About
DogPACT
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Who is a 'Behaviorist?
 I am often referred to as a
behaviorist since I work with
dogs to resolve serious behavior
problems such as fearfulness,
aggression, and anxieties. When
I tell people that I am not
a “behaviorist,” they
express either surprise or disinterest
as I try and explain why I won’t
call myself a behaviorist. After
all, what matters to them is
that I can help their dog, not
what I call myself.
But it matters to me. Because,
in brief, it is really buyer
beware when one purchases dog
training or behavior modification
services. There is no regulatory
body in my state (CA) that licenses
trainers or helps the public
become educated about who has
the appropriate experience to
work with their dog, whether
that be Pansy the Puppy or Fang,
the resource-guarding, child
biting Man’s Best Friend.
And if someone calls himself
a behaviorist, and yet has no
advanced education or training
in behavior, someone could end
up being very disappointed when
that “behaviorist” can’t
solve their dog’s problem—or
worse, makes it worse—because
they weren’t qualified.
And that makes all trainers
and real behaviorists look bad.
I call myself a “dog trainer
who specializes in resolving
serious behavior problems.” I
feel that the title “behaviorist” belongs
to two groups of people: 1)
a Board-certified veterinarian
who has advanced education and
experience in behavior in addition
to their medical degree, and
they have sat for and passed
their Board exams in behavior
(there are about 48 of these
rare creatures in the U.S.;
go to http://www.dacvb.org/);
and 2) a Certified Applied Animal
Behaviorist (CAAB) who is a
PhD in psychology or animal
behavior and recognized by the
Animal
Behavior Society.
Does this mean that anyone who
isn’t one of these rare
folks is incapable of helping
people with their dogs? Of course
not. The more than 100 hours
of continuing education I devote
every year in keeping abreast
of my field, my CPDT certification,
and my more than 10 years’ direct
experience make me good at what
I do. But I still don’t
try and impress people with
a title that should be reserved
for the folks who have advanced
degrees and who should be respected
for their contribution and commitment
to the field.
There’s room for everyone
when it comes to helping our dogs
live happy, stress-free lives with
their wacky humans—as long
as we do no physical or emotional
harm—and we respect and
acknowledge the contributions
each other has made.
Terry Long, CPDT
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Terry
Long, CPDT, founded DogPACT in
1996 turning
a lifelong fascination
with dogs and
the study of
their behavior
into a new career.
Terry's experience
with dogs goes
back to early
childhood when
she could be
found training
family and neighborhood
dogs, and later
evolved into
working in veterinary
hospitals in
a variety of
positions. Her
keen understanding
of dogs stems
from hands-on
experience with
hundreds of
dogs, as well
as her skill
in using operant
conditioning
to create new
behaviors and
to modify others.
Her skills have
brought her
invitations
to teach in
the US, Canada
, and Japan.
As a committed
practitioner of
positive training
methods, Terry
logs more than
100 hours of continuing
education a year.
Terry has studied
operant conditioning
and clicker training
with Bob and Marian
Bailey, PhD, and
has also been the
beneficiary of
the teachings of
Dr. Ian Dunbar,
Dr. Karen Overall,
VMD, Pam Reid,
PhD, Karen Pryor,
Jean Donaldson,
and a host of other
contemporaries.
In 2003 Terry became
one of 635 trainers
internationally
to attain the CPDT (Certified
Pet Dog Trainer)
designation, the
first well-recognized
certification program
for professional
trainers and behavior
consultants.
Terry is the former
managing editor
of The APDT
Chronicle of the
Dog, a magazine
for professional
dog trainers around
the world. In 2006
her article for The
Chronicle,“Shape
for Confidence,” won
a coveted 1st-place
Maxwell Award for
Best Feature in
a canine newspaper
or newsletter from
the Dog Writers
Association of
America. It told
the story of how
clicker training
can be used to
help dogs overcome
fearfulness and
to build confidence
through trick training.
Terry also authors Dog
World magazine’s “About
Agility” column,
nominated for Best
Magazine Column
of 2006 by the
DWAA.
Terry is a member
of the Association
of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT)
and holds a B.S.
degree in business
management and
a certificate in
public relations
from UCLA. Terry
has four dogs,
three of whom have
top agility titles,
and one whom is
just starting to
compete. Terry's
skills with clicker
training are obvious
when watching her
dogs perform freestyle,
tricks, and agility.
Sandy
Mae | Moki
Jo | Kiwi | Pretzel | Buster's
Memorial
Nikki
Myers, CPDT,
has been involved
in dogs for
more than 20
years. In 1994
she was first
introduced to
clicker training.
Since then she
has used clicker
training in
agility, flyball,
obedience, and
tricks training.
Nikki is a member
of the Association
of Pet Dog Trainers and
has been an
instructor for
DogPACT since
2001, teaching
agility, private,
in-home pet
manners, and
group pet manners
classes.
She is a founding
member of the Woof
Gang Flyball club
of Orange County
and has traveled
across the country
to teach flyball
at the Iron
Dogs Sports Camps.
Nikki specializes
in motivating dogs
and their owners,
and in applying
the lessons she
teaches in her
classes to real-life
settings.
Nikki owns a silky
terrier, Rodi,
who, in addition
to being a Therapy
Dogs International -
certified therapy
dog, has titles
in agility, earthdog,
and flyball. Rodi
is the #1 Silky
terrier in NAFA (North
American Flyball
Association). Nikki
also is challenged
to live with and
train an Australian
terrier, Maggie,
who is in training
for agility, flyball,
earthdog, and freestyle.
Sierra
Smith, CPDT, has
a strong
background
in Animal
Welfare. She
has worked
in humane
societies
in the areas
of humane
education,
animal behavior
and training,
and shelter
management. Upon
completion
of her dog
training
apprenticeship
with The
Anti-Cruelty
Society in
Chicago,
she went
on to be
an instructor
with their
award winning
School of
Dog Training. After
relocating
to the Los
Angeles area,
Sierra worked
at SPCALA
with both
shelter dogs
and owned
dogs, including
teaching
Puppy Classes
and Level
One Obedience
Classes. Sierra
is a Certified
Pet Dog Trainer
(CPDT) and
a member
of the Association
of Pet Dog
Trainers
(APDT).
Kelli Knowles is
an invaluable addition
to the DogPACT
family. Kelli's
the one you talk
to when you call
DogPACT. An awesome
blend of smarts,
compassion, and
wit, Kelli knows
just what to say
when it comes to
people and their
dogs, even in times
of stress. One
busy lady, Kelli
is not only Terry's
right-hand person,
but also runs her
own dog-walking
and pet-sitting
business (Calling
All Paws), as well
as being DogPACT's
SmartDog Walker.
Kelli is also completing
an internship with
DogPACT with her
sights set on becoming
DogPACT's next
CPDT, with an emphasis
on behavior modification.
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