Companion Animal Behavior Counselor/Consultant: I was certified as a CABC (certified animal behavior counselor) through a group called the Association  of Companion Animal Behavior Counselors.  It was a very promising organization with a prominent president and board of directors at the time.  CABC’s attended two years of college-level courses in animal behavior, learning theory, behavior modification, pharmacology, training techniques, and even family interventon skills.  It was a very demanding curriculum and the organization had the right idea – to train people to work responsibly with dogs and their families.  Unfortunately, the organization could not compete with others like APDT and as a result, CABC’s are rare.  Other organizations have formed, such as the International Assocation of Animal Behavior Consultants and the Associaton of Animal Behavior Professionals, but they do not have an educational curriculum available.  They are membership and certification groups.

When to use a behavior counselor/consultant:  These people specialize in working with dogs who have mild-to-serious behavior issues such as fears, phobias and separation anxiety, as well as minor issues like housetraining, barking and jumping.  These professionals may be qualified to work with dogs who have aggressions issues, but that will depend on the individual’s experience and tenure.  Behavior counselors/consultants will also train dogs in obedience.

Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist: Many trainers like to call themselves behaviorists but this is completely inaccurate and does a disservice to anyone who has earned the credentials of a CAAB.  To qualify for this title, CAAB’s must have a Master’s degree or a PhD in animal behavior. There are only about 100 CAAB’s in this country. If someone calls themselves a behaviorist, ask where they received their graduate degree and in what field.

When to use a CAAB: Many CAAB’s concentrate on research and education.  They may work at large humane societies or have their own businesses as educators.  However, some will take on private clients.  If you wish to consult with one, your dog’s issues usually are challenging enough that a trainer or behavior counselor could not help.

Veterinary Behaviorist: This is the Big Kahuna of the group.  Veterinary behaviorists are licensed veterinarians who have attended additional classes in behavior and pharmacology and are board-certified.  Veterinary behaviorists are the only pet training professional who can prescribe medication for behavior issues.

When to use a veterinary behaviorist: Dogs with severe issues such as OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), extreme fears and phobia and extreme aggression are often referred to veterinary behaviorists.  They do not train dogs in obedience, however.

I hope that this little primer has been helpful.  If you have friends and family with dogs, please refer them to these two posts.  And most of all, send your veterinarian to this blog!  From my experience, they are not well-versed in all of the pet professional choices.  The more education we all have, the better for everyone.

In today’s post, we’ll review three professions and finish it up in the next post. I know I may have missed some but these are the most common.

Dog Trainer: Unfortunately, anyone can call themselves a trainer.  Some people think that if they can teach a dog how to “sit” then they are a dog trainer. But a truly qualified trainer has years of experience with teaching and has an excellent grasp of dogs’ language and how they interact with humans and each other.  Dog training goes beyond teaching commands.  Good trainers are constantly learning about new theories and techniques by attending seminars and reading literature.  And more and more trainers are educating themselves about dog behavior, a specialty that we will talk about in the next post.

As the popularity of the dog training profession grows, various schools have popped up around the country, offering anywhere from very short courses to lengthy and comprehensive curriculums in how to be a dog trainer.  One such organization is Bark Busters, a franchise dog training business.  On their web site, it says under the FAQ area:

Q: I don’t know much about dog training. Can I still be a Bark Buster?

A: Yes. Bark Busters provides a [sic] comprehensive training at the launch of your business. This four-week long class provides a great deal of hands-on work with dogs, as well as providing practical knowledge about how to successfully operate a dog training business.” 

As you can see, anyone can be a dog trainer after just 4 weeks.  If you hire individuals with this organization, you could be getting someone with very little experience.

When to use a trainer: If you want your dog to learn basic and advanced obedience, competitive dog sports such as agility, and animal-assisted therapy work.

Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT): The Association of Pet Dog Trainers is a very large organization for dog trainers and they have created an excellent certification program. To be a CPDT, trainers must have a certain number of years and hours of teaching time, pass a rigorous test, submit professional references and maintain a designated number of yearly education credits.  Trainers with the CPDT title are generally very well-qualified.

When to use a CPDT: Hire a CPDT for anything that you would hire a dog trainer (above) plus they can help you to resolve many behavior issues such as housetraining problems, jumping, barking and other nuisance behaviors.

Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPACTP): Karen Pryor developed a method of training for dogs called “clicker training” first used in the 60′s to train dolphins.  Trainers who attend her academy are certified in training methods using clickers as well as behavior modification methods.

When to use a KPACTP: KPACTP trainers are very specialized and excel when training dogs in competitive sports as well as training dogs in basic and advanced obedience and behavior resolution. Their methods are very dog-friendly but may take a little more time for training.  Their methods are excellent in training dogs to do very specific activities such as when training service dogs to help the disabled.

Are you confused yet?  Just wait until the next post!  I’ll talk about Behavior Counselors/Consultants, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists and Veterinary Behaviorists, then try to sum it all up.  Stay tuned!

