Collected Wisdom Animal Behavior

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Introduction: There is no one in this area who comes close to having my level of education or experience. I have a graduate degree that focused on zoology and animal learning, plus numerous training certifications that I maintain by continued practice of current training methods and continuing education. I have worked in a variety of environments including: veterinary clinics, federal government, Colorado and California state governments, behavior department at the University of California, and animal shelters where I worked with thousands of dogs. Since 2005 I have mentored countless dog trainers and offer lectures for dog trainers to earn their continuing education credits. In summary, I teach other teachers. My methods use effective reinforcement techniques, (not archaic punishment techniques from 20-100 years ago) and are in-line with leaders of the field from behavior departments in universities, veterinary behaviorists, applied animal behaviorist, and top-notch humane societies around the nation.

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What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I attend several conferences per year that span the range of veterinary, behavior, and dog trainer topics to keep my own certifications up to date. I also give CE when I lecture at conferences. For example, I spoke at the Applied Behavior Analyst International (ABAI) in Denver in 2011 where 4,000 people were registered from around the world. I give 8-10 workshops a year to animal shelters to learn more about how to deal with canine aggression in a shelter environment and improving quality of life. I lecture regularly to veterinary clinics to teach them more about animal behavior and to dog trainer professionals to earn their CEU's.
What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
Hiring people with credentials ensures they are keeping up with current trends, attending conferences, and are professional. There are many credentials available, so once you know which one they have, a simple Google search will reveal how qualified they are to help you. You do not need any training or education to offer dog training services, so there is no protection for you unless you do your own homework. For dog training, avoid those who use prong collars, choke chains, and shock collars. These devices are being banned in many countries with good reason. Even though they can work when the trainer uses them, it is very difficult for a person who does not have the training and experience to use them as prescribed. If they are used improperly, most behaviors get worse and often result in causing aggression. The world of dog training has made big advances in research and training over the past 5-10 years. If someone has been doing this for a long time, ensure you ask how their training methods have changed in the past decade as it will give you insight if they are keeping up with the high bar that has been set by their colleagues. Only hire people who have insurance for dog training and pet sitting. It shows they are a professional with a legitimate business. One can not get insurance unless you are a professional and have a certain standard met by the insurance companies. They should be working with other leaders in the field and not working alone like a cowboy/girl.