The CIDBT Aims and Philosophy
We have set out to create an enterprise that is keenly focused
on raising the standards of dog educators in Britain and world
wide. The Cambridge Institute of Dog Behaviour & Training
and its associate Cambridge Institute of Pet Behaviour &
Care offer a new modern Gold standard in innovation and practical
training combined with distance learning of quality, and are
committed to forming a national organisation that will train
future professionals to meet the needs of pet owners and their
problem pets in Britain today.
The CIDBT courses embody these goals in their content which
has been approved through Middlesex University external inspection.
With our distinctive quantitative knowledge of people and
their pets, we are innovative and adept at absorbing new ideas.
Dog Training Methods and Inculcation
We accept all reasonable and humane training methods that
teach dogs to be well behaved and fit into our society and
its ever increasing restrictive laws. It is standard CIDBT
Policy that dogs work better for reward and that should be
the critical factor in beginning all learning for the dog
or puppy. It's more enjoyable for all when the teaching of
your dog is fun and exciting – to see a dog learn a plethora
of communications and respond in the way we desire is a mark
of mutual knowledge of the other's behaviour.
Dog Training Methods and Variations
Dogs are wired to do what Nature intended for their specific
species, domesticated or otherwise. Nothing in that wiring
is designed for them to fit in with human lifestyle or to
follow training commands. Dogs which have developed serious
behaviour and or training problems and will not operate or
change solely for reward then compulsion, direct intervention
or interruption combined with discipline may be necessary
– that is a fact of reality which we accept. (The same rules
apply to humane behaviour in our society and its laws). However
even in those circumstances reward will be a powerful part
of rehabilitating the dog.
Dog Behaviour Psychology and Behavioural Advice.
It is our philosophy that there are few dog behaviour problems
that are not intrinsically related to formal dog training
or lack of it – otherwise known as formal canine education.
Moreover, the old adage that a well trained dog is a happy
and fun friend to have in the family has not changed. If you
cannot understand, execute and be successful at dog training
you will have little success as a dog behaviour practitioner.
It is our view from long experience that learning all the
dog training techniques specific to a problem, which means
in practice having trained several hundred dogs of all breeds,
is what provides the broad knowledge that is critical to success.
This part of the educational training will always be more
demanding and harder to achieve than paper study. Theory is
important but practice and being highly skilled in dog training
is what changes serious dog behaviour problems.
This same dog training and instruction also builds your human
interactive knowledge and through dealing with all types of
dog owners' personalities you gain a human psychological library
of knowledge which cements the skills you will need to be
successful as a dog behaviour practitioner. There is no easy
route like studying general animal behaviour as a paper exercise.
A degree or similar qualification in biology, animal behaviour
or similar subjects will not replace the aforementioned dog
hands-on skills.
What is a Dog Training Problem and What is a Behaviour Problem?
To a great extent it's just semantics. Whether you wish to
solve an anxiety-related problem in a dog or simply get it
back to you in the park, individuals will try and tell you
it's behaviourally based or dog training. In fact it's both,
always both and always has been. The psychological pack bond
and initial conditioning of dog and owner is the behaviour/relationship
base but the mechanics of fun dog training that build on the
pack leadership relationship may not have not been taught
or formed. This may result in poor human management skills
causing inappropriate behaviours being developed and exhibited
by the dog.
The main difference between a practitioner of behaviour and
a dog trainer will be that the former spends more investigative
time assessing behaviour problems and should have the greater
knowledge of dog and people behaviour and psychology combined.
The practitioner will set down time in consultation to plan
a re-training programme for dog and owner. Understanding human
psychology is critical to success in dog behaviour solutions.
Learning through canine behaviour theory from experienced
tutors is essential and that is where we excel.
CIDBT Tutors' Standards
Pioneering an understanding of dog behaviour in Britain has,
in the main, been the work of dog trainers who have the field
and life experience to observe, learn and evolve new behavioural
techniques and training. With the help of Middlesex University,
twice winners of the Queen's award for work based learning
qualifications, CIDBT have produced the academic structure
to accredit acquired life-long knowledge. Work based learning
qualifications fit hand and glove into the canine behaviour
world and that is why we chose to this accreditation. Middlesex
University understand acquired life experience in their students.
We have deliberately made a policy that only highly skilled
training and behaviour experts will become teachers, tutors
and instructors for the CIDBT. With few exceptions, unless
a tutor had a full-time proven record of at least ten years'
experience - and we mean qualitative experience they can use
as teachers they can not act as teacher/tutors for the CIDBT.
Dog behaviour and training is a hands-on business not an
academic ride. The public have a right to expect you to assist
them in public places with their dog's bad behaviour - not
just chat about theoretical ideas at a safe distance.
They also may expect you to demonstrate how to stop their
dog leaping at people, whether fun- or aggression-triggered.
Nothing inspires a dog owner more to succeed and train and
change and work hard for their dog's rehabilitation than seeing
an expert who demonstrates what can be achieved in front of
them. Seeing is believing, and a human trait that is a natural
safety device we use. |
Open Access to All Human Behaviour and Training
Ideas.
New ideas and practical methods are often
mere buzz words banded about. Gadgets and other devices
abound - a bit like the slimming industry relentlessly wishing
to sell us what we want to hear: ‘NEW', ‘Fantastic', ‘really
works' and so on. In fact, most new workable ideas in dog
training and behaviour are simply re-examining what we already
do and making adjustments to produce training programmes
that work even more effectively.
The great majority of that is the ability
to work, motivate and communicate your knowledge and skills
to the clients. It certainly has produced the most overwhelming
results in the pet owning society of Britain today.
At our Soham Institute base in Cambridgeshire
we have an open-minded attitude to any student showing us
a training or behaviour technique that will help people
practise and, more importantly, train dogs effectively
There is an open invitation to any organisation
or individual who feel they have training skills which we
don't employ but feel are effective in dog training and
behaviour to come along and demonstrate such skills to our
students and tutors. Any idea that produces good results
and is humane we will consider placing in our future course
modules.
We accept new training methods that meet the
following criteria:
-
are humane
-
work effectively as described
by the imparter
-
are practical and can be used
by dog owners in situ
-
that the imparter demonstrates
in person on the dogs or handlers
-
that we film and record for examination
for teaching use
Because our methods are fluid, we make subtle
adjustments on each course as we strive to improve, innovate,
test and apply. We, too, learn a good deal from our students,
bearing in mind that many have as much knowledge as we do
but have enrolled to formalise their knowledge. This means
the constant exchange of skills ideas and personal experiences
enrich the knowledge base of the CIDBT.
Behaviour and Drug Abuse of Dogs in the UK
It is sad that a number of individuals and
some Canine Behaviour Associations in the UK promote the
use of drugs as a solution in dog behaviour. We do not use
or condone the use of psychotropic drugs in behaviour solutions.
Innovation and Evolution of Knolwedge
CIDBT Teachers have created a number of new
an innovative training and behaviour techniques that are
original in format and application and now used by many
other skilled professionals. Some are listed below.
• I.Q Dog Training (Eye
Cue)
• Restriction Cooling
• Silent Dog Training
• Leadership Programmes
and pack rules
• Film cases studies and
human psychological analysis
• CCC. Colin's colour coding
for behaviour
• Canine Psychology Profiling
Principal
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