Pet Professional Guild Appoints New Board Member to Support Ongoing International Growth

TAMPA, Fla. - Nov. 1, 2015 - PRLog -- Tampa, FL – The Pet Professional Guild (PPG), an independent non-profit organization dedicated to promoting educational initiatives for the purpose of force-free training and pet care, has appointed a new board member with a view to greater expansion

PPG announced the establishment of its first overseas chapter, Australia, in April 2015 after members of the Delta Professional Dog Trainers Association (DPDTA) voted overwhelmingly to become PPG Australia. Later that month, PPG announced the opening of its second international chapter in the British Isles. Just four months later, PPG opened its first chapter in East Asia, PPG Singapore.

The launch of these chapters will be instrumental as PPG continues in its quest to promote humane, scientifically sound training methods for pets worldwide. By spreading its international reach, PPG has been able to generate yet more benefits for its members such as training, an automatic global support network of peers and professionals, and access to a vast range of educational and marketing collateral.

“I am truly honored, humbled and excited to have been asked to serve on the board of PPG,” said Debra Millikan. “I look forward to working for the benefit of the Guild, its guiding principles and, most importantly, its members. In particular, I am looking forward to working with PPG members in the Southern Hemisphere to help spread the force-free message amongst pet professionals and pet owners alike.”

“In terms of PPG’s future development goals it is important that we have localized board level leadership to help and support our international brand assimilate positively within local markets and cultures,” added Niki Tudge, PPG’s founder and president.

PPG will shortly be announcing a second new board member, to represent the British Isles. Meanwhile, PPG continues to go from strength to strength, with membership numbers on the rise, more international chapters in the offing, the recent launch of the Pet Professional Accreditation Board credentialing program for canine training and behavior professionals, and the inaugural PPG educational force-free summit taking place in Tampa, Florida from November 11-13, 2015.

About Pet Professional Guild

The Pet Professional Guild is a 501(c)6 a member organization founded on the principles of force-free training and pet care. Its membership represents pet industry professionals who are committed to force-free training, pet care philosophies, practices and methods. Pet Professional Guild members understand force-free to mean: no shock, no pain, no choke, no fear, no physical force, no physical molding, and that no compulsion-based methods are employed to train or care for a pet.

About Debra Millikan

Debra Millikan has studied canine behavior extensively, attaining a diploma in Dog Training and Behavior Consulting and another in Animal Behavior Science and Technology from the Companion Animal Sciences Institute, as well as holding a Certificate IV in Dog Behavioral Training from the Delta Society and the UK-based Competency Assessment CAP 2 qualification. She and her business partner, Laura Brady, have established a registered training organization, Animals on Course, to teach others about force-free methods of animal handling in the Animal Care and Management Industry. She is also a board member of both the Companion Animal Sciences Institute and the Association of Animal Behaviour Professionals, a member of the steering committee of the Pet Professional Guild, an evaluator for the Canine Life and Social Skills (CLASS) program and winner of the 2013 Trainer of the Year and Susan Wilkins Achievement Awards from the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia.