By Lisa Mullinax, CPDT

Dog training is an unregulated industry. That means anyone, and we mean anyone, can advertise as a dog trainer and even aggression specialist. They do not have to have a special license, certification or any training whatsoever. It could be your neighbor who thinks they are good with dogs because they've owned two or three dogs that were relatively well-behaved. It could be a groomer who is an avid viewer of dog shows on television and seeks to emulate what they see.

We hope this guide will help dog owners find a professional who is right for them and their dog and avoid those trainers who are unethical and even dangerous.

Trainers, Behavior Consultants and Behaviorists, Oh My!

The term "trainer" has become an umbrella for a wide range of professions and experience, not all of which are appropriate for all problems and not all trainers are knowledgeable in all areas of training and behavior.  You would not go to an optometrist for a heart condition, or a cardiologist for new corrective lenses, and yet they are both doctors.  Within each profession there are specialists and choosing the right specialist can make all the difference.

With the exception of veterinary behavorists and specific certifications offered by professional organizations, there are few, if any regulations about who can call themselves a trainer or a behaviorist.  The following are the most commonly accepted titles by responsible professionals.

Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT): A CPDT has met minimum requirements as an obedience instructor (including a minimum length of training experience), has passed a certifying examination on learning theory, instructor skills, husbandry and training equipment and is required to meet a minimum of continuing education every two years. These requirements are set by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. 

Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB):  This certification requires minimum standards of education, experience and ethics. Most certified behaviorists hold a PhD or other advanced degree in behavior. Many behaviorists work in universities and conduct the studies that provide the information trainers and behavior consultants need to understand canine behavior. There are fewer than 60 certified behaviorists in the US.

Veterinary Behaviorist: To be a veterinary behaviorist one must be inducted into the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACVB) which requires an approved residency training program in veterinary animal behavior, and a certifying examination. A veterinary behaviorist is often most helpful for dogs with neurological or other medical problems that may be causing or contributing to the behavior and/or when medications accompany a behavior modification program. Most veterinarians are not veterinary behaviorists and have not received much, if any, training in behavior.

Master Dog Trainer, dog psychologist, behaviorist, behavior specialist and behavioralist are all terms which anyone may apply to themselves without regulation. Dog owners should look forthose titles and certifications which can be verified by independent professional organizations.

CAUTION: There are several local dog trainers who have falsely advertised that they hold professional memberships and certifications. If a trainer claims professional certification or membership, we recommend checking with those organizations to verify.

Cost

The cost of a training program does not reflect the experience or knowledge of the trainer.

Some trainers in the Sacramento area have charged dog owners anywhere from $500.00 to $1,600.00 for just one session (in the case of the trainer who charged $1,600.00, he would not allow the dog owner to observe what he did during the "training").

These trainers have obtained no certification, do not pursue continuing education (with advancements in behavioral science, there is still much to learn about training and behavior) and focus instead on heavy marketing and advertising campaigns, passing the costs along to dog owners.

Further, trainers that significantly discount their prices should be suspect. The cost of doing business, including liability insurance, business license, not to mention the cost of continuing education, cannot be justified by low rates.

Be sure to call 4-5 professionals in your area to get a sense of the average training fee. In most states, an average fee for a training session could be between $100.00-$200.00, depending on the expertise of the individual. If the professional has an advanced education in behavior, such as a veterinary behaviorist or a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, the fees might be slightly higher, but in most cases, not by much.

Types of Training

Now that we have broken down the types of training professionals, it is also important for dog owners to understand the types of training methods that are employed, as the wrong approach can be more damaging than no training at all.

Traditional or "Dominance" dog training methods were popularized in the 1970's. Dominance methods rely on the use of aversives such as choke chains (also known as training collars), prong collars, shock collars and "corrections" on flat collars. These trainers tend to use dominance as an explanation of and solution for problem behaviors.

Positive methods are based on operant conditioning, the science of how animals learn. Positive reinforcement trainers focus on prevention of problem behaviors while rewarding more desireable behaviors from the dog. Rewards can be food, play or affection, whatever the dog is motivated by.

Balanced trainers claim to use a combination of corrections and reinforcement. "Correction" is a subjective term that ranges from a soft verbal reprimand to severe jerks on the leash to shock collars, intermixed with praise or food as rewards.

Sport/Specialized trainers are those that focus primarily on one sport, like agility, flyball, canine freestyle, herding, schutzhund and working dogs like search and rescue or assistance dogs. These trainers are specialists in their field, although their knowledge and expertise does not always extend to modifying behavior.

Professional Organizations

Professional membership organizations have become a good resource for dog owners looking for quality professionals. These organizations include:

Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT)

Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT)

These organizations provide training professionals with guidelines and codes of ethics that they are encouraged, and sometimes required, to follow. As outlined above, many of these organizations also offer certification programs that will ensure the professional has met the requirements set forth by the organization. All of these organizations encourage communication between training professionals around the world, so that we all offer the most comprehensive and up-to-date methods available.

This is just a starting point, however.  Membership, alone, does not guarantee the quality of a training professional.  All dog owners should conduct a basic interview before making a commitment.

CAUTION: There are several local dog trainers who have falsely advertised that they hold professional memberships and certifications. If a trainer claims professional certification or membership, we recommend checking with those organizations to verify.

The Interview

No matter what the type of service or the methods and tools used, there are good and bad professionals everywhere. The tool or method is only as good as the operator and their ability to teach the dog owner how to use them effectively and humanely!

Personality differences can also create a problem in your training program. If you and your trainer do not get along personally, you are less likely to respect what he or she has to say, so don't dismiss personality conflicts in the interview process.

