New Year, New Pet - Things to Consider
This panel presentation, with a range of species experts, will present and chat about preparing and getting a new pet. Learning and understanding about the things you can look for and then put into place with a new pet can make all the difference in the world - for both you and your pet.
Learning Objectives
* What does a really 'good life' look like for our pets
* What do our pets need to thrive - different pets, they are all individuals
* What should you know and look for before getting a pet
* What do you need to get to set up for the arrival of your new pet
* What is really responsible pet guardianship
About The Presenters
Andrea Carne is a Feline Professional Member of PPGA and a Certified Cat Behaviour Consultant through IAABC. Based in Tasmania, she helps cat guardians solve feline behavioural issues of all shapes and sizes through her business "Cattitude". Offering in-home and virtual consultations, Andrea works on everything from aggression and house-soiling to cats fearful of human touch .... and even shoe thieves! But, most of all, she loves helping humans ensure their cats are living their best lives.
Margaret A Gray - Diploma Canine Behaviour Science & Technology (CASI); Living & Learning with Animals (Prof S Friedman).
I came from a family of cat lovers but wore them down for a dog when I was 13. Dad’s criteria was that I always attended to her needs first – because she couldn’t open the fridge. 60 years later my dogs still get fed before me. I wanted to learn about dogs so joined Brush Farm Obedience Club (1966) and read the ground breaking behaviour author Konrad Lorenz, amongst others. At Uni we were taught the value of critical thinking and evidence-based decision-making which has formed my approach to all things dog - and parenting. Fast forward a few decades, along the way my husband and I worked in the pet and stock feed industry, giving us big insights into quality nutrition, a passion still. We now breed dogs for a hobby; Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers.
My aim is to offer everyone an opportunity for a great (canine) relationship and so I use skills developed in counselling to explore what might be best for each individual situation. We love rearing puppies and having also studied behavioural science, I have been interested to see breeders generally learn more about developing great pups. Most importantly we enjoy supporting owners transition pups to their homes and the advent of online classes has made that even more effective in recent years.
Kate Shaw has over 20 years’ experience using positive reinforcement with horses. She is passionate about fear, aggression, and helping people get started using food safely and effectively in training. She also works with dogs, cats, rats and other species. Kate has several rescue horses with traumatic histories, giving her both personal and professional experience of how effective force-free training, combined with species-appropriate care and management is, for even the most severe behaviour challenges. She holds a Bachelor of Psychological Science, is enrolled in a Master of Applied Behaviour Analysis (alongside a law degree), and serves on the PPGA Committee.
Kerryn Martin is a PPGA Professional Dog Trainer Member and is also an active Committee member at PPGA. She is a passionate, positive reinforcement dog behaviour trainer with many years of experience and skills working with both puppies (lots of classes) and one-on-one behaviour consults. "Working with puppies is my passion and is so important as we can truly help shape their start in life to ensure wonderful pets for life". She also works alongside several Behaviour Vets to help those dogs that need some extra support with more complicated behaviour cases. Kerryn runs k9 manners dog training in Melbourne and Positive Puppies FB Group (for trainers).