Making Sense of Training Credentials
Dog training in the US, and much of the world, is totally unregulated, no standard set of guiding principles, no standard education requirements, no certification requirements. Due to the lack of a unified body that helps to set aspiring dog trainers on the path to success many independent schools and certification organizations have cropped up to fill that need. Some of these groups are highly respected within the dog care industry, while others cause those in the know to raise a quizzical brow.
As a dog owner, you face the challenge of deciphering your prospective trainer’s qualifications, and knowing just what those letters after their name stand for can go a long way in helping you determine if they are suitable for your training needs. However, tracking down this information is a cumbersome task… so I’ve done some of that work for you!
This list breaks down common credentials and abbreviations you may come across when researching trainers. If your trainer states that they have a specific credential be sure to verify it via the respective certifying body.
Gold Star Credentials: Require high levels of university education and research
DACVB: Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behavior
These professionals are commonly called veterinary behaviorists. There are <100 in the world. In addition to the standard requirements to becoming a veterinarian, they also must complete an internship training program, take on a set number of behavioral cases, author a published peer-reviewed paper based on their research, and author peer-reviewed case reports.
CAAB: Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist
These professionals are commonly called animal behaviorists. To claim this credential they must hold their doctoral degree (biological or behavior science emphasizing animal behavior or veterinary medicine) and a certain number of years of professional experience.
ACAAB: Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist
These professionals are commonly called animal behaviorists. To claim this credential they must hold a Master’s degree (biological or behavioral science emphasizing animal behavior) and a certain amount of research in the field.
A word of caution regarding the term, ‘behaviorist’. This term is reserved for professionals that have earned one of the above credentials. Using this label without possessing the stringent education requirements that go along with it is unfortunately very common in the dog training industry. If you come across someone claiming the title, ‘behaviorist’, be sure to follow up by asking exactly which credential they have earned.
Further, you may also encounter people using the term, ‘behavioralist’. This term has no significance in the industry, but is commonly used by people attempting to pass themselves off as ‘behaviorists’.
Silver Star Credentials: Requires coursework, hands-on mentorships, and testing to gain certification with the organization
This is an online training program that offers certification with the program upon completion. ADT promotes aversive-free, science-based dog training methodologies.
This is an online and in-person training program that offers certification with the program upon completion. KPA is best known for their promotion of clicker training and force-free methods.
1. KPA CTP: Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner
This title offered through KPA requires completion of the 6 month KPA program.
NK9SDT: National K-9 School for Dog Trainers
This organization offers certification with the program upon completion of their coursework. They promote balanced methods, which means their methods may utilize positive punishment and negative reinforcement.
1. CPT: Certified Professional Trainer
This title offered through NK9SDT upon completion of a 6 week course.
This organization offers different levels of certification upon completion of their program. They promote balanced methods, which means their methods may utilize positive punishment and negative reinforcement.
1. TRS-ADT: Tom Rose School Associate Dog Trainer
This title offered through TRS requires completion of TRS’s 16 week course
2. TRS-PDT: Tom Rose School Professional Dog Trainer
This title offered through TRS also requires completion of TRS’s 16 week course, but sets higher standards.
3. TRS-MDT: Tom Rose School Master Dog Trainer
This title offered through TRS requires completion of TRS’s 12 week course.
4. TRS-AMDT: Tom Rose School Advanced Master Dog Trainer
This title is offered through TRS by invitation only.
This organization offers different levels of certification upon completion of their programs. In 2020 they revamped their programs to promote positive reinforcement methodologies and no longer suggest the use of positive punishment and negative reinforcement.
1. ABCDT: Animal Behavior College Dog Trainer
This title offered through ABC requires completion of ABC coursework, completion of an ABC
mentorhsip, and completion of ABC exams.
CATCH CTA: CATCH Canine Trainers Academy
This organization offers certification upon completion of their program. They promote positive reinforcement methodologies and do not support the use of positive punishment and negative reinforcement.
1. CCDT: CTA Certified Dog Trainer
This title is offered through CATCH Canine Trainers Academy upon completion of CATCH coursework, completion of a CATCH mentorship, and completion of CATCH exams.
Bronze Star Credentials: Require testing to gain certification with the organization
CCPDT: Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers
This certification program offers different levels of certification achieved through standardized testing, adherence to a code of ethics, and adherence to the humane hierarchy in behavior and training practices. Continuing education credits must be earned to retain certification.
1. CPDT-KA: Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Knowledge-Assessed
This title offered through the CCPDT requires passing a comprehensive, standardized exam, proof of a minimum of 300 hours in professional dog training experience, high school diploma or GED, and 3 references.
2. CPDT-KSA: Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Knowledge and Skills Assessed
This title offered through the CCPDT requires completion of the CPDT-KA testing and submission of videos demonstrating training 4 separate, designated skills to 4 different dogs.
3. CBCC-KA: Certified Behavior Consultant Canine, Knowledge-Assessed
This title offered through the CCPDT requires passing a comprehensive, standardized exam, proof of a minimum of 300 hours in professional behavior consulting experience, high school diploma or GED, and an attestation statement from another dog industry professional.
IAABC: International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants
This organization offers different levels of certification, promotes use of the LIMA (least intrusive minimally aversive) principle, and supports the standardization of the behavior consulting industry.
1. CDBC: Certified Dog Behavior Consultant
This title offered through the IAABC requires completing a comprehensive written exam, a required amount of years of professional experience and set number of hours working professionally, a required number of hours in relevant coursework, seminars, and mentorships, submission of 3 case studies, and high school diploma or GED.
IACP: International Association of Canine Professionals
This organization offers different levels of certification and promotes high standards of professional and business practices among industry professionals.
1. CDT: Certified Dog Trainer
This title offered through IACP requires membership with IACP, a set number of years experience, 3 evaluations forms completed by past clients, three references, examples of handouts used in training lessons, and 3 case studies.
2. CDTA: Certified Dog Trainer- Advanced
This title requires the CDT title, a set number of years experience, and video submission of training 3 dogs.
3. PDTI: Professional Dog Training Instructor
This title require the CDT title, a set number of years experience in teaching classes, three references, examples of handouts used in training lessons, video of teaching students, and 12 essay questions.
Other Acronyms: These are not credentials, but a dog professional may be associated with these organizations
APDT: Association of Professional Dog Trainers
This is a membership organization that hosts educational conferences and provides networking opportunities for trainers. This organization launched the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, but is not directly associated with it.
AVSAB: American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior
This is a membership organization for vets and researchers with PhDs.
PPG is a membership program for trainers and other professionals. They promote force-free training methods and want to increase the public’s awareness of these methods.
The AKC has a program called “The Family Dog Program”. This program allows people to sign-up to be evaluators for program exams. Becoming an evaluator requires at least 2 years of professional dog training experience, but the AKC often makes exceptions to this rule. Therefore, some evaluators may not have a background in professional dog training. AKC has removed the informal requirement for AKC evaluators to be professional dog trainers, currently anyone that “works” with dogs can become an evaluator including trainers, groomers, vet techs, kennel workers, shelter employees, etc.
While these are some of the more common organizations you will encounter when researching trainers, there are many others out there. When you encounter an organization you are unfamiliar with be sure to research them! Visit their website, read their mission statement, read the requirements for certification, etc. Do not simply accept that the letters after that person’s name are significant.
*Inclusion on this list does not represent my endorsement*
Help me keep this article up-to-date! Recommend the addition of other credentials by emailing me.
