Okay, I've been an obedience instructor for 30+ years. I've been Director of Training at two clubs. One was the largest obedience club in the Chicago area (Fox Valley Dog Training Club).
One of the things that drives me crazy about obedience instructors is that there is NO national organization that certifies instructors. There are a couple of organizations but they have no idea how you actually teach, and whether you're any good.
Anyone can put up a sign and declare to the world that they are a, "certified obedience instructor, or Master obedience instructor".
I have noticed quite a few people here using the terms dog behaviorist, certified dog behaviorist, or Master certified behaviorist.
I'm not trying to put any of you on the defensive, and am honestly asking this question.
Is there any validity to these "titles"? In addition to taking some type of test, what else do you have to PROVE to some organization? Who are the certifying organizations?
Electronic Dog Training Collar
Recommended Answer:There is no legally required certification standard for dog trainers. Technically, an animal behaviorist is someone who has a PhD in behavior and has passed an exam (Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist) or is a veterinarian with a specialization in behavior (Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist), so that title applies to very few dog trainers.
Programs offering "certification" or titles are only as good as their standards.
The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers offers national certification based on humane training practices and the latest scientific knowledge related to dog training. Trainers certified through CCPDT have to earn continuing education credits to maintain their certification. They must also adhere to a strict Code of Ethics in their dog training practices. They may use the letters CPDT (Certified Pet Dog Trainer) after their names.
The International Association for Animal Behavior Consultants offers certification via a comprehensive peer review of core competencies, such as assessment and intervention strategies, counseling skills and social systems assessment, behavioral science, and knowledge of animal behavior. The designation CDBC (Certified Dog Behavior Consultant) may be used by applicants who complete the certification process and also maintain ethical and continuing education standards.
Dog Training vs Horse Training
- I am not a behaviorist (not the way you mean anyway) however I have studied many training methods, breeds, etc. and have worked with dogs for over 15 years.
I think like all professions it is good to have some type of cert. to weed out the wanna be's from the real deal. However I think ultimately.....what speaks for how good of a trainer/behaviorist you are is your ability to work with dogs & how satisfied clients are with your work.
I worked with a trainer when I first started out with dogs who was well known, cert. & even worked with the Denver Zoo. I now know thru experience this person and the whole facility as a whole knew squat about training or even caring for dogs for that matter.
I have seen many who work on their own & have a natural ability to work with animals & dogs, such as Cesar Millan.
As you say there are org. who do cert. but as you say they don't have the greatest screening process.
I think when it all boils down to it...people will recognize you for who you are. Most of my family including myself have been in nursing for years....there are many "cert" caregivers who I wouldn't hire to care for my dog much less a loved family member. There are many who are CNA's that have more knowledge many times then LPNs & even RNs. My sister has a daughter on life support and has to teach RNs how to care for her, despite the fact my sister has no formal med. training.
But your right...anyone can claim to be something their not, thats a given in any profession.
- I have had a pack of dogs about 10 dogs, all house dogs, all very large and all running together, not seperated for 20 years. I have trained and competed in confirmation , draft, tracking, obedience, and weight pull, I always have a dog or 2 in classes at least 2 days a week . I always go to different classes with differant trainer, I find many of the certified trainer know far less then me.But I do learn something different for each of them . I am always learning. I often wonder how some of them get certified when they do not understand some very subtle dog body language and many can not tell the difference from a dominant aggressive dog and a fear aggressive dog. not an answerer just an opinion.
- Hey Judge. Either you developed a sense of humor these last couple of days or you are actually serious here, I am not sure which yet. How many answers did you expect to get from all the "experts"? I am waiting too......
- That's the problem, it's hard to know who actually knows what they're talking about and who just claims to be a trainer or behaviorist. And the ones who know nothing can talk up a storm and sound pretty convincing. We have a guy in our area, calls himself a Master Trainer and says he used to train for a police force, I wouldn't let him anywhere near my dogs. But then, I wouldn't let Cesar Milan near my dogs either.....
We have the same problem with grooming, ANYONE can put up a sign and claim to be a groomer. There is certification from the NDGAA, but I've seen plenty of Certified Master Groomers that I wouldn't let touch any dog of mine, whereas I know plenty of excellent groomers that simply didn't feel it was worth spending the money and effort for the piece of paper.
Hey, anybody remember Barbara Woodhouse? "WALKIES!"
- Hey, I'm a scientific genius also Wonder Woman in my spare time. Now you just go ahead and disprove that. I can be whatever I want on the computer. And if you ask me something I don't know the answer to, I will google it and look real smart. I trained my Saints to ride bicycles on a high wire without a net.........so put that in your pipe and smoke it. With some of the answers I've seen here there are a lot of people smoking something.
- The other day I was certified Hoo-Hoo Master. Does that count?
