Questioning Professional Authority

A common theme I often hear or see is, “Well, so-and-so is a professional, so I went along with it because I thought they were doing what was right!” This statement is deeply troubling especially when it concerns our animals. It brings to mind the Stanford Prison Experiment (1971), which demonstrated how easily people can fall into roles without questioning authority. I would like to empower people to question authority when you morally feel something is wrong!!! It is OKAY to question authority and people who get upset about it are not being professional! I want to be questioned. I like being questioned!

I have been in the dog world for a very long time. Not only am I in the dog world, but I am in the dog training world, the dog sports world,  the veterinary world, and the physical rehabilitation world. I might use words, phrases, or terminology that you might not know! Maybe I think something sounds easy, and you are SUPER confused! Ask me to slow down, use different words, or ask me to show you. Professionals are happy to help you understand what we mean. We are happy to help you learn and help your dog be better. If we need to explain something in several ways or show you multiple times, that is completely fine! If something has been working for you and your dog, show it to us. Let’s come up with a compromise that will work! That is the professional way to handle things.

For example, I have been doing body work and laser on a dog who is involved in high-impact sports. He is a great boy and he works HARD! The first time I worked on him, he was not so sure about what was going on. The next time we used treats because that is MY go-to for most dogs. The next time I worked on this dog, his mom had a bright idea to use his FAVORITE toy. The past three times I have worked on this dog, he has happily had his toy in his mouth and let me do whatever I needed to do with him. I know what has worked with most of my clients (treats), but this owner knows her dog best (his toy). I am professional enough to trust this owner, this is what compromise looks like, so we have a successful outcome.

Relying on Expertise

There are many areas where I am not a professional, so I naturally trust those who are experts in their respective fields for guidance. For instance, when I recently needed a new car, I openly admitted to the salesperson that I know nothing about cars. This admission could make me an easy target for an unscrupulous salesperson. Car salespeople often have a reputation for being sleazy and untrustworthy, so as a potential customer, we try to equip ourselves with some information to avoid being taken advantage of. This approach holds true in other fields as well, particularly when it involves our animals. As professionals, it is our duty to know that our clients do not know as much as we do. We also need to know how myths, bad science, and half-truths can have a negative impact on our dogs.

As with any business, there are marketing buzzwords. Trainers will use them too, to make themselves sound better than other trainers. We all do it. I am sure I am guilty of doing this myself, but I try really hard not to, unless I am using certifications I can back up if someone were to independently look up. I will go ahead and do the homework for you and provide a list of my credentials:

• RVT – 16-2023
• CCAT
• CPCFT
• FFCP – (Level 1 & 2) You may have to type in my zip code 25526 to find me
• AKC CGC Evaluator – 82840 – This also means I am a Trick Dog Judge and STAR Puppy Evaluator. I can also evaluate for the Canine Good Citizen – Advanced (Community Canine) and Canine Good Citizen – Urban tests.
• AKC Judge – 107275 – I am an approved AKC Fetch and Temperament Test Judge.

These certifications show that I have had to prove my knowledge, and I have to continue to educate myself with Continuing Education requirements. I feel comfortable using terms like “behavior modification” due to my RVT certification since proper behavior modification generally uses a multi-modal approach and sometimes medication. Do you actually know what behavior modification is, or does it just sound good and scientific-y to you? Behavior modification is changing the underlying emotional state of the dog, which then changes the behavior the dog is displaying. We want the dog to feel differently about something (for the better). Many trainers who use the buzzword “behavior modification” will often break a dog down first to teach it learned helplessness and then when the dog is afraid to make a mistake, then go “look the dog is not afraid to do XYZ.” When in reality it is more afraid to be wrong. This, in my opinion, is not professional training. Many people automatically think compliance is equal to great training. Personally, I find dogs who have a great relationship with their handler/owner, who are neutral to their surroundings, and fun to be around to have great training. It is imperative to understand the difference between marketing buzzwords vs. what these terms actually mean. If you have a question about a term, ask! Sometimes really hard training for the dog, does not look flashy in the end. On the flip side, sometimes that flashy behavior that appears to be confident, is not at all! Not all dogs can handle the same type of training either.

The Responsibilities of Professionals

Professionals should always conduct themselves with integrity. They are expected to have more knowledge in their field than those seeking their services. One of the major roles of a professional is to educate the public and disseminate information by being open and transparent. There is usually more than one approach to address an issue- the approach may vary depending on the dog/handler team in front of us. One size does not fit all, especially when it comes down to working with sentient beings. In my view, it is highly unprofessional for anyone to exploit people’s emotions, demean them, or instill fear. Both people and animals deserve to be treated with kindness and respect. Having professional credentials does not automatically mean someone is acting professionally toward people or animals.

