Dog Trainer Certfications

Webster’s defines certification as “The act of making something official; official approval to do something professionally or legally.”    

Just as there is no universally agreed upon method of training a dog, there is no universally recognized certification for dog trainers. 

Dog training is a self-regulating industry, with various organizations offering their own certifications. Some of the certifications offered by these organizations are:

ABCDT: Certified by (graduated from) Animal Behavior College
ABMA: Member of Animal Behavior Management Alliance
ACAAB: Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist by The Animal Behavior Society
ACDBC: Associate Certified Dog Behavior Consultant by the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants
AHT: Animal Health Technology program.
AKC CGC: American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Evaluator
ANWI: Associate Nose Work Instructor through National Association of Canine Scent Work
AS-ES: Certification from the Equine Science Society.
BCBA - Board Certified Behavior Analyst from the Behavior Analyst Certification Board
CAAB: Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist by The Animal Behavior Society
CABC: Certified Animal Behavior Consultant through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants
CATT: Certified American Treibball Trainer from the American Treibball Association
CBATI: Certified Behavior Adjustment Training Instructor by Grisha Stewart
CCAB: Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviorist through the Association for the Study of Animal Behavior
CCDT: CATCH Certified Dog Trainer through the CATCH Canine Trainers Academy
CDBA: Certified Dog Behavior Advisor by Canine Dimensions
CDBC: Certified Dog Behavior Consultant by the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants
CDT: Certified Dog Trainer through the International Association of Canine Professionals
Cert AAH: Applied Animal Herbalism Certificate from the Companion Animal Sciences Institute
Cert ACN: Advanced Canine Nutrition Certificate from the Companion Animal Sciences Institute
Cert CBST: Canine Behavior Sciences and Technology Certificate from the Companion Animal Sciences Institute
Cert CF: Canine Fitness Certificate from the Companion Animal Sciences Institute
Cert CN: Canine Nutrition Certificate from the Companion Animal Sciences Institute
Cert DDC: Dog Daycare Certificate from the Companion Animal Sciences Institute
Cert DT: Dog Training Certificate from the Companion Animal Sciences Institute
Cert PDTST: Professional Dog Training Science and Technology Certificate from the Companion Animal Sciences Institute
Cert SRW: Shelter and Rescue Work Certificate from the Companion Animal Sciences Institute
CFI 1&2: Certified Freestyle Instructor from the Canine Freestyle Federation.
CNWI: Certified Nose Work Instructor through National Association of Canine Scent Work
CPDT-KA: Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed through Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers
CPDT-KSA: Certified Pet Dog Trainer – Knowledge and Skills assessed through Certification Council for Dog Trainers
CTBC: Certified Training and Behavior Consultant from the Dog Training Internship Academy
CTC: Certificate in Training and Counseling through San Francisco SPCA Dog Training Academy
CTDI: Certified Trick Dog Instructor from Do More With Your Dog!
CVT: Certified Veterinary Technician – Information on credentialing available at the NAVTA site
DACVB: Diplomate American College of Veterinary Behaviorists
DVM: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from an accredited college or university
DWA: Dog Tec Dog Walking Academy Graduate 
KPA CTP: Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner through the Karen Pryor Academy
LBT:  Licensed Behavior Therapist by Barkbusters
MPH: Masters of Public Health from an accredited college or university
MRCVS: Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (United Kingdom)
NADOI: Endorsed by National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors
OSCT: Operation Socialization Certified Trainer
SCA: SAFER Certified Assessor (ASPCA)
VSPDT: Victoria Stillwell Positively Dog Trainer

On its website, the Association of Professional Dog Trainers advises, "One should realize that a “certificate” from a particular training school is simply that: A certificate for completing one of the numerous training courses available.  If you choose to attend a “dog training school,” do your homework. Investigate the program and how it fits with your needs.

A Trained Dog is a Happy Owner

Dogs should be trained to sit/stay at various times throughout the day.

This photo is the “after” picture, where the owner has effectively transformed her two previously unruly dogs into polite and well-mannered dogs at mealtime, by using a simple but effective “stay” command while the family prepares dinner. In the “before” picture these dogs were hovering in the area competing for attention and food while risking more serious behavior problems such as resource guarding and intra-household aggression.

Instead of yelling and scolding, the owner now uses training. A simple solution to a common problem, and just one example of the way in which obedience training helps to eliminate undesirable behavior while at the same time teaching self-control, reinforcing healthy pack structure and preventing many common other related behavior problems. 

