Is My Trainer Certified? (or, the jungle of dog training certification)

The following post is courtesy of one of our staff at Dogs in the Park, Helen Prinold.  Thanks Helen, this is a gem!


There can be lots of letters after your prospective dog trainer’s name:

AAB CTB       CDT.CCS      CDBC              ABCDT        CPDT      CBCC     IAAB     IPDTA-CDT are just a few.  How do you know what they mean and what to look for in a professional?

You may want to look at the list below and what the “letters” mean when you’re trying to decide who to trust to work with you and your dog!

There are a few ways to follow a career path for dog trainers and people who work with dog behaviour.  For a quick overview check out this previous blog post and these posts from the Canadian Association of Professional Dog Trainers and the (U.S. based) Association of Pet Dog Trainers.

So what are the qualifications of folks who are advertising their expertise with “multiple letters”?

 

Historically, dog behaviour professionals and dog trainers tended to get qualified in one of two ways – they apprenticed with someone who did dog training and behaviour work or they learned dog training in the police force.  Formal degrees and certifications either did exist or weren’t widely advertised.

Currently, you have a mix of trainers who have those “multiple letters” after their names – people who learned from other trainers (worked in animal shelters or competed their dogs in sports), some who have degrees in animal behaviour from universities, others who have taken correspondence programs or short one or two day courses and some – by simply paying a membership fee.  

There is no required or mandatory certification or licence needed to be a professional dog trainer or dog behaviour specialist in Ontario. 

Because multiple certifications are allowed and there is no provincial dog trainer licensing system you must do you homework and “buyer beware”.   

No doubt professionals with the letters on their business cards are likely hoping that the certification will reassure you and imply they are qualified.  And certifications can show you’re dealing with someone who has studied and worked with dogs for many years and has been independently examined on their knowledge and skills.   Also, some of the letters after your potential trainer’s name may simply indicate they are a member of a industry trade association or group of like-minded friends. 

They also might indicate the professional is a vet (DVM) who may (or may not) have had training in dog behaviour.   Regardless of vet behaviour expertise, it’s really important to have your vet as part of your dog care team – to look at the whole of your dog (a holistic or “whole” view that looks at their physical and emotional health as both areas are related and influence each other).

This review of qualifications should help you be aware of the background of your trusted dog professional.

CERTIFICATIONS (North American)

