Meet the Wiggle Butt Team
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We take wiggle butts seriously.
Our founder, Nicole Kohanski, CTC, CDBC, CBCC-KA, CSAT, FDM, CBATI-KA, FPPE, Dip CBST, ADT-IAABC, CPDT-KA, Elite FFCP devoted years to earning an education worthy of your pets.
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Why invest so much in education? You and your dogs are worth it. When faced with complex cases, we rely on both experience and education to help your family. A passion for study of the latest humane training and behavior modification helps us best serve you. Instead of weeding through the Internet for the educational content in this unregulated profession, Nicole and the team offer the best, most humane, science based programs to your family.
Learn more about Nicole's qualifications below.
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Nicole graduated with honors from the prestigious Academy for Dog Trainers, earning a Certificate in Training and Counseling (CTC). She also earned a Diploma in Canine Behavior, Science and Technology (Dip CBST) from Companion Animal Sciences Institute. She is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC) and an Accredited Dog Trainer (ADT-IAABC) from the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, an Elite Fear Free Certified Professional (Veterinary Level 3, Trainer, Pet Sitter) and completed the Aggression in Dogs Masters Course. Nicole is also a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer (CSAT) and a Licensed Family Paws Parent Educator (FPPE). She is a Certified Behavior Consultant Canine (CBCC-KA) and Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) from the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers. She also holds a CBATI-KA. Nicole is an AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and a Certfied Pet Nutrition Coach from NAVC - North Amercan Veterinary Community.
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Most recently, Nicole completed Kim Brophey's Family Dog Mediation Certification and is a Licensed & Certified Family Dog Mediator. She also completed the Canine Arthritis Management Advocacy Program and is currently enrolled in the veterinary course. Nicole is Human Animal Bond Certified by the North American Veterinary Community and a PNWI, an Instructor in K9 Nose Work from National Association of Canine Scent Work.
Nicole's undergraduate education is a Bachelor's of Science in Business and Ethics. She earned her MBA from the Jindal School of Business at the University of Texas at Dallas.
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Nicole lives with her husband of 25 years and her 8 Star Wars named dogs: Chewie, Leia, Obi, Luke, Artoo, Wicket, Padme, and Gungi. Chewie is the inspiration of the Wiggle Butt logo - his photo is at the top of this page. Dog behavior and training is Nicole's second career. Prior to Wiggle Butt, Nicole was the Chief Operating Officer for 11 years for two different companies, one in healthcare and the other in athete protection.
CTC, with honors
Known as the "Harvard" of dog training schools, the Academy offers this two year comprehensive program with in- depth education in dog training, behavior modification and client counseling.
Academy studies "focus on two main themes: how animals learn and how best to change their behavior; and how to work with the people who will be your clients. For the dog training component, this includes training obedience behaviors and understanding basic behavior problems, but also includes working with fearful and aggressive dogs."
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CSAT
"Unlike many available online, our certification program is exclusively offered to only the most experienced dog professionals in the business.
There is no other certification program available that has as high of admission standards, making CSATs the most respected and successful separation anxiety trainers throughout the world.
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The CSAT credential is widely recognized as the most respected and long-standing in the field of separation anxiety – we’re even recommended by the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. "
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Licensed Family Dog Mediator
Kim Brophey’s L.E.G.S. Model of Integrated Canine Science, endorsed by leading canine scientists and celebrated by dog pros worldwide, has been called “ the single most important development in the dog behavior industry” and “ the future of dog training”. As an applied ethologist, Kim introduces us to the basic foundational system of orchestral elements that direct the behavior of every single animal on Earth and explains what this means for our modern canine companions.
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Elite Certified Professional
Certified Elite Fear Free Professional (Veterinary Level 3, Animal Trainer, Pet Sitter). Completing the Fear Free Animal Trainer Program allows trainers to work in partnership with veterinary teams to prevent and alleviate fear, anxiety, and stress and improve an animal’s emotional wellbeing during veterinary care and home care. This certification program is designed to give qualified animal trainers the knowledge and tools required to begin implementing Fear Free techniques with their clients’ pets at the veterinary hospital, through in-clinic training classes for puppies and kittens, and in day-to-day training of animals in the home.
