I asked dog professionals for a short list of deceptive language they’ve seen in ads for dog training. I was not surprised that the word “behaviorist” appeared at the top of many lists. It’s a term we’ve all seen in ads and on websites and Facebook pages for people offering dog-training services.
“What is a behaviorist?”
I asked dog professionals what the word means and why using that word to describe the services one offers to dog owners might be considered deceptive . . . and why.
Amy Suggars (Ohio) To me, in relation to dog training, a behaviorist is someone who focuses on the underlying rationale as to why a dog may behave in a certain way. A person who uses that term to describe themselves should have the credentials (education and experience) to back them up.
A typical dog trainer, in my opinion, is not a behaviorist simply because he or she is primarily focused on changing/shaping a dog’s behavior. While a behaviorist may change the dog’s environment to elicit a change in behavior, a trainer typically uses reinforcement, positive or negative, to make a dog behave in a certain way (like come when called). Generally, a trainer is not overly concerned with why a dog is doing or not doing something.
Marilyn Marks (Connecticut) Anything with an -ist implies at least a master’s degree to me (no matter the profession). The issue with pet-dog training is that there is no accredited degree program, associates on up. Master’s and PhDs are in generalized (non-dog) behavior, not necessarily in applied dog behavior. This is changing, but only for PhDs, not for dog “trainers.”
Nyssa Gatcombe (Maine) I always associate it (“behaviorist”) with someone who approaches behavior from a more disciplined background. I’m talking peer-reviewed science. Higher education in behavior such as a Master’s or PhD or DVM.
From my experience, a lot of trainers don’t know how to properly tackle scientific journals. I’ve seen people touting articles with poor-quality data and analysis because they don’t have a research background. The certified behaviorists I have met and worked with do not have that same struggle.
Sarah Adams (Oregon) “Behaviorist”—somebody who is board-certified through the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. Otherwise, it’s a dog trainer.
A dog trainer can know about behavior and be helpful with it, can describe themselves as interested in behavior, but if they’re calling themselves a “behaviorist,” they’re pretending to qualifications they don’t have. It’s unethical.
Photo by Cherie Marshall
Eileen Anderson (Arkansas) To me, it refers to a board-certified veterinary behaviorist or a certified applied animal behaviorist. Both require advanced degrees and have strict criteria for certification.
Erin Saywell (Maryland) Better than someone using the term “behavioralist,” but I generally ignore trainers who use the term behaviorist. Unless you’re a veterinary behaviorist, I don’t have time for that nonsense.
Rebecca Piedad (California) In behavior professional communities in the U.S., that word is typically used to describe those certified through the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. [ACVB certification requires a degree in veterinary medicine. The Animal Behavior Society (ABS) requires an MS for ACAAB (Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist) or a PhD for CAAB.] In academic communities in the U.S. and throughout the world, the word is used to describe someone who studies and/or works in behavior, similar to how we use “scientist” or “chemist.” Other countries have other professional uses of the term as well (other implied credentials). Unlike other occupations, like surgeon or phlebotomist, there are no regulations governing the title of behaviorist and how the discipline is practiced so, technically, anyone can call themselves a behaviorist and not necessarily be wrong. However, because of its wide acceptance among behavior professionals as meaning someone certified by ACVB, when I see someone call themselves a behaviorist who clearly does not have those credentials—or likely doesn’t because they don’t give information about their education—I tend to be very suspicious of their qualifications as a trainer or behavior professional in general. They either are not familiar enough with the industry to know that they don’t qualify to hold that title among other behavior professionals, or they are being intentionally misleading about their qualifications to acquire more clients.
Suzanne Hetts (Arizona) and Melissa McCue-McGrath (Massachusetts) wrote in an article for The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers’ (CCPDT) Scoop magazine:
First, we agree that when the public calls us for help with their dogs, they often really don’t know WHAT or WHO they need. We all receive calls from people wanting a “behavioralist.” Others folks say they need to have their dog “trained” to not bite children or be afraid of thunder. It’s not surprising the public is confused, because the field is internally as well!
We can use whatever non-protected professional titles we want, as long as we steer clear of protected terms unless they are earned. Some of these include Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB), and Associate CAAB, terms protected by the Animal Behavior Society which certifies these individuals. Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT) is a term protected by the Council of Certified Professional Dog Trainers. Pet Professional Guild (PPG), International Association of Applied Animal Behaviorists (IAABC), and other groups also have protected titles. It’s common knowledge that Veterinary Behaviorist is also a protected term (American College of Veterinary Behaviorists).
Some dog trainers use the term behavior specialist to avoid protected terminology without realizing that behavior specialist is a protected term when used by veterinarians.
Hetts and McCue-McGrath agree that holding an advanced degree in a behavior science is an easy first criterion to apply when considering whether to use the title “behaviorist” in any professional context. That criterion has many precedents in other fields. Dentists, psychologists, geologists, physical therapists—the “ist” usually implies post-graduate formal education. An advanced degree is just the starting criterion for CAAB or ACAAB certification. It’s important to note that CAABs and ACAABs represent a tiny slice of the larger pie of professional behaviorists, most of whom do not work with dogs or other domestic species. Many professional animal behaviorists observe wild animals in natural settings to learn more about them, without any interest in modifying their behavior!
The third thing we agree on is how frustrating it is when television personalities with little or no education in the science of animal behavior on both ends of the “training spectrum” claim they are behaviorists. To add confusion, we all know of individuals just entering the field who may not have even developed their training chops yet, who are self-proclaimed overnight “behaviorists.” It’s tempting to throw up our hands and think, “Well, if they do it, why shouldn’t I?” Particularly if one is looking to set themselves apart in a field that is growing. We both caution strongly against this, again for ethical reasons and for clarity for the public.
This leads us to the fourth thing on which we agree. Own your credentials! If you’ve earned a CCPDT credential or ones from other entities, proudly use the titles associated with those credentials without feeling the need to flourish the title you’ve earned. Be proud to call yourself a certified dog trainer! Good trainers often have better hands-on training skills than many behaviorists.
As professionals in related fields interact more with one another, it becomes even more important to be cognizant of the titles and labels we use. We must listen when a professional says our terminology rubs the wrong way. Language is evolving, our fields are evolving. We must listen to each other and respect each other fully to really help our clients. Trainers using titles such as behavior specialists, behaviorists, or other permutations of the term in an effort to enhance their credibility—in the long run they accomplish just the opposite, even if it’s well intentioned.
If you’d like to know more about the certificate requirements for ACAABs and CAABs, visit https://www.animalbehaviorsociety.org/web/index.php and click Applied Animal Behavior in the Additional Resources pane. More information about veterinary behaviorists can be found at https://www.dacvb.org/. Another less well-known certification in animal behavior for animal scientists is offered by the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists at https://www.arpas.org/.
Are you considering hiring someone who lists their job as “behaviorist” to train your dog or to teach you how to train your dog? To interact with you and your dog in any way? Look further before you leap. Ask for the person’s qualifications, not just a job title. Where did the person get their experience and education? What are their degrees and from where? Have they been certified? By what organization and what does that organization require for the particular certification? Due-diligence on your part also includes verifying the person’s specific certification with each certifying organization. That can be done easily, in most cases, online. Do it. Don’t “take their word.”
Is there an intent to deceive you, the potential client, if the person who claims to be a behaviorist has no experience or education that might qualify them for the title? You’ll have to answer that question yourself. Even better, keep looking for someone who does have the experience and education, someone with the certifications to prove it, someone who has earned your business by being honest in their advertising without attempting to fool you about what you might be getting.
You and your dog deserve the best.