Acronym	Full Name	Owner of Certification	Certification Requirements
CAAB or Associate CAAB	Certified Applied Animal Behaviourist	The Animal Behavior Society	Must have a Master's or Ph.D. degree in a behavioral science with specific courses in animal learning, and ethology (behavior) from a university. Earning a DVM or VMD, with advanced training in animal behaviour also allows certification.
DACVB	Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists	American College of Veterinary Behaviorists  (professional organization of veterinarians who have achieved board-certification in the specialty of Veterinary Behavior)	Veterinary degree and two additional years of coursework, but especially hands-on training with a board-certified veterinarian
CABC or CDBC	Certified Animal Behavior Consultant (covers all species including dog) Certified Dog Behaviour Consultant	International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants	A minimum of 3 years and 1500 hours in animal behavior consulting; 500 hours minimum of coursework, seminars and mentorship related to the core areas of competency; the ability to communicate clearly through written work and case studies, and demonstrable knowledge of all 6 Core Areas of Competency. Veterinary Behaviorists and ACAABs and CAABs are granted membership with the submission of three (3) applicable case studies
CPDT or CPDT-KA CBCC or CBCC-KA	Certified Professional Dog Trainer Certified Behavior Consultant Canine – Knowledge Assessed	Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers	5 years of training experience plus a passing score on a national well-respected exam administered by an independent testing agency (may add – Knowledge Assessed when completed practical work of over 300 hours and exam)
CCAB	Certified Clinical Behavior Consultant	Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour	Must be currently-active practitioners with extensive clinical experience who demonstrate that they possess appropriate skills, knowledge and abilities - including an Honours or higher degree in a relevant subject, appropriate specialist courses, and at least three years of regular clinical experience.
CDT, CDTA	Certified Dog Trainer (may add Advanced)	International Association of Canine Professionals	Written exam including case studies and client/colleague references, practical evaluation via video, being a CDT for one year, having 5 years experience for advanced certification.
CTC	Certificate in Training and Counselling	San Francisco SPCA Dog Training Academy	Six-week program on-site in San Francisco
ABCDT	Animal Behaviour College Certified Dog Trainer	Animal Behavior College  (private school)	Correspondence courses
CCS	Canine Communications Studies	Norma Jeanne dog training (private school)	Correspondence courses as of Mar, 2010 must pass IPDTA exam
Certificate or Diploma - CBST, CF, CN, DDC, DT, PDTST, SRW	Certificates in: - Canine Behavior Sciences and Technology - Canine Fitness - Canine Nutrition - Dog Daycare - Dog Training - Professional Dog Training Science and Technology - Shelter and Rescue Work	Companion Animal Sciences Institute	Correspondence courses
CDT-IPDTA	International Positive Dog Training Association – Certified Dog Trainer	International Positive Dog Training Association	A minimum of 100 hours training experience including at least 50% of the experience as a private dog trainer and/or classroom instructor. References from each of the following; an animal health care professional, a client and another dog trainer, agree to Code of Conduct
AKC CGC	American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Evaluator	American Kennel Club	Must be at least 18 years of age. Have at least 2 years of experience working with owners and their dogs Have experience working with a variety of breeds and sizes of dogs.  Application evaluated, online test, $50 for two-year certification.
NADOI  Endorsed/Provisional /E - Certified /C - Companion /N - Novice /O - Open /U - Utility /P - Puppy /T - Tracking /A - Agility /L - Lifetime Member /R - Retired Member	Endorsed member of NADOI	National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors	At least five years' experience in dog obedience training, two years as a full-charge instructor, worked with a minimum of 100 dogs, group instructors must have taught at least 104 class hours; private instructors 288 hours, written test which may be supplemented by personal interviews, observation, or a video (DVD or Online) which the applicant may be asked to provide, added certifications require, 52 weeks of instructing experience at the level of the sought-after certification
CAP1, 2, 3, 4	Clicker Trainer - Competency Assessed Program Levels 1 – 4	Kay Laurence – England	In person assessment by previously certified trainer (prices unpublished)
CTDI	Certified Trick Dog Instructor	Kyra Sundance – author and DVDs - Do More With Your Dog! (private school)	(prices not published)
KPA – CTP	Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner	Karen Pryor – US originator of clicker training) (private school) and her Karen Pryor Academy	Correspondence online and online certification exam, 10-day in person workshop, about $5000
VSPDT	Victoria Stillwell Positive Dog Trainer	Positively Dog Training – US  (Animal Planet’s “It’s Me or the Dog” TV host) (private school)	Be a practicing positive-methods, dominance-avoiding trainer with insurance and purchase a licence (price unpublished) after a one-hour interview, evaluation
BPCTE	Brad Pattison Certified Training Educators	Brad Pattison – Canada (BC) (TV host of “At the End of My Leash”) Hustle Up School of Dog Training treat and talking-free (private school)	3 days/week for 6 weeks, 30% theory, 70% outdoor practice, privately-administered exam, once a year conference attendance to recertify (prices unpublished)
PDT	Professional Dog Trainers Program	Ben Kerson – Canada (BC) (private school)	7 hours per day, 5 days per week for 12 weeks with evening classes for 4 weeks during the program which run for an additional 2 hours, work with 35 dogs minimum for practical experience (prices unpublished).
PMCT	Pat Miller Certified Trainer	Pat Miller’s Peaceable Paws (private school)	Several levels of intern/apprenticeship, e.g. Level 1 – 6 days in-house, about $1600
CF1 & CF2	Certified Freestyle Instructor	Canine Freestyle Federation (non-profit incorporated firm)	Details available by contacting CFF,
CNWI	Certified Nose Work Instructor	National Association of Canine Scent Work	Classroom coursework taught by one or more of the founders, application of key concepts in practice groups and classes, on-going training of a dog in K9 Nose Work through the advanced level, emphasis on positive experience
M.Sc. or Ph.D. –  Companion animals, lab animals, livestock and wildlife(MS)	UBC’s Department of Animal Science courses in animal behaviour and management	University of British Columbia	See University calendar for individual course tuitions and pre-requisites.
Link to list of American universities and colleges offering certified applies animal behaviour courses: http://www.certifiedanimalbehaviorist.com/school.html

Note: Canadian’s spell it “behaviour” and American English uses “behavior” for the same word

INDUSTRY TRADE ASSOCIATIONS

Member’s Acronym	Full Name
ABMA	Animal Behavior Management Alliance
ABS	The Animal Behavior Society
APDT	Association for Pet Dog Trainers
CAPPDT	Canadian Association of Professional Pet Dog Trainers
CCPDT	Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers
IAABC	International Association of Animal Behaviour Consultants
IACP	International Association of Canine Professionals
IPDTA	International Positive Dog Training Association
NADOI	National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors

Update February 16, 2013:  I received the following from Shelley Moore regarding the CCS and IPDTA:

IPDTA - Must also pass written exam with a minimum 90% score and successfully complete the practical requirements.

