Last Updated on Sunday, 26 July 2009 16:40 Written by Heather Mohan-Gibbons Wednesday, 15 July 2009 20:12
The trainer we take obedience classes with has "CPDT" behind her name and I've noticed that some other trainers have other letters behind their names. What do they all that mean? Do some indicate more education and experience than others?
Unfortunately there are many certifications available for people who train dogs, so it can be quite confusing to know what they all mean. Realize that anyone can call themselves a dog trainer, without needing any credentials, even you! There are no licensing or certification requirements. See my article from June, Seven Tips for Selecting the Right Dog Trainer, to learn more about choosing a dog trainer.
Currently there are about 10 different organizations that give letters for completing their dog training program. Many are on-line only programs and you can easily find more details if you do a web search. I will not go into detail about each one here, but rather focus on the ones that are more common in the Milwaukee area.
- CAAB: Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists -- (and ACAAB which places "Associate" in front of this title) all have earned a BS in either biology or psychology and a M.S. or Ph.D. in Animal Behavior. We have had 2-5 years of applied animal behavior and research experience. Certification requires submission of 2 case reports for review by a board, 3 references by other Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists, and we must carry business liability insurance. We must publish and contribute to the field of animal behavior in order to be re-certified every 5 years. More information on the website: "The Animal Behavior Society (ABS) is the leading professional organization in North America for the study of animal behavior. Certification constitutes recognition by the Animal Behavior Society that, to its best knowledge, the applicant meets the educational, experiential and ethical standards required by the Society for professional applied animal behaviorists." http://www.certifiedanimalbehaviorist.com
- CPDT: Certified Pet Dog Trainer Since 2001, the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT) is the only organization in the U.S. that offers standardized dog trainer certification. We have to complete 300 hours of hands-on training before taking a national exam. The exam tests on all methods used in training (punishment and reinforcement), and certification does not require a trainer to use one method over another. The keep certification, the trainer must accrue continuing education credits to ensure they are staying current with trends in the profession and must adhere to a strict Code of Ethics. http://www.ccpdt.org
- ABCDT: Animal Behavior College Dog Trainer Animal Behavior College (ABC) is an on-line program that needs to be completed in 60 weeks, and requires some mentorship in dog training classes and/or animal shelters before graduating. ABC teaches both correction and punishment as well as positive reinforcement. Their website states they primarily encourages the use of positive reinforcement training techniques. http://animalbehaviorcollege.com
- KPACTP: Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner This is a new program and teaches inspired animal training through on-line learning as well as hand-ons training thorough weekend workshops. They teach exclusively force-free training through community and peer collaboration. http://www.karenpryoracademy.com
Heather Mohan-Gibbons is an Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist. She has a Master of Science degree, is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer and Registered Veterinary Technician, making her uniquely qualified to handle a variety of species and behavior problems. Her business is Collected Wisdom Animal Behavior. To learn more about Heather, visit Collected Wisdom Animal Behavior online: http://cwanimalbehavior.com
You can also find Heather on BrewCityTails, Milwaukee's social network for pet lovers.
If you have a question an upcoming column from Heather This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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