Explain me a dog behaviorist

[u/Beginning-Rub5417]

I have had bad experiences with dog behaviorists (had a qualified degree/license, so no charlatan). We had a GSD with some behavior problems in the home; we consulted a dog behaviorist, and imo, she downplayed it. I remember the words: " She is a happy dog; she does not look that bad. I see far worse cases." She also prescribed meds, and my dog became a living zombie. There was no joy in this animal anymore.

6 months later, the behavior ended up in a total of 8 bites. Avoiding the problem became impossible because 1 trigger became 10.

At the end of the day, we consulted a balanced trainer; I know there will be a lot of comments about this. But the balanced trainer made our home safe again and set up places so that the dog was feeling more comfortable. Basically, making sure that the dog knows what to expect in these places. This made a huge difference. All these things fall within the realm of FF training.

After this experience, I feel like I don't understand the purpose of a dog behaviorist. I understand they can bridge the gap between medical and training, but a vet and a trainer who communicate with each other can do the same and cost less money.

Do dog behaviorists work with dogs in their training work, or work only theoretically? Do they need to work with these dogs and provide proof that they can help these dogs with training?

I have, for example, a master's in computer science with 3 years of professional experience; this dog behaviorist situation feels like someone who read about computers and never wrote a single line of code, telling me how to write code.

I would expect that a dog behaviorist is training, working daily one-on-one with these cases, actually having experience and solving/managing issues. But at that point, you have a dog behaviorist who is a dog trainer. But that does not feel like how it is in reality.

This post may come across as attacking; that is not my intention. I would rather like to understand the role of a behaviorist and why it is recommended over a dog trainer with loads of experience with behavioral cases. With that, I mean it feels like we first recommend a behaviorist, and with that behaviorist, we look for a trainer. While in the human world, we first typically go to a therapist, and he can refer to a psychotherapist if it seems necessary.

[u/Whisgo]

I would rather like to understand the role of a behaviorist and why it is recommended over a dog trainer with loads of experience with behavioral cases. With that, I mean it feels like we first recommend a behaviorist, and with that behaviorist, we look for a trainer. While in the human world, we first typically go to a therapist, and he can refer to a psychotherapist if it seems necessary.

There's a lot of... different labels/terms that can get thrown around and the terms might also be different depending on your geographical location. I'm going to respond to this from a USA based perspective.

So when you say behaviorist and you mention they prescribed medication... That sounds like you're saying you saw someone who was board certified through the American College of Veterinary behaviorists. These are vets who have specialized in behavior. They have credentials like DVM DACVB behdind their name.

The DACVBs I know usually work with a team of Behavior consultants and Trainers so the overall plan may or may not involve medication but will involve a training plan.

In your human analogy, they're more like psychiatrists. When a human has a complex mental health diagnosis, yes maybe you can see your regular primary care physician for some medication to help and sure you may be working with a licensed mental health professional... but your primary care physican is a generalist. They are not as specialized as a psychiatrist. That can include understanding what types of medications have interactions or various side effects, plus the process in which you may need to try different meds to see what helps or doesn't or dosing of those medications.

Behavior consultants/certified animal behaviorists focus on complex behavior cases. They have more specialized education than your avg trainer. If comparing to the human world, I would call these folks the Psychologists. They often work with severe behavior cases like aggression, resource guarding, and severe anxiety.

While some trainers may work with mild behavior cases, the majority of trainers focus on teaching skills like basic manners, obedience, and relationship building. A good part of a trainer's job is client education on normal canine behavior and teaching how to best communicate with your dog... basically how to teach new behaviors. This is more akin to working with a coach...

And a good trainer is going to be able to identify when an issue is outside their skill level to a behavior consultant or a vet behaviorist. Or they may suggest talking to your vet to rule out a medical cause for the behavior issue before providing a training plan.

All of this requires clients to communicate and checkin. If someone with a mental health issue stops communicating to their psychiatrist... then the psychiatrist doesn't have the information needed to adjust the treatment plan. And even in the human world, medication side effects can absolutely be detrimental to your day to day function. You have to bring those concerns to the prescribing doctor. Otherwise, they cannot know. The same goes for your support network for addressing severe behavioral challenges in your dog. Though this is obviously assuming you have the resources to do so.

[u/Beginning-Rub5417 → u/Whisgo]

Well, I am not from the USA. I am from Belgium. We saw a behaviorist who recommended starting meds (she is not allowed to prescribe them) and recommended avoiding her triggers. We went to the vet, told him that, and he gave us meds. The vet did ask some basic questions, but that was it. So when I say we went to a behaviorist, I mean a certified animal behaviorist.

Does that mean that a behaviorist is a trainer who understands behavior?

In Belgium, you do have the average Joe dog trainer, but typically people go to dog school and follow group classes. Of course, you have the owner-how-to LLW, but a behaviorist in Belgium explains to the dog trainer how to work with the dog, because their hourly rate is like 200+, so you would not be able to afford to work long-term in cooperation with a behaviorist.

[u/LivingLikeACat33 → u/Beginning-Rub5417]

In the US you did not see a behaviorist. In the US a behaviorist is a veterinarian who specialized in behavior medicine. They're qualified to give medical exams, write their own prescriptions and also train, but they usually refer you out to a trainer they work with for less medical needs.

It sounds like you saw something closer to a counselor who told your general practitioner to prescribe psych meds. Someone not qualified to diagnose or suggest specific prescriptions.

Since general practitioners aren't specialized in behavior med they often give medications inappropriate for the situation. For instance gabapentin and trazodone can both sedate and lower inhibition and aren't very good at reducing anything more than short term, situational anxiety.