My Certifications.

What do these certifications mean?  How do I know this certification is better than another?

These are all good questions.  More and more people are learning to look for certifications when they choose a dog trainer.

Dog trainers do not have to be licensed (yet) and anybody can hang  out a sign and say they  are a dog trainer.  Anyone can set up an online course for big bucks and issue a diploma.

There a couple major certifications that you want to look for:

KPA-CTP

Karen Pryor Academy – Certified Training Partner

CPDT-KA

Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers- Knowledge Assessed

IAABC

International Council of Dog Behavior Consultants

You can click on each one to read more.  But I can tell you that it takes years of training, experience and hard work to earn these certifications.

You should also look for a trainer that can “walk the walk”.  A trainer should be able to demonstrate  high proficiency in anything they teach.  If they can’t, that will tell you something.

Dog sport titles demonstrate that a person has earned certain titles in their dog sport.  It does not necessarily mean they are good trainers or good teachers.