At mealtime and at other times when arousal is high due to the introduction of high-value resources (arrival of guests, food in the kitchen, walking on leash etc.), the old adage, “a trained dog is a happy owner” snaps sharply into focus.  Good dog training is always done in three stages, “instruction, correction, distraction.”  There are no quick fixes, this behavior is the result of hard work.

Best and Worst Dog Breeds for Kids

As a professional dog trainer for over 25 years, one of the questions I’ve been asked most often is:  “What’s the best breed of dog for families with young children?”  Whenever I answer that question I have to start with some disclaimers: First, it is impossible to predict the future behavior of any animal. Second, even within the same breed, all dogs are individuals, so it’s not fair to paint with too broad a brush. I’ve worked with aggressive Golden Retrievers and super friendly Rottweilers. Third, I have worked with every breed of dog you can name and I love them all. The fact that I would not put a particular breed high on my list for families with young children does not mean I think that they are a “bad” breed.

Since purebred dogs are bred to possess certain traits and to perform certain jobs, one can make some reasonable assumptions that will increase the odds of a good fit based on these traits. The following is merely an opinion - but it's an opinion based on my experience with thousands of dogs, and shared by many of my colleagues who are also experienced professional dog trainers. 

General Tips:

Consider adopting an adult dog instead of buying a puppy. Before we start talking about breeds, I want to briefly discuss the pros and cons of whether it’s better to choose a puppy or an adult dog. The advantage of going with a puppy is that you get to control what happens during key early socialization periods. The disadvantage is that you risk ending up with a genetic temperament problem that you won’t be able to spot until the dog is an adolescent. So if you choose a puppy, avoid pet shops and puppy mills, do your homework, find a reputable breeder, and try to meet the sire and dam. If you can’t follow those guidelines then you’re probably better off adopting an adult dog. With an adult dog, you can see what you’re getting in terms of temperament and drive.  My point is that a puppy is not necessarily a safer choice than an adult dog.

     Bigger is better. For families with young children, I prefer the larger breeds over smaller ones. Smaller breeds do not tolerate rough handling as well as larger breeds. So you will find only larger breeds on my list of recommendations for families with small children.  

Pit Bulls and Kids?

If you decide to adopt a shelter dog, you’re probably going to notice that a lot of them are pits and pit mixes, so we need to talk about them first. Let me define what I mean by “pit bulls.”  Believe it or not, this is not a universally agreed upon term.   The narrowest definition of a “pit bull” is the American Pit Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire Terrier. Some people include the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the American Bulldog and other “bully breeds” in this group because they look similar. Technically, these are different from the first two, but when I talk about “pits” here I am using the term very loosely – the way most people use the term – to describe any of the above breeds and their mixes.  

Contrary to popular belief and urban legend, pits and pit mixes have some qualities that make them great with kids. First, they tolerate rough handling and rough play extremely well.    They love physical contact and can be hugged, poked, grabbed and wrestled with and generally are good natured about it. I don’t recommend that type of play with any dog, but if you have rambunctious kids in your home, a pit bull is going to be a lot more forgiving of that type of behavior than many other breeds.  

On the flip side however, pits tend to play pretty rough. The rough mouthy play that is typical with most young pits and pit mixes generally makes them more difficult to raise with small children. They can be rude with their mouths until trained not to be. They love grabbing hold of and tugging at clothes and shoes. They have an “in your face” attitude that can be frightening to some children, especially visiting children. 

So unless you’re an experienced dog owner willing to put some time and effort into training your pit bull, with the full expectation of having to provide lots of supervision and to referee the interaction between your dog and your children, you might want to think twice about putting them at the top of your list if you have young children at home.   

  

Difficult Dog Breeds for Families with Children:

I know people who own great dogs of the following breeds, but based on my experience I would generally not recommend the following breeds for families with young children: Chihuahua, Dalmation, South African Boerboel, Belgian Malinois, Chow-Chow, English Bulldog, Akita, Husky and Shar-Pei.       

General Comments by Group:

Herding breeds like Collies, Border Collies, Australian Shepherds, Australian Cattle Dogs can be a lot of fun to own but they require lots of exercise, play and mental stimulation – more than a busy mom and dad can sometimes give them. Also, they sometimes use their mouths to “herd” children running around outside (until they have trained properly), so they are sometimes not the best choice for the novice dog owner with kids in the home.

