|
 Picking
a trainer for your dog is an important part of
responsible pet ownership but it can be a
confusing and difficult process. What does it
mean to be certified? Some even call themselves
behaviorists but that designation requires
advanced graduate study in animal behavior.
Here are some of the many acronyms that you may
see:
ABCDT:
Animal Behavior College Certified Dog Trainer.
This is program includes home study and an
externship.
CAAB:
Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist.
This requires supervised graduate training in
animal behavioral science from an accredited
university.
CABC:
Certified Animal Behavior Consultant.
Certified members must pass a review process
that included detailed case studies.
CDT:
Certified Dog Trainer.
This is through the International Association of
Canine Professionals. Any member can take the
exam to earn the certification.
All the
certifications in the world will be unimportant
if you do not click with the trainer. You and
your dog should feel comfortable with the
trainer.
-
The
qualities that you should look for are:
-
Answers
questions
-
Provides
you with feedback
-
Able to
teach you how to work with you dog
-
Red flags
that should concern you are:
-
Ignores
your questions or brushes you off
-
Does not
explain things so that you can understand
-
Negative
about other trainers or methods
-
Does not
like your dog
Do your
research, interview different trainers, get
recommendations from people and most importantly
go with your gut instinct. If it feels wrong,
find a different trainer.
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