Let Us Help You!

If you would like to learn about how WE can support YOU in your career as a CANINE BEHAVIOURIST, please get in touch. We would love to hear from you! Email angelapitman@outlook.com for information.

International Canine Behaviourists (ICB)

ICB is a progressive and dynamic canine behaviour organisation committed to the continuing education of its worldwide members.

Members are supported through and benefit from:

• highly experienced education officers
• help with client report writing
• opportunity to shadow qualified behaviourists
• participation in forum case discussion
• Free access to all of our recorded webinars
• Members, through ICB, become a member of the Pet Industry Advocacy International www.petadvocacy.info
• Members get a discount on their business insurance from Pet Business Insurance

International organisation

Through our worldwide membership, we provide continuing education for professionals, support members in their career choice and offer advice to dog owners to help overcome unwanted behaviours.

Canine specialists

Our members have ‘hands on’ experience, theoretical knowledge and academic qualifications. We pledge never to use any approach that may harm a dog’s physical and mental wellbeing.

Behaviourists’ continuing education

As a new graduate you may know the theory, but you do not have the experience. We are committed to supporting your journey to full membership …and beyond.

ICB does not discriminate against anyone applying for membership or any members’ clients.

If you feel you have been unfairly discriminated against either by one of our ICB members or through the membership recruitment process, please follow our complaints procedure  or email Brigitte Barton at b.barton@btinternet.com

To apply for ICB membership please fill out our application form and return by email to the admissions officer. You will then be contacted via email within fourteen days to arrange an interview.

Cost

Full member £60 Affiliate member £75. Membership renewal date is 1st July annually

Interview

To make membership accessible to all, interviews may take place via Skype.

 The interview will be held with two full ICB members. We want to learn about you, your experience with dogs, your ideas and philosophy about training and your future aspirations. We also want to hear about your academic studies and, if already qualified, explore any areas of special interest or expertise.  If you are still studying, we would like to know about your aims and goals for the future.

Application decision

After the interview a decision will be made within fourteen days and you will be informed via email.  If unsuccessful, you will be given appropriate feedback and areas for development, and you may re-apply for membership in six months’ time.

Affiliate members

Affiliate members will be studying to have a recognised academic qualification to the level of foundation degree (or equivalent – level 5) and they will be actively supported while they gain knowledge, experience and academic qualifications.

If you join us as an affiliate member,  one of our education officers will support and guide you in your learning.  Your mentor will be available for contact by email and/or phone.

You are allowed to carry out client consultations while you are an affiliate member and still studying with the support of a full member, and we will coach you on how to write client-friendly reports. Your reports must be sent to the education officer for feedback and it is recommended you watch our training video on report writing skills.  To support your continued professional development, we hold regular webinars with guest speakers from various fields of canine study. We also offer you the opportunity to shadow one of our fully qualified behaviourists, if location allows.

Once you have gained your qualification you can apply to become a full member,  we will observe you during a client consultation. This can be done via video or Skype if the assessor cannot attend in person, or  if convenient you may travel to one our full members who will carry out an observed consultation.

Full membership

In order to be a full member of ICB the applicant has to have a recognised academic qualification to the minimum level of foundation degree (or equivalent – level 5)

In some very rare individual cases we may accept a mature member who has established a good reputation as a canine behaviourist and has the sufficient theoretic and practical expertise, without necessarily having studied at foundation or degree level in canine behaviour. These are people who have a minimum of ten years’ experience, are known to existing Board members for having done excellent work with canines, and are particularly valued for what they can offer newer members in terms of their experience.The majority of the board must agree to a non-qualified person’s membership

Once you have joined us as a full member, we recognise that you  are still learning – like all of us – and continue to offer support.

All members are required to submit CPD forms annually providing evidence of activities, books, articles, DVDs, courses, seminars, workshops and webinars attended, and any other areas of personal development. A minimum of 40 hours CPD per annum is required and the year runs from 1 July to 30 June. Any member joining part-way through the CPD year will have their hours calculated on a pro rata basis. Applicants, if accepted, need to abide by our Code of Practice and Ethics and CAWC Code of Conduct.

Support

Help is always available!  You can ask a question on our friendly (closed) Facebook forum, or you can ring or email any of our members for advice.

Questions

If you have any questions about joining us, please contact our education officer on Brigitte Barton on b.barton@btinternet.com, or if you feel you would like to apply please complete our membership form and email it to angelapitman@outlook.com.