About the book:

SPEAK! reveals the inspirational stories of people who adopted dogs used as breeders in puppy mills, the adult male and female dogs kept captive their entire lives to produce those cute puppies in the pet stores.  These adopters are patient, loving heroes who serve as bright, shining examples of unconditional love. Many puppy mill breeder dogs cannot speak: Breeders “de-bark” them to keep them quiet and undetected. SPEAK! gives voice to these brave dogs.

 “The first dog that I knew was a rescued breeder dog was a young Golden Retriever who had just been brought in from the puppy mill farm,” Chris explains. “When a leash was placed on her, she dropped straight to the ground. It was like she had no legs. She was frozen in terror, and went between pancaked and crawling on the ground to whirling around on the leash, trying to escape it. It was so far away from what a dog should be – the happy, waggy-tailed Golden Retriever that you’d picture in your family home.”

SPEAK! also details the behavior and health issues typically presented by these dogs and the puppies they produce, along with compassionate, practical advice for overcoming these problems and other training issues common to all dogs.

 After years of sharing her knowledge and research about puppy mills dogs with clients, the rescue organizations featured in this book and other organizations, Chris brings the stories and tips for rehabilitation to everyone.  No other book delves into the realities – and aftermath – of how dogs in the U.S. are mass-produced. Anyone who truly loves dogs must read SPEAK! and pass along the cry of “adopt, don’t buy.”

Fifty percent of the proceeds of the sales between July 30 and August 31, 2010 will be donated to the Delaware Valley Golden Retriever Rescue and Brookline Labrador Retriever Rescue.

I am most grateful to everyone who supported my efforts and I am hopeful that this book will educate thousands of people and contribute to the closing of puppy mills.

Please check back on Friday, July 30 to learn how and where to buy Puppy Mill Dogs SPEAK!. Thank you!

I sometimes wonder over why people punish their pet dogs to stop them from barking. Instead, they should act smart enough and try to figure out what incites in dogs to bark. Once, when I was returning home from college, I passed by an old woman accompanied with her dog tied onto a leash. After I walked a stone’s throw from this woman, I heard screams and noises yelling for help.

I immediately looked back and to my horror, I saw the same dog attacking a boy while only the woman could do including onlookers was shout at her dog in vain. She then took a stick lying nearby and beat her dog until the boy was rescued from his paws. Though the boy escaped to safety with minor injuries on his hand and wrist, the dog received severe blows on his head and around his eyes.

It was indeed a display of inhuman treatment no matter even if the woman did it out of frustration. Perhaps, had I been in her place, even I would have done the same thing to my pet dog. But then, can’t we learn Stop Dog Barking techniques. We certainly can. We need to educate our dogs properly over how to react to situations and people. Dogs listen to their masters if they are trained for obedience.

A simple technique is training your dog in such a way that he understands when to bark and when to stay calm. Most importantly, train him to obey your orders at all times, come what may.

For More Information about How to Train Your Dog Please Visit:-
Dog Training

Imagine you bring home a second pet dog and leave him awhile to mingle with the first dog you already have. Know what? Things will soon turn topsy-turvy in your house. The first dog you already own is likely to react the moment he notices this new arrival. Expect an untoward change in his behavior here. This has been my personal experience about dog behavior training so far and I am sure those who own two dogs at home have also been through the same experience.

Spot a sudden change in the behavior of your first dog as soon as he sniffs the second one. Take notice that he will act dominant and as an attention seeker, he will leave no stone unturned to have his presence felt more before his master and other family members at home. The second dog may have to be patient until things cool down and the first dog accepts him with a big heart.

This was all about them. On your part, you need to take certain steps to ensure your first dog behaves normal as before. This is only possible through training him. So, when you bring home your second dog, initially keep the two distant, in separate rooms for some time. Let them smell each other from their confines. This will sure offer them the space for acclimatizing to situations.

Next, free them from their confines for introduction. Stay alert here and expect the good. Treat both equally and caress them together with more attention toward the first one. Spend quality time with both taking them to the park and for joyrides.

I listened to radio talk show host and columnist Michael Smerconish recently talk about his miniature Dachshund, and he expressed amazement that his sweet little puppydog was a cold-blooded killer of any varmit that crosses its path!  Smerconish shouldn’t be surprised as Dachshunds were bred to hunt and kill badgers and other burrowing creatures. The name “dachshund” means “badger dog” in German!  These little dogs are fearless.  This disposition is instinctual and difficult to extinguish. 

Have you ever met a Lab or Golden retriever who will retrieve tennis balls for hours?  Or how about a Collie, Shepherd or Corgi who circles and nips to herd anything that moves?  Don’t overlook the hounds: Beagles, Bassetts and Bloods to name a few whose noses hit the ground with stubborn determination and bark incessantly.

A dog is not a dog; they are as individual as we are with ancestrial roots just like humans.  When we bring a dog into our lives, we owe it to them to understand their instincts and the needs that accompany them.  It will make for a happier dog and a better relationship. I wrote a a brief overview of breed characteristics on my web site: Breed Group Characteristics.  I also give a link in the article to the American Kennel Club’s web site which lists all AKC breeds with descriptions.