Behavior Teams – Professionals Working Together. Learn How You Can Get Involved

Working with pets can be one of the most pleasurable and fun careers, but it can also be lonely, challenging, and emotionally draining. Coordinating with clients, veterinarians, and other pet professionals can leave you feeling like you have run the gamut of an assault course. And it can be challenging for both pet guardians and pet professionals to gain access to competent and qualified behavior professionals.

No more! Let’s stop, think, and change the way we work with our colleagues and clients.

1. Working in isolation can be a hindrance: Behavior professionals often work in isolation from tactical support groups, such as those available to other professionals. For example, a trainer or behavior consultant may not have access to or a positive working relationship with a board-certified veterinary behaviorist, which may hinder case management progress.
2. Limited number of board-certified VBs: Currently, there are a limited number of board-certified veterinary behaviorists; on average, fewer than three operate in each state.
3. Lack of industry regulation: The training and behavior industry is not regulated and does not require licensing or formal education. Due to a lack of confidence and trust, professionals are hindered in their ability to recruit, network, and refer cases to other professionals.
4. Nonexistent collaboration tools: There is no working model for behavior professionals to network, refer to, and work on cases together based on a hierarchy of education and skills.
5. Disconnect between diagnosis and treatment plan: There is a disconnect between the academic side of diagnosing behavior cases and the tactical implementation of relevant behavior and training modification programs.
6. Less experienced professionals need more support: There is a need for case management support and supervision for less experienced behavior professionals, rather than professionals “going it alone” working outside their competency areas.

This project seeks to:

1. Define the primary roles of behavior professionals practicing in the pet industry and their scope of work.
2. Provide a working model for veterinarians, board-certified veterinary behaviorists, and training/behavior professionals collaborating in geographical areas to support pet owners in case management.
3. Facilitate an environment where high-quality behavior and training support is easily accessible to all pet owners.
4. Enable board-certified veterinary behaviorists to work more cases and support more clients, knowing and trusting that they have a circle of qualified and well-practiced trainers and behavior consultants to refer out the training/behavior plans once a diagnosis has been made.
5. Facilitate a working model where board-certified veterinary behaviorists can virtually support veterinarians.
6. To provide the best-practice standard operating procedure that identifies minimum requirements and expectations between board-certified veterinary behaviorists and training/behavior professionals to support and benefit clients and provide full ease of support.
7. To objectively and transparently provide a matrix of the key industry credentials of training and behavior professionals, including their business structure, ethics statements, eligibility criteria, and testing standards, to support referrals by veterinarians and board-certified veterinary behaviorists.
8. To empower a team of behavior professionals to work together, supported by a group of vetted pet professionals in their area who can help with the implementation of management, training, and behavior modification plans during pet care sessions.

How You Can Get Involved

Come and learn about this program and how you can get involved in rolling out the pilot and testing the Best Practice Systems.

1. Best Practice #1 How Do Behavior Teams Work Together
2. Best Practice #2 Communication and Feedback Model
3. Best Practice #3 Client Intake and Procedure and Functional Assesment Flowchart
4. Best Practice #4 The Credential Matrix

Learn More

We invite you to learn more about Behavior Teams and how you can help us launch the pilot program. Register for the webinar to access free informational sessions about the program.

When you register, you get immediate access to an on-demand presentation that you can watch now. You will also receive a Zoom link to attend a live session, where you can ask questions. (You’ll find the Zoom link in your confirmation email after you register.)

Live Session Schedule

The Zoom link for these sessions can be found in your confirmation email after you register.

Your Presenters

 Niki Tudge MBA PCT-A PCBC-A. PPG Founder & President

Judy Luther. Canine Behavior Consultant, Certified Dog Trainer, Founder Trust Centered Training.

Christine D. Calder DVM . Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. Calder Veterinary Behavior Services

**You do not need to be a PPG member to learn more about Behavior Teams. If you are interested in joining a team to help pilot the program, you will be asked to commit to the PPG Guiding Principles. There are limited spaces and priority will be given to PPG Professional Members**