I have never claimed to be anything other than Hoo-Hoo master. I know a behaviourist came an evaluated my aunt and uncle's cats (yea, those are people with too much time and too much money). After 300.00 the lady told them what they already knew (she validated their opinion, should have mentioned YA for them, they could have gotten that for free!!). They seemed real pleased with themselves and their purchase. The rest of my family sat there with our mouths open. I am thinking - auntie, I would have told you that for 300.00 send it my way - I could use it!
I consider myself to be well educated, I have my MS in chemistry. I teach at a college. I know good websites from bad ones. I am currently in obedience class. I have 3 dogs. Every day I learn something new about them (they are younger dogs). Every day I learn what works (for them!) and what doesn't. Every day we make some progress and take a few steps backwards.
But as far as titles, they are a bunch of hooey (notice, not hoo-hoo, that's my title!)
There are lots of different ways of doing things (teaching, learning, training). I say, if it's not endangering you or another, and it is working for you, at least you are one step above the rest of the people that don't do jack sh-- with their dogs. One of my dogs had the crap beat out of him, negative reinforcement goes the wrong way with him. The other, he needs the negative reinforcement.
Do I wish their was certification, classes, a test/examination to prove that you are a qualified behaviourist/trainer - you bet I do. I just can't see it happening.
- You are absolutely correct, anyone can declare themselves a trainer and I do not think that there is any validity to the titles. I do not know of many organizations that certify dog trainers. I know of APDT and all they do is administer a test and if you pass you are then certified as a pet dog trainer but they do not observe the teaching style or even attend any of the classes taught by the applicant so even their certification is worthless.
I learned a long time ago that you need to research an obedience instructor just as much as you would a breeder because too many that claim to be knowledgeable are not. This type of instructor can cause more harm than good. I think knowledge comes from experience and that is why it is important to visit a class or two before deciding to give your money to anyone who claims to be a Master Dog Trainer.
Answers people get in this forum should be researched and not taken as gold because it is too easy to claim to be something you are not.
I do think it would be a good idea to have some type of certification but the problem I see with that is who would get to decide what is the right training technique? I think too many people claim to be experts and there are many different styles of training so it would be a big problem.
Do you still instruct classes and if so where in Chicago? I live in Chicago so I was curious.
- If anybody is interested, they can send me a check and I'll be happy to send them a certificate naming them a "Certified Dog Obedience Trainer" from the Ginbail Animal Behavior Training Institute (GABTI).
All kidding aside, The Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) is the only organization I know of that has ever gained any sort of reputability (albeit minimal) as a certificate writing group for dog trainers. Does their certificate impress me? Not really, but a "certified trainer" could do worse.
- Sir,
I am not a dog expert nor am I a trainer, nor am I a behaviorist.
I have read with alarm this being stated in the source box for many people lately. I know of no certification with in my state for this either.
I am very interested also how one acquires this title too.
Add: I dont usually answer those types of questions I e-mail people who know what their talking about like you! And Greekman!
One thing I am guilty of is I did give Beleiver the title of Hoo-Hoo OK Master. And darn proud that I did!
- I have never heard of a "real"certified professional in any of these categories although they could call themselves professional if they are paid for their services. I have never known of courses to gain certification in Ontario.
To me to be a certified anything you need to do a course and pass an exam and earn the certification papers. If there is no classes and no exam this just can;t happen.
Probably something else like these no name dog registries where you can buy papers that mean absolutely nothing.
- Just like most organizations, a certification means just over nothing. There is no way to police all of it's certified members and therefore no way to prove they have a brain cell functioning well enough to know what they are doing. You find people with no certification that know more about dogs than 90% of the certified ones.
I am by no means a pro trainer, but I work in rescue and have fostered 20+ dogs in the last 5 years and by doing so have had to teach myself as well as learn from others what I did not already know and I am willing to admit I know nowhere near everything, but I do feel with a good amount of experience I know more than the average person.
I think someone that is dedicated to dogs, willing to learn and willing to be open minded to new methods as well as has a good strong head about dog behavior can be an excellent trainer regardless of a little slip of paper.
The problem I find with people here claiming to be a trainer is it becomes apparent they have never worked with dogs when they answer the tough questions like aggression issues. Anyone who has truly worked with aggressive dogs would not put down the use of a good electronic collar nor would they suggest the alpha roll in a dog ready to bite you. I wouldn't come close to alpha rolling a dog ready to bite me!! The only time I do the alpha roll is when my dog wants a belly rub.
Anyway, I don't take too much stock in the so called TITLES here. I saw someone claiming to be a vet misspell not only the breed but the ailment as well. Some vet!
I was Miss America by the way. 4 years in a row.
- Do they not test you in person to become a CPDT?
It is my understanding that the Karen Pryor Academy will have a very rigorous testing procedure for clicker trainers. That may not be of any interest to you, depending on your training style.
I believe anyone can call themselves an animal behaviorist or dog behaviorist. There is a board for applied behavior analysts, but that could mean you know everything about Operant Conditioning, but have never applied that knowledge in the training of a dog.
