Dog Aggression: How a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant Can Help You and Your Dog

I'm your podcast host, Scott Sheaffer, and in this episode, I'm going to help you better understand the roles of a dog trainer and a certified dog behavior consultant. I'll walk you through how to find the right professional to help you with your dog's aggression or other behavioral issues. We're going to go global, exploring the requirements for dog behavior professionals around the world. I'll be revealing some shocking truths about the virtually unregulated dog training profession worldwide.

You'll get a breakdown of how to identify the qualifications of a dog behavior consultant and why it's vital to follow their advice once you've selected who you are going to work with. I'll be sharing some tips on making the right choice in selecting a professional, including things to avoid, like the use of aversive techniques such as shock and prong collars.

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About Scott Sheaffer
Scott Sheaffer, CCBC-KA, CDBC, CPDT-KA, is a certified dog behavior consultant who has worked with thousands of dog owners and their aggressive dogs. Scott specializes in the assessment and treatment of fear, anxiety, aggression, and phobias in dogs six months and older.

Social Media and Other Links:
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Disclaimer
If you have a dog who is aggressive and dangerous to humans, it is important that you immediately consult directly with an experienced and certified canine behavior consultant who specializes in dog aggression to humans. Take proper measures to ensure that your dog is never in a position to injure anyone. The information presented in this podcast is for educational purposes only and is neither intended nor implied to replace the need for the direct involvement of an experienced and certified canine behavior consultant who specializes in dog aggression to humans. Scott Sheaffer, the Grumpy Dogs podcast and USA Dog Behavior, LLC, are not liable for any incidents or outcomes resulting from following the advice given in this podcast.

Transcript

Scott Sheaffer, CBCC-KA, CDBC, CPDT-KA: 0:00

You probably won't be surprised when I tell you that owners of dogs that have significant levels of aggression or other serious behavior issues are normally quite frustrated by the time they contact us. Their dog's behavior is negatively impacting not only their dog ownership experience, but it's also affecting their lifestyle. They can have people over to their home. They're afraid to take their dog out of their house because the dog's aggression and reactivity embarrass them on walks In some cases. If they leave their dog in the house when they're gone alone, they never know what the dog will do to the home. Well, they tear it up, who knows?

Scott Sheaffer, CBCC-KA, CDBC, CPDT-KA: 0:39

We can't blame owners of dogs with serious behavior issues for thinking Isn't having a dog supposed to be fun instead of disappointing and depressing? If you find yourself in this situation, there's help. In this episode I'm going to answer the question what's a certified dog behavior consultant and how can they help me and my dog? Welcome to the Dog Aggression Answers podcast. I'm Scott Sheaffer, your host and a certified expert in dog behavior. With the background of helping thousands of aggressive dogs and their owners, I'm here to share humane, science-based solutions for your dog's aggression. Stay tuned when it comes to finding professionals to help you with your dog's serious behavior issues, you might find that things aren't as professional and predictable as you probably think or would like. Let me explain.

Scott Sheaffer, CBCC-KA, CDBC, CPDT-KA: 1:42

At this time, only three countries in the world have dog trainer licensing requirements. They only apply to very limited areas within these three countries. Let me tell you who they are. Canada Dog trainer licensing is only required in the province of Ontario, only in that one province in Canada. The second country, australia Licensing is only required in the state of Victoria, only in the state of Victoria in Australia. Finally, the United States. The only state of the 50 in the United States that requires dog trainer licensing is the state of California. In addition to California in the United States, three cities require dog trainer licensing. That would be Denver, phoenix and Seattle. For countries that do have licensing requirements, like the ones we just mentioned, their requirements are fairly minimal, such as being 18 years old, have a high school diploma, some dog handling experience and passing a simple written test. But be that as it may, it is an encouraging start to certification and licensing. In short, the dog training profession is almost entirely unregulated worldwide. This means that just about anyone can call themselves a dog trainer or behavior consultant or behaviorist whatever, regardless of their experience or qualifications.

