Ken Lebowitz
Forum Replies Created
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The International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP) and the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) both have comprehensive codes of conduct and ethics for their members, but they focus on different aspects reflecting their organizational goals and philosophies.
The IACP emphasizes a zero-tolerance policy against discrimination and harassment, the pursuit of excellence in dog training through a variety of techniques, confidentiality, professional business practices, and adherence to animal welfare laws. It mandates members to refrain from false promises and to use training tools and methods humanely.
The APDT’s Code of Professional Ethics includes principles such as non-discrimination, confidentiality, professional competence and integrity, responsibility to the profession, and specific guidelines for financial arrangements and advertising. It encourages the use of positive reinforcement and a Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive (LIMA) approach to training. The APDT also has specific procedures for filing and reviewing ethical complaints.
Here are 10 rules I feel that dog trainers should follow if taking paid jobs from the public:
Non-Discrimination: Provide services without discrimination based on race, age, gender, or other characteristics.
Confidentiality: Keep client and animal information confidential unless written consent is given.
Professional Competence: Continuously improve skills and knowledge in dog training and behavior.
Integrity in Advertising: Advertise services truthfully, including qualifications and experience.
Safety First: Ensure the safety of clients, animals, and the public in all training programs.
Humane Training Methods: Use humane training techniques that prioritize positive reinforcement and avoid unnecessary stress or harm to the animal.
Legal Compliance: Comply with all applicable laws related to animal welfare and business practices.
Client Consent: Obtain informed consent for any recordings or third-party observations.
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Disclose any potential conflicts of interest to clients.
Professional Courtesy: Respect colleagues and refrain from public criticism or defamation.
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Allie, we’re all human, we all make mistakes, and fail just as much and if not more than we win. It’s what we do after that that matters. I think that you’re a great trainer that cares tremendously when it comes to dogs and their well-being. That you only want what is best for dogs and their owners. That shows in the conviction and passion in the videos that you submit every week. This FSDT community that Mike has created is a family. Are we always going to agree on things, no, but we always pick each other up and have each other’s backs. Professional trainers and great owners in this community do not have thin skin and can take constructive criticism. We are our toughest critic and remember to give yourself a break. We all experience burnout in this industry. Self-care is paramount in making sure we stay healthy so that we can run our business and still have a passion for what we do. At any rate that’s just my two cents. Keep being an awesome advocate and teacher for dogs and owners.
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I have a unique situation in my home with our cats and one dog out of the pack. My female Belgian Malinois will constantly search the house to harass and torment only our 2 male cats. She doesn’t bother the female cat whatsoever. All the other dogs in my pack coexist with all the cats with zero problems at all. I for the life of me cannot figure out why she is so determined to get to the male cats and not even bother with the female. Not saying she probably wouldn’t if the female was the only cat to chose from. Because it’s a Malinois and her prey drive is through the roof. I wonder if male cats smell more enticing than female cats for some reason since some people have been talking about pheromones. I’ve tried in several different ways to create a negative association of the male cats to keep the dog at bay with no luck. Just something I thought I’d share with the group since I saw the main topic.
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I do have baby gates however, the dog jumps them like they don’t even exist, and so I would have to stack 2 baby gates one on top of the other so as to make the barrier to tall. That also makes it difficult to easily get in and out of the rooms. So I just close the door when she’s out and then open it when she’s crated. As a side note her jumping the baby gates actually caused me to incur a couple thousand in emergency vet bills. Because she caused herself to twist and bloat (GDV) one night a few hours after eating because she wanted to get to the cats. The struggle is real with this Mal lmao…
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That does make a lot of sense the 2 males are way more active and I can see how they move like prey to her. I adopted this mal as an adult she was already 6 years or about to be. So I wasn’t her first owner and so I don’t know what the dynamic was in that household. This is likely an imprinted learned behavior with a previous cat. I just wish I could find a way to make her keep her distance without the use of an ecollar all the time for positive punishment in order to make her understand that she needs to give that animal space. I’m basically forced to “crate and rotate” them by putting the 2 males in a bedroom while the mal is loose in house.