What Do Behaviourists Do? Just Out Of Curiosity...

[nawnim]

...

Edited June 1, 2012 by padraic

[Rilla-My-Rilla]

Thanks for the replies everyone :D

[andrewang]

Go to youtube.com and seach for ceasar millan dog whisperer.

That guy is one hell of a dog behaviourist, some might criticise his methods but he is good.

[huski]

Go to youtube.com and seach for ceasar millan dog whisperer.

That guy is one hell of a dog behaviourist, some might criticise his methods but he is good.

Good at what? :laugh: LOL...

I think a lot of people have different ideas on what makes a behaviourist and what they should do. In my mind a behaviourist should assess the dog, educate the owner on what is going on with the dog and show them how to get the best out of the dog. This obviously differs from dog to dog and owner to owner.

[fuzzy82]

It all depends.

To call yourself a qualified animal behaviorist, you must pass a degree in animal behaviour. Which has a small canine component, but includes all types of animals, and does not mean that a person knows how to modify dog behaviour at all.

Then you have veterinary behaviourists, that have a veterinary degree and a behaviour degree. But that doesn't mean that they know how to train a dog either. Although after ten years study you would hope that they might.

There is no qualification just in dog behaviour.

Then you have people that are not qualified, but have spent time doing training and instructing in dog clubs. They may do some self-guided learning and may have mentors.They can also call themself a trainer or behaviourist. And you have people that have learned to train dogs in police or military or somewhere.

Then you have courses like Delta, that teach only one particular style of training, but do offer a qualification as a dog trainer.

And that is why you cannot easily define a behaviourist.

Generally people call a behaviourist when they have a problem. The behaviourist will assess the dog by looking for its non-verbal reactions to certain situations and how its owner interacts with it.

Whether a dog can be managed, rehabilitated, or is beyond help often depends on the resources and abilities of the owner and the temperament of the dog. Assessing and training dogs is fairly straightforward. Training people in how to manage their dog can be a lot harder.

Usually if a dog has a behaviour fault, it cannot just be fixed. Instead the owner learns how to read their dog and manage it by keeping it out of those situations where trouble might happen. A behaviourist can also work out a plan aimed at increasing a dog's tolerance to things it might not like, as well as working out a customised training program. The result is a dog that stays out of trouble.

A good behaviourist is fantastic, but a bad one is useless or maybe even dangerous.

There is, NDTF does a Cert III in Dog Behaviour and Training, and I think they do, or are planning to do a Cert IV in Behaviour.

[Weasels]

There is, NDTF does a Cert III in Dog Behaviour and Training, and I think they do, or are planning to do a Cert IV in Behaviour.

Also, CASI - http://www.casinstitute.com/behaviordep.html

And I think there is a cert. course based out of Murdoch Uni here too. Not sure about over east.

[huski]

There are also some TAFE courses on offer.

[tdierikx]

Go to youtube.com and seach for ceasar millan dog whisperer.

That guy is one hell of a dog behaviourist, some might criticise his methods but he is good.

Good at what? :laugh: LOL...

I think a lot of people have different ideas on what makes a behaviourist and what they should do. In my mind a behaviourist should assess the dog, educate the owner on what is going on with the dog and show them how to get the best out of the dog. This obviously differs from dog to dog and owner to owner.

... and there is the truth of the matter. Not all dogs and owners are the same, so assessment of both, and training of both is key...

T.

[PuddleDuck]

I was doing what (from my research anyway) is the only undergraduate degree in animal behaviour (on extended maternity leave ATM). It's through Macquarie in sydney and is B. Science with a major in Brain, Behaviour and Evolution. It covers broad behaviour theories, but does not cover dogs (or really domestic animals) specifically at all. But if you want to learn about insect behaviours...it's awesome! Not all qualifications are what they seem, and that's why I always prefer to go off word of mouth recommendations for dog behaviourists