Pretty much anyone can call themselves a dog trainer. Being a highly unregulated industry, dog training as a whole is still trying to figure out a way to standardize expertise, establish a code of ethics, and communicate all of that to dog owners.
Enter the concept of certified behavior professionals. A certification program for dog trainers ensures that:
- Certified dog trainers are able to educate the public about canine behavior and learning theory according to sound scientific principles
- Certified dog trainers adhere to scientific and humane training methods
- Clients have a regulatory board that they can report trainers to if someone should fail to behave professionally or ethically
- Certified dog trainers are encouraged to continue their education in animal behavior and remain aware of new information
On your end, this makes finding a reputable professional and doing your due diligence much easier.
What is a Certified Dog Trainer?
A dog trainer is primarily focused on teaching basic to advanced obedience, dog sports, and manners. If you’ve just added a puppy to your household, a dog trainer can help you work on housetraining, crate training, impulse control, and other lifelong skills. Or, if you want to start challenging your dog, you can use a dog trainer for agility courses, rally, and other sports.
Some dog trainers tackle problem behaviors as part of their repertoire. Think excessive barking, pulling on the leash, or destructive chewing. Don’t be afraid to ask about their methods, their experience, and their education.
Typically, dog trainers offer three types of classes: private lessons, group classes, and online training. Gentle Beast specializes in the third, giving you access to certified trainers no matter your location or level of access.
While board-and-train programs are relatively common, they tend not to be recommended. Often, dogs become well-trained at a facility or their trainer’s home, but without extensive follow-up and reinforcement by the owner, they quickly revert to old habits when they return home.
Certifications you should look for:
- CPDT-KA or CPDT-KSA (Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers)
- KPA-CTP (Karen Pryor Academy)
- CTC (The Academy for Dog Trainers)
- Fear Free Certified (Fear Free)
This is by no means an exhaustive list. There are tons of certification programs for dog trainers out there! The most important part is that your dog trainer holds a certification from a regulatory board and has committed themselves to providing you with the tools and resources to train and bond with your dog.
What is a Canine Behavior Consultant?
If your dog is struggling with more serious problems, such as separation anxiety, resource guarding, reactivity, or noise phobia, your trainer may recommend that you consult a canine behavior consultant. Many dog trainers hold certifications as both trainers and behavior consultants, which can make that even easier for you.
A canine behavior consultant tackles more serious behavioral disorders and seeks to address the root cause of them, not the symptom. Because of this, they often work with veterinary behaviorists if they believe your dog may benefit from pharmaceutical aid.
While a dog trainer is primarily concerned with learning theory, a canine behavior consultant has a background in canine cognition, ethology and behavior analysis.
Certifications you should look for:
- CBCC-KA (Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers)
- CDBC (International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants)
What is a Veterinary Behaviorist?
If your trainer or behavior consultant recommends you talk to a veterinary behaviorist, they’re calling in the big guns. Don’t panic—veterinary behaviorists work in a highly specialized field. They function more like psychiatrists than trainers, and typically get recommended for cases that have less to do with training and more to do with trauma or neurological issues.
A veterinary behaviorist may deal with:
- Pica (compulsive eating of non-food items)
- Anxiety or phobias
- Aggression towards humans or other animals
- Over-grooming
- Obsessive compulsive disorders
A board-certified veterinary behaviorist or a certified applied animal behaviorist possesses an advanced graduate degree in animal behavior sciences. In order to qualify, they must have:
- Completed post-graduate education in a behavioral science, receiving a Master’s or Ph.D., or graduated from an accredited veterinary school and possess a veterinary license
- Completed a supervised residency where they oversaw behavioral caseloads
- Authored a scientific paper published in a peer-reviewed journal with original research
- Written three peer-reviewed case reports
- Passed a comprehensive exam
Because of this, certified trainers and behavior consultants are careful not to call themselves behaviorists to avoid any confusion.
There is one exception: non-US countries use the terminology a little differently. If you find someone calling themselves a behaviorist, check their credentials and make sure you’re hiring the right person for your needs.
As of 2023, there are only 72 veterinary behaviorists in the US. It’s a highly specialized field!
Certifications you should look for:
- AVSAB (American College of Veterinary Behaviors)
- CAAB (Animal Behavior Society)
Is a Balanced Trainer the Same Thing?
A “balanced” trainer employs a mix of rewards and aversive consequences in order to modify behavior. While this may make intuitive sense to humans, balanced training and force-free/positive reinforcement training are not compatible. Multiple studies have shown that the use of aversives in dog training results in higher rates of anxiety and aggression, and is not correlated with a reduction in problem behaviors.
It’s also important to note that there are no recognized certifications for a balanced trainer, and that the use of aversives would disqualify them from receiving any of the above. Both the CCPDT and the IAABC require that their qualifying trainers follow Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive Effective Behavior Intervention Policy (LIMA), which requires trainers eliminate the use of positive punishment and prioritize the wellness of both the client and the dog.
Examples of positive punishment can include: shock or e-collars, leash corrections, prong or choke collars.
Many famous force-free trainers are public about having used aversive techniques in the past. Because the dog training industry has evolved so much over the decades, this is not inherently disqualifying. Some of the best green flags in a trainer or behavior consultant are a demonstrated history of continuing their education, a willingness to admit their flaws, and a commitment to updating their skills.