CCS - Business name is no longer Canine Communication Studies - It's been Canine Correspondence Studies since March of 2011.  Must also pass written exam with a minimum 90% score and successfully complete the practical requirements.  IPDTA exam is not required.  Owner's name is Norma Jeanne Laurette (not Norma Jeanne dog training)

If people notice inaccuracies, please understand that the article was carefully researched and accurate to our knowledge at the date of publication, and we are happy to post updates as we learn about changes to certification.  Any inaccuracies are unintentional, and we are more than happy to update as information becomes available and certifications change.

 

BEWARE OF MEMES

It is thought by some that the spate of high school shootings in the late nineties and early 2000’s was a meme.  A meme is a piece of social information that is passed along and continued.  So when the tragedy in Littleton Colorado made the news, millions of people watched it, including a very small population of people who were entranced instead of appalled by it.  That small population,actually, that collection of isolated populations of one or occasionally two observed the acts of two disturbed young men and then, sometime in the future, copied the spirit of the action, and attacked their own schools.

We see memes all the time; one of the earliest recorded memes was a trend in the 1700’s for young men to wear yellow pants, a blue jacket and a open necked shirt.  Why would this be notable?  Because some of these young men went on to finish off their romantic losses by shooting themselves.  And why would they do that?  Because of a novel called “The Sorrows of Young Werther” who had the habit of dressing in yellow pants, a blue jacket and an open shirt, who fell in love with a married woman named Charlotte and when it didn’t work out offed himself with a pistol.  This was enough of a problem that the book was banned in the 1780’s and in many places burned.

Memes can be benign.  They can be as simple as the tendency for parents to purchase a particular toy for their kid, or as complex as a trend within an industry to support something such as rescue of dogs in need.  They can be good, such as the trend for people to support the victims of the Red River Flood in the nineties in Manitoba.  Or they can be terrible, such as the above mentioned high school shootings. 

I try and live mindfully.  I try and be aware of when a meme is occurring, and I try and choose when I participate and when I do not.  I also try and be aware of the effects of my behaviour.  There is an interesting meme occurring all over North America these days, having to do with dogs.  I am not going to be popular with this statement, but I oppose rescue.  I don’t oppose dogs in need; and there is a difference.  I oppose rescue.  Why?  Because rescue itself is starting to be part of the problem.  The number of dogs who are being rescued now, would appear to exceed the number of dogs that were being rescued in years past.  It is hard to tell because not all rescues keep stats.  What I can tell for sure is that in the twenty five years I have been involved with dog training, we have gone from the humane society here in town to the humane society and at least two dozen rescues that I know of.  And it has been twenty years since I have seen a dog living out of dumpsters in Guelph. 

In Guelph, when we talk about a stray dog what we mean is a dog who has strayed from his home, but who has a home.  A dog who has strayed out of his yard, but who is owned and cared for.  I am fairly sure that we don’t even have dogs at our dump.  But there is a meme in Guelph.  It is the “a saved dog is a more worthy dog” meme. 

There is another disturbing meme on the go too; that is the meme where disfigured and abused dogs, dogs who have suffered greatly are being photographed and posted by caring people around the world who want to bring awareness of the need for support for these animals to other caring people.  The problem is that amongst the healthy caring population who is appalled by the images that cross their screens, there are a small minority population whose desperate loathing has lead them to get off on this sort of image.  Right now, tonight, there is someone who is downloading those images and adding them to their collection of images of abused animals on their computers.  There are people out there who are masturbating to the images, who are fulfilling some evil part of their being by looking at the wounds that these dogs have suffered.  And amidst that small population; not many, but maybe even just one person, someone, will use an image that is being posted in the effort to bring an end to the suffering of dogs as the image that prompts him or more rarely her to go out and maim, injure or torture another animal. 

So what else could a kind hearted person do to stop violence towards badly abused animals?  How about starting with education?  Educate the young about the needs and emotions of dogs and other animals.  Share your understanding of how to treat others with respect.  Give a free lecture in your community every month (I do!) and share what you know about dogs, dog behaviour and training.  Buy a bag of dog food for a dog living with someone who is less fortunate than you are.  Help someone to take better care of their dogs.  Throw out your need to redeem your sins on the back of a dog in need and start to help those who are giving these dogs up to rescues in the first place.  Think locally and help someone who is thinking of giving up their dog to keep that dog in his home of origin.  Help to prevent the need for unwanted pets, because rescuing is now an industry and every dog taken out of it is a dog who once had an owner of origin.  Pay to  micro-chip a puppy so that every owner of origin can remain in touch with lost or missing pets.  Let’s keep those owners of origin and their pets together.

Beware of memes.  And stop posting images that will incite violence towards dogs, pets and those who are vulnerable. 