Terriers are fun, loveable and intelligent, but you won’t find any terriers on my list of dogs for families with young children. Terriers are bred to catch and kill critters. They are bred to be tenacious. Many terriers have very little patience for the poking and prodding of young children.   

Guarding breeds like German Shepherds, Rottweilers and Doberman Pinschers are among my favorite breeds – but they’re not for everyone. My kids grew up with at least 2 of our own Dobermans in our home, plus whatever Dobies we may have been fostering at the time. Guarding breeds are loyal, protective and extremely intelligent. But these breeds absolutely require good professional training and dedicated, experienced owners. If you don’t have the time and money needed to train them properly, I suggest that you choose one of my picks below, especially if you have young children at home.

Dog breed recommendations for families with small children:

·        It is impossible to predict the future behavior of any animal. Even within the same breed, all dogs are individuals. But over the years I’ve seen the highest rates of success for families with children who owned these breeds: 

      Standard Poodle.  Not the little guys, I’m talking about the large “Standard Poodle.” They weigh about 60 pounds as an adult. No shedding, very smart, great with kids.

·        Golden Retriever. Unfortunately many of today’s Goldens are prone to cancer and won’t live beyond 10 years. Otherwise, a great all around choice. 

·        Bernese Mountain Dog. They’re the largest on my list (about 100 pounds), easy to train and they love children. Unfortunately, they too have short life spans, about 8 years.

·        Labrador Retriever. Labs can be very mouthy (nippy) when young, but when properly trained by owners who are willing to navigate through the rambunctious childhood of a Lab, they grow up to be ideal family pets and are usually great with kids.

·        Beagle. Not as large as the other choices, Beagles top off at around 25 pounds and have a well-deserved reputation for being great with kids. 

·        Mutt.  Consider adopting (or fostering) a mixed breed dog from your local animal shelter. There are dogs at your local shelter who have been raised with kids and are great with kids. Some of them have been surrendered to shelters through no fault of their own (e.g. eviction, foreclosure, divorce, allergies, etc.). Most animal shelters have foster programs. These programs enable you to help your local shelter pressed for space, while at the same time giving you an opportunity to see for yourself if the dog is a good match for your family. 

One final thought - if you already own a dog and are having some challenges with behavior, a good trainer can help you navigate through the rough spots.  Any dog, of any breed, can be trained.

Dog Food Recalls, Contaminated Dog Food

Because of the recent problem with contaminated dog foods, many of my clients have been asking me for dog food recommendations.   

I don't recommend ANY of the dog foods you can buy in stores.  The commercial dog foods sold in stores all contain fillers, by-products and chemical preservatives. They need to be transported and stored over long periods of time, so they all contain chemical preservatives. 

Also, dog food companies use things like wheat and soy to increase the protein percentage that you read on the bag, but these fillers are not digestible.  The bag might indicate a high protein percentage, but if they’re not digestible proteins it just becomes more for you to clean up in the yard.

For these and other reasons I don’t recommend ANY of the dog foods you can buy in stores.

The only commercial dog food I recommend is "Life's Abundance" dog food, which is only available online. You can purchase it at www.naturalfoodfordogs.com

Formulated by internationally known holistic veterinarian Dr. Jane Bicks, the primary ingredient in this kibble is HUMAN-GRADE chicken. It also contains egg which is one of the most digestible forms of protein and is full of vitamins A, B, E, K, biotin and amino acids. 

Also it has fish meal, which is high in Omega-3 fatty acids. This is an all-natural food rich in antioxidants from whole food sources and it’s the only food I know of that uses probiotics and beet pulp for a healthy digestive tract, with lactobacillus acidophilus to help maintain a balance of friendly bacteria in your dog's intestines.

I’ve been feeding Life’s Abundance to my own dogs and to all of our rescue and foster dogs for years, and it’s great. Dogs with loose stools have firmed right up and even the most "finicky" eaters will devour it.  We no longer have to add supplements (fish oil etc.) to their diets - everything is properly formulated in one easy to feed dry kibble.

It’s a high quality food that will give you the benefits of feeding a raw diet, without the high costs and hassle of a raw diet.  Even though the price per bag is high, you’ll feed less of it (no fillers) so the net cost is about the same as store-bought food.  It’s made in the U.S. of high quality ingredients under the supervision of a holistic veterinarian, and there has never been a recall:  www.naturalfoodfordogs.com