Certified Dog Trainers

Science. Experience. Ethics.

Certification ensures that a trainer understands the science behind dog training, has professional experience, and operates with the ethics expected of a licensed professional.

CCPDT, The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, is an independent organization that tests and certifies dog trainers.

A CCPDT certified trainer has at least 300 hours of professional dog training experience, has received a letter of recommendation from another certified trainer, and has passed a lengthy exam that tests their mastery of Instruction Skills, Learning Theory, Ethology, Equipment and Animal Husbandry. Maintaining a CCPDT certification requires continued education and ethical practice.

Be cautious when working with uncertified dog trainers. It doesn't mean they're bad trainers, but it does mean their knowledge of Learning Theory is unregulated. Many methods of behavior modification give short term improvement, but cause larger problems down the road. Like choosing the right mechanic, choosing the right dog trainer can save you a lot of trouble.