A couple of things I read and thought about while writing this blog:

http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/cri/22/4/137/

http://www.urbananimalalliance.org/index.php

WHEN BETTER ISN'T NEARLY GOOD ENOUGH

Recently, I had a panic attack.  Now in my life, panic attacks are a part of life.  Not normal, but part of my life.  Having a panic attack, a full on panic attack, is a very frightening experience.  Something, and often I don’t know what, but something, will trigger or start the event.  At low levels, I feel uncomfortable, like I cannot quite breathe.  As it progresses, I might start to cry, and hyperventilate.  I can become confused, dizzy and eventually nearly incoherent.  And luckily for me, these events, although part of my life, are relatively rare at the moment.  

The panic attack I recently had came with a known trigger; on a recent Friday afternoon, on my day off.  John went to the bank.  Earlier in the day I had plugged in my Blackberry and it asked me if I wanted to update my software.  It had been tickling me to do this for a couple of months, and I figured, what the heck, yes, let’s download the update.  I have time today for the download, turn off, reboot and what have you that I might need.  So I downloaded my update in the morning and thought nothing more of it.  John went out to do errands, including picking up medications from our vet for Eco who was having another bout of tummy upset.

Shortly after John left, I picked up my Blackberry, intending to call the vet.  I turned it on.  The screen was different, but I didn’t initially clue in that anything was seriously amiss.  And then, I hit my green telephone button.  And EVERYTHING was different.  The phone didn’t look like it used to.  The icons were different.  And the contact software had changed radically.  And I needed to phone my vet to let them know that John would be coming in and that we needed some dog food.  At about that point, I started to feel the familiar feeling of discomfort that signals an oncoming panic attack.  My chest started to get tight.  With a good deal of fiddling, I figured out by accident how to call the vet.  From the standpoint of a panic attack I was in good shape.  That is, I was in good shape until I tried to make another phone call.  And then I couldn’t find my email.  Or my password file.  Or a lot of the apps.  I started to feel like I couldn’t get enough air into my lungs and I started to get really dizzy.

I decided to call Blackberry; I couldn’t think of what else to try.  So I went to my laptop and looked up their main phone number.  It took me about five minutes to get my Blackberry to dial out and I started to get a little hysterical.  I did get a nice lady at their main desk who was very understanding and who confided that she too suffered from panic attacks and who prompted me to take any meds I might normally take.  One of the big problems with panic attacks is that you cannot think straight and you forget to do things that are normally part of your routine; taking medication when a panic attack is setting in is part of my normal routine, but this change in my phone, the single place where I keep my calendar, the only way I can contact emergency services if I am on the farm alone, my database, my contact manager, my livelihood, prompted probably the worst panic attack I have had in over a year.  

The nice lady at Blackberry put me through to a help desk.  The help desk assured me that this new system was “better”.  The help desk lady tried, and failed to convince me.  She did however help me to get in touch with my carrier who helped me to relearn my Blackberry.  And for the next week, I had to discover by trial and error, that every single signal had changed.  As well as panic attacks, I live with Attention Deficit Disorder.  One of the difficulties that comes with that learning disability is that I take a lot longer than most folks do to learn things like ding, ding, ding, pause, ding, ding means that an appointment is going to start in fifteen minutes.  And I am hearing impaired.  So I couldn’t hear the lovely new softly chiming alarm for my alarm clock in the morning-I can hardly hear it with my hearing aids in, never mind from a dead sleep with my hearing aids out (I did get several extra hours of rest, which did not even begin to compensate for the extra stress of being late!).  I lost the ring tone for my husband.  I still cannot figure out how to turn off the alarm that tells me that I have plugged the !#$$!@# thing in, or even unplugged it (This is standard?  You aren’t already aware that you have plugged it in?  You need an alarm to tell you this?  Huh?).

All I can say is that better is not even close to good enough. 

I met with a client and her dog this week.  Nice lady.  She means well.  And she has a dog whose life I hope to make better; at the moment he stares at blank spots on the wall.  I met with a family who have a puppy.  Terrific family, they work hard with their pup.  They come to class, they do their homework.  And the puppy resource guards food, water, his toys, and the kids toys.  I hope to make his life better too.  I met with a colleague who wants to compete in a sport that her dog isn’t really well suited to.  And I hope to make their lives better too.  And some days, I wonder; is better even close to good enough?  I have had enough dogs through my hands now that I can honestly say that some of the time, better is not good enough.  Better may cause a lot of pain.  Better may be like a Blackberry (that used to have a great, easy to use camera, that has been replaced with software I don’t even begin to understand) that is up to date, but not nearly as good as it used to be.  And most importantly, better is in the eye of the beholder.  It is important at every step of the process with each and every dog I work with, I ask the dog-is this good enough?  Is this really, truly, “better”?