Trainer vs Behaviourist: How to Choose.

Wondering if you need a dog trainer or a behaviourist? This guide explains the difference and how to get the right help for behaviour problems.

I often get asked if I can solve a dog behaviour problem. The simple answer is: possibly... but it’s a bit more complicated than that. The real question is: should I?

I'm a registered Animal Training Instructor, which means I’m assessed and recognised as a professional dog trainer. I’ve earned a lot of qualifications from a wide variety of respected organisations. I hold certifications that very few do in the UK. Every single one of my qualifications has tested my practical dog training skills and knowledge. I’ve spent years and years training and I’m still learning. In fact, I’m currently on a higher-level qualification pathway because I believe it benefits both me and my clients. (Hint: big reveal coming soon!)

Why is that background relevant? Because every qualification I’ve earned is in dog training - not behaviour modification. There IS a difference.

A dog trainer focuses on teaching skills. A behaviourist is qualified to assess and treat emotional or behavioural issues like fear, aggression, or anxiety. This often involves a clinical process that includes differential diagnosis, behaviour modification planning, working under veterinary referral and working closely with your vet.

I’ve yet to find a respected organisation that encourages dog trainers to take on behaviour cases. Most say the opposite. In fact, the best organisations require the trainers they certify to understand the ethical line between a training issue and a behaviour issue and to refer those cases on. This includes fear, aggression, and “reactivity".

So what is this ethical line? Why does it matter?

Probably the easiest analogy is this: If a nurse saw a patient struggling with a complex issue outside their qualification level, should they have a go at fixing it? Or should they refer to a doctor or surgeon with the right training?

Should they promise the patient they can solve the problem?

Should they be upfront about having no formal qualifications in that specific issue, other than watching the doctor work?

Should they offer the patient an informed choice about whether to proceed with their help or wait for the doctor?

The nurse might be desperate to help but doesn't because they understand that stepping in could waste valuable time and resources. It could even make the condition worse.

That’s a question of ethics.

And another is this: if it were you, who would you want to be in charge of your treatment: a nurse with excellent nursing skills, or a doctor who’s undertaken years of specialist training for your condition?

It’s no different with dogs.

Every dog trainer wants to help dogs feel better, more comfortable, and able to succeed. We feel an owner’s distress. We want to offer a solution.

But a professional dog trainer recognises that stepping beyond their qualifications can waste a client’s time, money, and hope. It can even drain their entire budget and end up being more expensive than if they’d gone to a qualified behaviourist in the first place.

Most trainers tend to offer management strategies. That’s not the same as getting to the root cause. Many haven’t even heard of a differential diagnosis. This the clinical process behaviourists use to determine what’s actually going on.

To put it bluntly, for many trainers, taking on behaviour cases is guesswork = no relevant qualifications, no years of study, no monitoring by clinical peers. Just a blur of "trainer-turned-behaviourist" after a few short months of study (if that).

How do I know this? Because I’ve been there.

Yes that's right, I’ve taken courses aimed at trainers working with “reactivity". One of them was about 12 hours long. That’s how easy it is to feel like you know what you’re doing.

But the more my knowledge has advanced, the more I’ve realised just how much I don’t know about behaviour. It’s a cold, hard fact. Fortunately, my continued education is what has helped me see the importance of staying in my lane, working alongside qualified professionals and waiting until I am qualified to help.

There's something called the Dunning–Kruger effect. This illustrates how the less someone knows, the more confident they often feel. To begin they don't realise they are out of their depth. But as their knowledge grows, so does the awareness of just how much there is to learn, so caution is then applied. (I'm probably about here = cautious, but building). Eventually, through continued study their confidence is built on genuine understanding and capability. It's hard know where someone is on that journey without checking their credentials.

There is actually a recognised role that sits between a dog trainer and a behaviourist, it’s called a Behaviour Technician. Behaviour Technicians are trained to deliver behaviour plans written by a clinical behaviourist, support owners with practical implementation, and offer safe and appropriate first-aid behavioural advice while owners wait for a full assessment. It’s an emerging role in the UK that helps bridge the gap, offering structured, ethical support for dogs with behavioural challenges, without the trainers taking on work they haven’t been trained for.

When a dog is struggling emotionally, they deserve to be supported by someone specifically trained and qualified in that work = a clinical or veterinary behaviourist, and/or the support of a Behaviour Technician while they wait.

Because that’s what your dog deserves. That’s what you deserve.

Where to Find a Properly Qualified Behaviourist:

If your dog is showing signs of fear, aggression, or reactivity, look for someone who is independently assessed, clinically trained, and professionally regulated. Check they’re registered with a recognised organisation that verifies behaviour qualifications and standards.

These organisations are a great place to start:

✅ ABTC (Animal Behaviour and Training Council)
Look for individuals listed as Clinical Animal Behaviourists (CABs) or Accredited Behaviourists
🔗 www.abtc.org.uk

✅ APBC (Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors)
🔗 www.apbc.org.uk

✅ FAB Clinicians (Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians)
🔗 www.fabclinicians.org

💬 Not sure where to start? Speak to your vet. Most behaviourists require vet referral to ensure any medical or pain-based causes are ruled out first.

Pippa x

Categories: : adolescent dog training, adult dog training, Confessions of a Dog Trainer, rescue dog training