Local Behavior Professionals

Cat Training and Behavior

Dr. Jennie Jamtgaard, http://csuvets.colostate.edu/animalbehavior/index.htm
Drs. Suzanne Hetts and Daniel Estep, www.animalbehaviorassociates.com
Jackson Galaxy, www.littlebigcat.com

Dog Training (Basic/Advanced Manners & Agility)

The Dog Club of Fort Collins, www.dogclubonline.com
Come-Play-Stay at South Mesa Veterinary Hospital, www.southmesa.com/cps-training
Canine Learning Center, www.caninelearningcenter.com

Dog Behavior Problems

Dr. Jennie Jamtgaard, http://csuvets.colostate.edu/animalbehavior/index.htm
Drs. Suzanne Hetts and Daniel Estep, www.animalbehaviorassociates.com

Exotic Animals, Non-traditional Pets, Dogs, & Cats

Andrew Hall, President of the Northern Colorado Bird Center, www.ncbirdcenter.org

Horses

Parelli Natural Horsemanship, www.parelli.com

Livestock

Dr. Temple Grandin, www.grandin.com

Need help choosing a behavior professional in your area? 
Read on for further information.

Locating a qualified professional can be tricky, especially in more rural areas.  Following are some guidelines to help you:

Remember that anyone can call themselves a behaviorist, behavior specialist, or trainer.  Do not rely solely on a person’s title to tell whether or not they are qualified.  Here are some questions you can ask:

• What credentials does the consultant, behaviorist, or trainer have? 
• Where did this person receive their training? 
• Do they enroll in continuing education?
• What methods does the consultant use?  Discuss this in great detail (it is a good idea to do your homework first so that you know what types of questions to ask).
• What learning theories does the consultant base his or her work on?

Be sure to get referrals from at least a couple of the person’s clients.  Ideally it is also a good idea to get a referral from a veterinarian that has worked with the consultant.

Visit a training class as an observer first. Pets and owners should be relaxed and having fun while learning.

YOU ARE YOUR PET'S ADVOCATE. If at any time you are not comfortable with how your pet is being handled or trained, speak up, or if necessary, take your pet and leave.

Find more information on the following sites:

American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, www.avsabonline.org
American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, www.dacvb.org  

Animal Behavior Society, www.animalbehavior.org/Applied
 
Association of Pet Dog Trainers, www.apdt.com
 
Certification Council of Pet Dog Trainers, http://ccpdt.org/