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CDBC
CDBC stands for Certified Dog Behavior Consultant. Overseen by the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, this third-party certification has extensive requirements. Applicants are encouraged to have a minimum of at least 3 years and 500 hours of experience in behavior consulting practice, at least 400 hours of coursework related to the association's Core Areas of Competency, and submit 3 written case studies, 4 written discussion of case study analysis, and pass an exam covering terminology, techniques, assessment, and history taking.
CBATI-KA
To achieve the CBATI-KA requires more than 100 hours of coursework, exam and case review.
BAT, short for Behavior Adjustment Training, is a system developed by Grisha Stewart that includes philosophy and techniques that combine to help dogs feel better many situations. BAT gives dogs more control over their safety by creating “opportunities to "interact with the environment in emotionally and physically safe ways” (Stewart). With BAT, we empower our dogs to make choices and set the environment up so that the likelihood of great choices is high.
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ADT
IAABC's Accredited Dog Trainer program requires two years of experience, written discussion of two scenarios, completion of two training questions, and completion of questions regarding terminology, techniques, assessment, and history taking.
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Applicants must score 80% or greater on each of the following to be accepted as an Accredited Member: learning science, scenarios, training questions, entire application.
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CBCC-KA
Certified Behavior Consultant Canine - Knowledge Assessed is an advanced certification for dog trainers that offer behavior modification as part of their services. To obtain this certification, trainers must have a minimum of 300 hours of experience dealing specifically with behavior issues (such as phobias, anxieties and aggression), have a reference from a CCPDT certificant or veterinarian, and agree to the certification council's Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics and Least-Intrusive Minimally-Aversive (LIMA) Behavior Intervention Philosophy. They have also passed a 180-question exam that tests them on applied behavior analysis, consulting skills and best practices, ethology, body language, observational skills, canine health, development, life stages, anatomy and physiology.
Dip. CBST
"The Canine Behavior Science and Technology program is our (CASI's) flagship program. It is a rigorous/intensive 500–hour (560–hour with specialization track)/1–year program.
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The program addresses all key topics in behavior change project management in great depth including the principles of behavior; tactics, strategies, and procedures in non-coercive animal training; functional behavioral assessment of problematic behaviors; contingency engineering; professional activities; case management; and professional ethics."
CPDT-KA
CPDT-KA stands for Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed. Those with this certification have at least 300 hours of dog training experience within the previous three years, obtain a reference from another CPDT-KA trainer or veterinarian, and agree to the certification council's Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics and Least-Intrusive Minimally-Aversive (LIMA) Behavior Intervention Philosophy. They have also passed a 180-question exam that tests them on instruction skills, learning theory, ethology, training equipment and animal husbandry. To maintain certification status, trainers must complete continued education credits or re-take the exam every three years.
Professional Member
The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) "was founded based on a commitment to provide educational resources to pet care providers and the public coupled with an emphasis on building collaboration among force-free pet trainers and professional pet care providers and advocates for mutually agreed guiding principles for the pet care industry. PPG partners, members and affiliates focus on each pet’s physical, mental, environmental and nutritional well-being adhering to a holistic approach to the care and training of family pets."
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Certified Pet Nutrition Coach
From NAVC: "Nutrition is the cornerstone of patient health and well-being and is good medicine. The entire veterinary healthcare team should be the best source of nutrition information for pets. Clients who understand that preventive care preserves and lengthens their relationship with their pets are more likely to use veterinary services regularly, so team members should focus on proper nutrition for every patient who presents to their practice. Good nutrition is not a fad—it is good business and good medicine."
our promise to you
We will treat you and your dogs with kindness and compassion. We will never shock, choke or otherwise cause fear or pain to your pet. We will use the science of animal learning to efficiently change behavior and develop your dog's skills. We will provide clear assessments of behavior and thorough plans to drive change.