Scott Sheaffer, CBCC-KA, CDBC, CPDT-KA: 3:19

If the dog training business is virtually unregulated, who should you go to for your dog's serious behavior issues, and how do you find someone to help you? How can you be confident that you're talking to the right people? Well, let's first address the two major types of professionals who can help you with your dog's behavior issues, from simple nuisance behaviors all the way up to more severe behavior concerns. The first category of professionals is dog trainers. According to the CCPDT, that's the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, a dog trainer is an individual who, as a practice, focused on the following. Let me just read you a short list here. It's fairly comprehensive Abedience, house manners, service dog training, nuisance behaviors, scent work, agility, search and rescue and trick dog training. Therefore, issues such as general obedience training, puppy training, house training, dealing with nuisance behaviors, can normally be effectively addressed by a competent dog trainer. The second category of dog behavior professionals is called certified dog behavior consultants.

Scott Sheaffer, CBCC-KA, CDBC, CPDT-KA: 4:37

When defining a dog behavior consultant, the CCPDT states that a certified dog behavior consultant is an individual who, as a practice, focused on canine fears, phobias, aggression, compulsive disorders and anxiety. Let me give you some examples of what those might be. One would be dog aggression towards dogs or people and or people I should say Separation. Anxiety resource, guarding of food and space, meaning the dog doesn't like people or other dogs getting near those things. Inappropriate urination, including things such as marking and submissive urination. There are several other types Dunderstorm and other related anxiety issues. Destructive behaviors and, finally, compulsive behaviors. Examples of those would be excessively fixating on shadows or movement. Licking themselves continuously for an extended period of time would be examples of those. As you can see, for the more serious behavior issues like those I just listed, a certified behavior consultant might be your best choice.

Scott Sheaffer, CBCC-KA, CDBC, CPDT-KA: 5:52

But let's answer this question what is a certified dog behavior consultant? To become a certified dog behavior consultant and internationally recognized independent certifying organization assesses the skills, knowledge and experience of the candidate. If the requirements are met for certification, that being things like verified significant case experience, successfully passing a rigorous exam that covers multiple disciplines relating to animal behavior and professional recommendations from animal professionals in various disciplines. If those are met, the organization will then certify the candidate as a behavior consultant. There are only a few recognized organizations worldwide that officially certify behavior consultants. The CCPDT mentioned earlier is one of them. This process is not unlike the process for other professions, such as board certified veterinary specialist and certified public accounts, who are tested by independent bodies within their discipline and, just like other professional certifications, behavior consultant certifications require the holder to meet minimum ongoing educational requirements and comply with other professional qualifications in order to maintain the certification and continue their practice. The certification of dog behavior consultants by globally recognized certifying organizations should provide dog owners more confidence in the person who they are working with in a world that, as we've seen, has virtually no regulations or licensure of dog training professionals.

Scott Sheaffer, CBCC-KA, CDBC, CPDT-KA: 7:38

In looking for a certified dog behavior consultant or dog trainer, keep the following points in mind First, look for a certified behavior consultant who was certified by a global certifying professional organization. Next, always read reviews from past clients and ensure they have an active and long-standing practice. The next item to think about research their website, social media and other sources to ensure they don't use aversive and contraindicated techniques such as shock collars, prong collars, etc. As we know these have sometimes short-term results but result in much bigger problems later. And lastly, schedule a phone or in-person consultation to learn more about the behavior consultant or dog trainer and discuss your dog's specific needs. Meet them in person. Meet the person who is going to be the hands-on person with you and your dog and see what you think.

Scott Sheaffer, CBCC-KA, CDBC, CPDT-KA: 8:47

Because of their training and certification requirements to become a certified dog behavior consultant, there are, unfortunately, situations where some geographical areas have no behavior consultants or they are very limited in number and dispersed, and I know this is frustrating for a lot of people who have dogs with serious behavior issues. However, many certified behavior consultants can work with you online in many cases. If you feel that you do need a behavior consultant, don't be afraid to reach out to someone that is not in your area and work with them online. Whomever you select to help you with your dog's issue, whether a certified behavior consultant or a dog trainer, your most important responsibility is to ensure the person you choose is an experienced and competent certified professional who uses humane and science-based methods with your dog.

Scott Sheaffer, CBCC-KA, CDBC, CPDT-KA: 9:50

Thanks for tuning in today. If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and leave a review if this information is helpful. I always appreciate your insights, so visit dogaggressionanswerscom if you'd like to leave me a message Before we wrap up. This podcast offers educational insights, but for serious dog aggression issues, always consult directly with a certified dog behavior consultant. See you next time and stay tuned.