as not everyone has the time, circumstances, or money to go to uni.

you can gain similar knowledge and topic studies thru other courses and your own home study efforts as well.

Hi, if the trainee trainer is the one I think you mean, I don't think she was BSc and she doesn't appear to be practising now ... as far as I can tell

Wys
x

hi wys

i dont know whom you mean?

im referring to a couple different BSc trainers/behaviourists i have encountered over the years who were unreliable with the dogs they dealt with.
we sorted same dogs out at the rescue i worked at, without degrees.

The Canadian woman?
We talked about it at some length but quite a while ago now! ( I only know of the one that you mentioned though).

Wys
x

Quite true.

However, knowledge and understanding underpins commonsense. When 'most' of the time runs out, the 'few' times that are left often needs more knowledge and understanding to successfully achieve results

There are some very good workshops and seminars out there - many I'd love to go to. Is it me, or are the costs of decent workshops/seminars rising alarmingly? Many of the ones I look at these days seems to be around the £200/£300 mark - add travel/accommodation costs on top and it puts many of them out of the reach of many pockets.

Underpinning knowledge means you understand the process and can therefore get creative when the usual approach doesn`t suit.
Underpinning knowledge can be acquired lots of ways - self-taught trainers are fine with me - but if your advice is to go and consult someone, the very least you need to know is that they conform to basic standards. That is where accreditation comes in.

No. I think an education from a variety of sources is best. That way you can use your own brain to compare theories and methods.
And I think you should never stop learning.

I've just caught up with this thread & was very interested in the views on qualifications/experience in the dog training & behaviour world.

I've been the recipient of both formal learning, exams, research, case studies & practical hands-on experience, mainly in the feline world, but also with dogs (although I don't work as a dog trainer/behaviourist). And I have to say that I very much agree with Brierley's views on the benefits of a formal science-based education, ending with the testing of knowledge, demonstrations of the requisite skills & understanding, & research experience. And IMO this is absolutely invaluable in understanding the background to animal behaviour.

Obviously hands-on experience to put into practice the knowledge gained from studies & qualifications is equally important, but to have the backing of behavioural science & to apply that knowledge to deal with real problems, is hugely helpful. It puts it all into perspective. There are so many aspects to behaviour (physiology, ethology, learning theory etc) & it is vital that behaviourists understand how they link together, how one affects the other, how they all impact on the physical manifestations of behaviour. If any animal trainer or behaviourists fails to understand or take into account all of these factors, then they could be making misdiagnoses, or use inaapropriate methods to modify the problem behaviours.

I also think that vets are becoming far more careful about recommending dog trainers & behaviourists (possibly because of insurance requirements?). Most of the vets I work with (on feline behaviour cases) won't recommend any behaviourists without giving them a grilling on their qualifications, asking for certificates or confirmation of their qualifications, and preferably getting references. It's a bit different in the dog training world, when dog training is mostly about teaching a dog appropriate behaviours & doing basic training. But for serious behavioural problems, where the dog's life may be under threat, or there's a possibility of a person or another dog getting attacked, then, quite rightly, the vets I know would certainly NOT refer their client to the lady down the road who runs training classes ~ despite the fact that she's been running these classes very successfullly for many years, has a lot of hands-on experience & has a loyal & expanding client base.

I suppose it's a bit different in the feline world where there are ONLY feline behaviourists & not "cat trainers" as well. Some of the vets I now work with have asked me to give a talk on feline behaviour to the practice staff as part of their annual CPD requirements, other vet practices have grilled me on my knowledge of cat behaviour, & about the courses I've attended & how & why I would deal with hypothetical cases. In some cases it is only after they've got to know me, & feel comfortable that I know what I'm doing & they've had good feedback from their clients & the follow-up reports I write are useful, only at this stage do I get regular referrals.

I know there are many drawbacks & practical difficulties etc in getting the animal behaviourist profession regulated in any meaningful way ~ but we've managed it in many other professions from financial advisers to surgeons, from physiotherapists to plumbers ~ so why not dog trainers & behaviourists? At least this would give the fee-paying public & referring vets the assurance that the person they are giving money to, or recommending, has a minimum of experience & study.

again,

what accreditation?

whose acceditation?