If your family includes someone between 8 and 20 years old who wants to play a significant role in caring for the family pet or who has told you he wants to work with animals when he grows up, you need to read this.
I’ve been a pet care professional for almost 30 years now, and I am always delighted when I see a whole family—the parents and the children—actively caring for and bonding with their pets. That’s why we have always allowed children to participate in our training classes under their parents’ supervision. Some of these children have grown up and become employees in my business, working as pet care technicians, groomers, and trainers.
Even if a career involving animals isn't in their future, young people can gain invaluable life lessons from learning about and caring for family pets. Our pets, sentient, living, breathing, and feeling creatures, rely on us to meet their needs. Caring for a pet teaches the value of empathy, responsibility, and the importance of prioritizing another's needs over our own. A pet can be a source of joy and comfort, contributing to a youngster's well-being as a playmate, a snuggle buddy, or a quiet listener. Even as adults, we often find solace and comfort in our pets during difficult times.
Whitney Houston's song 'The Greatest Love of All' reminds us, 'I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way.' I wholeheartedly agree with those lyrics. That's why I'm thrilled that The Pet Professional Guild has a program designed specifically for young people aged 8 to 20. The PPG Junior Membership program is not just another program; it's a crucial step in shaping the future generation of pet care professionals.
The goal of PPG’s Junior Membership program is to help young people learn about and understand pet care and to give them insight into the possibility of working with animals in the future in a force-free, fear-free way. The Pet Professional Accreditation (PPAB) Board even offers a free junior credentialing program for applicants who agree to the PPG’s Guiding Principles and Code of Ethical Conduct. These principles and code are not just rules, they are a commitment to the well-being of animals, the same commitment I must uphold as a Professional Certified Canine Behavior Consultant-Accredited (PCBC-A) by the PPAB.
As one who has hired many high school and college students over the years, I can assure you that an individual with a PPG Junior Membership on his employment application would go to the top of our list for consideration as a member of the Green Acres team. You can learn more at https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/join-ppg/junior-membership/
I believe so strongly in PPG’s Junior Membership Program that Green Acres Kennel Shop and ForceFreePets offer a scholarship program for young adults between the ages of 8 and 20. Applicants must complete a ForceFreePets.com Puppy and Rescue Headstart-ONLINE class or our Basic Manners class with their families. Upon doing so, they need to let me know, and they will get an invitation to a Pet Professional Guild Junior Membership.
Don Hanson lives in Bangor, Maine, where he is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop (greenacreskennel.com) and the founder of ForceFreePets.com, an online educational resource for people with dogs and cats. He is a Professional Canine Behavior Consultant (PCBC-A) accredited by the Pet Professional Accreditation Board (PPAB)and a Bach Foundation Registered Animal Practitioner (BFRAP). Don is a member of thePet Professional Guild (PPG), where he serves on the Board of Directors and Steering Committee and chairs the Advocacy Committee. He is also a founding director of Pet Advocacy International (PIAI). In addition, Don produces and co-hosts The Woof Meow Showpodcast,available at http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts/,the Apple Podcast app, and Don's blog: www.words-woofs-meows.com.The opinions in this post are those of Don Hanson.