Gavin de Becker, in his book The Gift of Fear, says of interviewing potential employees

"The goal should be to disqualify poor applicants rather than to qualify good applicants. Those who are good will qualify themselves."

The same is true for interviewing a training professional.

Sample Interview Questions

• How long have you been training?
  
  
• Who did you learn from? How long did you study under them?
  
  
• What are your methods?
  
  
• Can I get a list of references?
  
  
• Are you a member of any professional organizations?
  
  
• Do you hold any certifications?
  
  
• What was the last seminar/workshop you attended?
  
  
• What training books would you recommend that complement your training style?
  
  
• Do you guarantee your training?

You can read our answers to many of these questions by clicking the links in the questions and at About Us and our Frequently Asked Questions

Don't feel like you have to make a decision right away. Interview multiple trainers in your area and then compare the answers. More than likely, one or two will clearly come out at the top of your list.

You can also contact your local SPCA or Humane Society and ask about the trainers on your list. If a trainer has a reputation, good or bad, these organizations are likely to have heard. If the feedback is bad, try to get specifics, if possible.

Warning! Warning!

The following responses during the interview process might be cause for concern and require further examination:

• Refuses to answer or becomes argumentative or combative when asked about methods or training tools. A reputable trainer has nothing to hide.  The fact is that there are no secrets when it comes to dog training, so a prospective trainer or behavior consultant should be willing - and able - to explain what they do and how they do it.
  
  
• Makes a determination about behavior problems and/or suggests punishment or euthanasia without seeing the dog in person. Behavior problems in dogs are frequently misunderstood or mislabeled by owners and cannot be determined based on a description over the phone or internet.
  
  
• Dominance/Dog Psychology is given as the cause and/or solution for a behavior problem. Dominance has long been debunked as an accurate or effective definition of behavior problems, although it is still prevalent with trainers who have not furthered their education of behavior. "Establishing dominance" is often a euphemism for physical and sometimes harmful methods that temporarily suppress a problem behavior. "Dog Psychology" is neither a method nor a science. It is a catchphrase popularized on a television show and is being picked up by dog trainers hoping to profit off of the show's success. It is not proof of knowledge, skill or experience.
  
  
• Claims to use positive reinforcement but not "food bribery". We recommend asking the trainers to explain, specifically, how they would teach a dog to lay down. There are three primary ways to teach a dog to lay down. One is to wait for the dog to offer the behavior and reward it and later put it on cue (not the most efficient method), another is to use a lure (food or other motivating object) to guide the dog into position, quickly fading the lure and introducing food and other motivators as a reward, or one can physically force the dog into the position using a leash or direct pressure on the body.
  
  If the trainer chooses the last option, that is not positive reinforcement. Some trainers are using the term positive reinforcement to describe the praise they use after they have used compulsive methods to get the dog to perform a behavior. What they are using is positive punishment and negative reinforcement, not positive reinforcement.
  
  
• Claims to specialize in difficult to train breeds or stubborn dogs.  While different breeds of dogs do vary in what motivates them, this claim indicates a lack of understanding of behavior and how to motivate a variety of breeds to work and an excuse for harsh, physical methods. 
  
  
• Expertise comes from being around dogs their "whole life."  While some long-time dog enthusiasts do pick up valuable knowledge and techniques from being around dogs, this does not necessarily qualify them to address all training or behavior problems any more than being around humans your whole life qualifies you to address behavior problems in humans.  Further, one's individual experience with a select number of dogs and breeds may not transfer to all breeds or situations.  Hopefully trainers that make this claim will have additional education and experience to add to their credentials.
  
  
• Spends more time talking badly about other trainers than about their own skills or knowledge. Years ago, dog training was very competitive and secretive. Dog trainers battled publicly and privately for "top dog" status (pun intended). Today, professional trainers realize the benefit of learning from one another, which is why professional organizations encourage open dialogue between members. This has lead to greater growth in training and behavior, benefiting dog owners everywhere. A professional and responsible trainer understands that they cannot be all things to all people (and dogs) and has a network of local professionals to whom they can refer.
  
  
• Offers guarantees regarding the outcome of training. Professional organizations such as the APDT, CCPDT and IAABC restrict their members from offering guarantees because there are too many factors to be able to guarantee the outcome. A dog's genetics, early socialization, past experiences and duration of the behavior, plus the dog owner's ability and willingness to comply with a training or behavior program all play a significant role in the success of a program. None of these factors can be controlled by the trainer and so to guarantee an outcome would be unethical.
  
  A responsible trainer may, however, guarantee that you will be happy with the service and support provided during the training program.
  
  Dog owners should also look very closely at the language of money-back guarantees. Some trainers require videotaped evidence that the owners complied with all instructions or that the owners relinquish ownership of the dog before the guarantee will be honored! Other trainers offer "lifetime guarantees" for an additional fee.  These guarantees are generally not a guarantee of service or quality, but rather that the trainer will offer additional training sessions. 

Making Your Decision

When you finally make your decision, it should be based on the trainer's methods, experience and knowledge.

Do not make your choice based on proximity to home, price or claims that the trainer knows or is just like a television personality or that there is no one else like them. There are no secrets in dog training or new, revolutionary methods, no matter what anyone says.

Final Note

You should have a basic understanding of the types of trainers, titles and training methods before choosing a trainer.  Because if things go wrong you will have little to no recourse, as there are no public agencies regulating the industry.

Doing a little research in the beginning will go a long way to helping you meet your training and behavior goals and protecting yourself and your dog.

Professional and Certifying Organizations

CCPDT - Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers

APDT - Association of Pet Dog Trainers