The Pet Professional Guild Celebrates Community Outreach Milestone. Regional Behavior Teams Expand

ORLANDO, Fla. - Oct. 2, 2026 - PRLog -- The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) today spotlighted the success of its regional outreach initiative following a major community appearance by the Behavior Team of the Bay Area at Bark in the Park™ San Jose, the nation's largest dog festival held at William Street Park.

The Bay Area team's bustling, high-traffic booth engaged crowds of dog guardians throughout the day, answering questions and introducing local pet lovers to humane, science-based training and care options. The event underscored the tangible value of PPG's Behavior Teams program, which unites regional force-free professionals across disciplines to conduct joint community outreach, educate guardians, and establish reliable local referral networks.

"I'm absolutely delighted to see that the Behavior Teams concept is now moving into local marketing and group marketing," said Niki Tudge, President of The Pet Professional Guild. "Behavior Teams is a fabulous opportunity for local force-free trainers to get together, support each other, and refer clients to each other. And it doesn't just cover training professionals—it covers all types of pet care, including pet sitters, veterinarians, and behavior consultants,  across multiple specialties and species. When a trainer is working on a case, they have a fabulous referral partnership to lean on, ensuring pet guardians receive the comprehensive support they need."

During the San Jose festival, the regional team connected with guardians seeking guidance on positive-reinforcement methodologies, behavior modification, and humane management strategies.

"I was deeply moved by the overwhelming public interest in force-free and fear-free training and behavior consulting," said Erika Liljefelt, Team Leader of the Behavior Team of the Bay Area. "The continuous engagement at our booth made it abundantly clear how hungry pet guardians are for humane, compassion-based alternatives to outdated, compliance-focused training. Seeing so many people eager to partner with kind, compassionate, and empathetic professionals was truly invigorating for our team."

With 11 regional teams active globally, PPG's Behavior Teams initiative serves both the public and local industry professionals by fostering multidisciplinary cooperation among force-free veterinarians, trainers, behavior consultants, groomers, and pet care specialists.

To complement these grassroots local efforts, PPG provides extensive public resources, including a complimentary Pet Owner Membership. This free membership grants pet guardians access to educational webinars, science-based behavioral guides, advocacy toolkits, and a subscription to Pets & Their People magazine.
https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/programs/behavior-te...
To learn more about The Pet Professional Guild, locate a regional Behavior Team, or access force-free pet care resources, visit www.petprofessionalguild.com