Major animal welfare organizations, such as the AVMA, AVSAB, ACVB, IAABC, etc. endorse and recommend reward-based training methods. Dogs experience a range of emotions and learn in various ways, so understanding and cooperating with them is key to effective training. Training should never involve forcing compliance or disguising abuse as discipline. Over the years, behaviorists, zookeepers, and veterinary staff have found safe ways to work with wild animals in zoos and aquariums by using reward-based training and cooperation. Why is the dog training industry so far behind? Why are there so many “trainers” who want to hold on to outdated training methods and belief systems?

A common argument against reward-based training is that there are no consequences for poor behavior. This is the same issue we see when people are using “Gentle Parenting.” Both of these systems work, but you cannot take it to the extreme, which tends to happen. There are consequences for poor behavior when using reward-based training, we are just not going with the old school “having a Jesus moment” or beating our dogs when they do the wrong thing. We have to start thinking about our dogs’ motives (even our kids’, if we are also going to lump in children here).

We are going to use pulling on a leash for our example. Why do dogs pull on the leash? Simple answer, to go where they want to! Where they want to go has always been rewarding to them. Typically their noses are down on the ground and they are pulling to a really good smell. They get to that good smell and they stop pulling for a moment, and then carry on with pulling. They do not want to go home, or go “that way,” so we pull them to go the way we want them to. What happens if we just stop? Guess what!? The dog cannot pull us and they cannot get rewarded for it. However, when they look at us, like we are crazy for not letting them pull, we can then reward them for giving us attention (which is what we want). Lure them into heel position, and reward them a few times for being in the correct spot and depending on how long their reward history has been with pulling will depend on how long it will take to teach them proper Loose Leash Walking (LLW).

There are several nuances in there for teaching LLW, but that is the general gist. Yes, it might take a bit longer than constantly holding your dog on a super short leash by your leg or other less pleasant ways of teaching LLW, but this way, you have identified the motive behind pulling and we are on our way to fixing it, while also building your relationship with your dog in the process. However, this process might look different if the dog is soft and scared to move. Our goal would be to build your relationship and teach your dog the world is not scary.

Finding a Professional Dog Trainer

Dog training is an unregulated industry, making it difficult to identify reputable professionals. Consider these steps:

• Ask open-ended questions to gather details and spot any concerns you may have.
• Trust your instincts
  • Choose a trainer whose methods align with your ethics, values, and morals.
  • It is okay to leave in the middle of a lesson/class and say “this isn’t for me.”
• Observe a class; leave if you’re uncomfortable with the training methods and/or equipment.
  • I personally LOVE when people ask if they can observe one of my classes.
  • Does the trainer show up on time?
  • Do they come prepared?
  • How do they handle unexpected issues or difficult dogs/handlers?
• Check out their social media
  • Do their methods make you go, “huh?”
  • Do the dogs in the photo look happy, or do they look stressed?
  • What kind of equipment are the dogs wearing? Slip Lead, Collar, Harness, Prong Collar, Shock Collar?
    • How does this equipment make you feel?
  • Observe how the trainer interacts with their OWN dogs. Do their dogs seem genuinely happy and engaged with their owner?
• Ask others who have trained with the trainer about their opinions? Is the trainer kind to people and dogs? Do they welcome questions and/or differing opinions?
• Ask other dog professionals about opinions on the trainer you are interested in, such as groomers and your veterinarian.
• See if the trainer you are interested in has certifications, experience, and performance titles on their own dogs.
  • Performance titles mean this person has had a third party objectively evaluate their dogs’ behavior and skill level usually in a highly stressful and stimulating environment. It may not seem like much, but it takes quite a bit of training to have a dog successfully perform in a show/trial environment.
• Ask about Continuing Education requirements that are needed to maintain their certifications.
  • As an example my RVT license, while not directly related to training, does require 8 hours of CE per year (this requirement is different for each state). Since I am interested in behavior/training and sports medicine/rehab, my CE hours are spent on behavior and rehab, which is what my practice is dedicated to.
• Ask about their training philosophy! Are they kind and open to ideas? Or are they set in a specific way?

I would empower you to use the same thought process when choosing a groomer, veterinary professional, or pet sitter.