Qualified Animal Behavior Specialists

Having trouble understanding the alphabet soup of animal behavior credentials? What do all those letters after a person’s name mean? Are they important?

Finding experienced, credentialed animal behavior specialists is important for your pet and  your family!

A companion animal with a behavior problem is a serious issue for most owners.  You need to find help and you want to find qualified help. Our first recommendation is to consult with your veterinarian.  Your vet should always be the first person with whom you discuss a behavior issue.  All too often, the behavior problem is part of a larger set of health issues.  The four areas of possible concern we recommend you discuss with your veterinarian are: pain, irritation/infection, endocrine and sensory. An example that we see often is aggression in dogs caused by arthritis or other source of pain.  So take any behavior problem to your veterinarian first.

Finding a qualified animal behavior professional is important for your pet and your family!

If your vet recommends that you see a behavior specialist and does not make a personal recommendation, you should look for professional certification.  In the United States, there are no federal or state regulations about who can call themselves animal behaviorists or dog trainers.  Finding a trainer or behavior consultant certified by one of the organizations listed below can be helpful.

Certified professionals with advanced degrees are rare in many areas. In the case of veterinarians, board certification in behavior is relatively new, so there are qualified veterinarians who specialize in behavior but who are not board certified due to the requirements of that process.  While certification alone is not a guarantee, the most reliable professional certifications for the field that we now call applied animal behavior are:

• Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) via the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers
• Certified Behavior Consultant – Canine (CBCC) via the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers
• Accredited Dog Trainer (IAABD-ADT)
• Certified Animal Behavior Consultant (CDBC, CCBC, CPCC, CHCC) via the IAABC
• Board certification in veterinary behavior (DACVB) via the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists
• Certification as an Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB or ACAAB) via the Animal Behavior Society

At Companion Animal Solutions, we’re proud to have educated, experienced, credentialed professionals on staff who possess thousands of hours of experience working with clients to successfully solve their pet’s behavior problems. Have questions about your pet’s behavior? Need help finding a qualified specialist in your area? Feel free to Contact Us!