leading national performance measurement and data initiatives across shelter networks. Academic Paper Abstract The professional dog training field sits at the intersection of applied behavioral science, ethics, and lived experience. Despite its significant animal welfare implications, it remains largely unregulated. This primarily qualitative study, complemented by quantitative analyses, examined how professional trainers with differing methodological orientations conceptualize humane and effective practice. Using stratified sampling, 35 trainers affiliated with independent certification directories (17 reward-based; 18 mixed methods) completed a pre-screen survey and semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed to explore associations among training approach, certification, and demographics, as well as differences in ethical reasoning, evidentiary interpretation, and views on industry regulation. Across orientations, trainers consistently identified positive reinforcement as their most frequently used and effective method, expressed strong commitments to canine emotional well-being and owner education, and voiced concern over the industry’s lack of professional regulation. However, ethical and epistemic orientations diverged. While both groups evaluated methods in relation to canine welfare and behavioral outcomes, reward-based trainers more often grounded their practice in behavioral science and articulated deontological concerns regarding the intentional use of fear or pain. Mixed methods trainers more frequently employed consequentialist reasoning, supporting conditional use of aversive methods in specific contexts and placing comparatively greater emphasis on practitioner-based expertise when interpreting evidence. Although mixed methods trainers reported using positive reinforcement most often, they rated positive punishment and positive reinforcement as equally effective in independent assessments. Overall, the findings depict a profession characterized by ethical pluralism and epistemic tension, yet marked by sustained reflection and adaptive learning. To strengthen professional cohesion and enhance the practical relevance of future research and ethical frameworks, we recommend structured adversarial collaboration embedded within a community-based participatory research approach.

March 2026 PPG Advocacy Panel: Guardians & Professionals Working Together to Help Pets

Your moderator: ⁠PPG Advocacy Task Force⁠  [https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/advocacy/] Chair Don Hanson Today’s panelists: Tasha Attwood, Rebekah King, Kim Silver, &Jennifer Van Valkenburg