Choosing the Right Dog Trainer: Experience and/or Certified

Apr 23
9 min read

There are few decisions more important in your dog’s life than choosing the right trainer. Whether you’re raising a new puppy, navigating behavioral challenges, or preparing a service dog, the person you trust with that responsibility should be more than just “experienced.” They should be educated, accountable, and committed to ethical, science based practices.

One of the realities many people don’t realize is that dog training in the United States is largely unregulated. This means that, technically, anyone can decide to offer training services and begin charging clients, regardless of their level of experience, education, or background.

To be clear, this isn’t about dismissing younger trainers or suggesting they aren’t capable. Passion and dedication absolutely matter. However, experience both professional and life experience plays a critical role in this field. Working with dogs, especially those with behavioral challenges or those being trained for service work, requires a deep understanding of learning theory, behavior, timing, risk management, and nuanced communication. These are skills that are typically developed over time, through hands on work, mentorship, and continued education.

This becomes even more important when training service dogs. These dogs are expected to perform reliably in complex, real world situations where mistakes can have serious consequences for their handlers. Without the proper foundation, guidance, and experience there is a real risk of unintentionally creating confusion, reinforcing the wrong behaviors, or escalating issues that could have been prevented.

In some cases a lack of experience doesn’t just slow progress it can make an existing issue worse or even create new ones. And unfortunately when that happens it’s often the dog who bears the consequences.

This is why it’s so important for owners to carefully evaluate a trainer’s background, experience and approach before trusting them with their dogs especially in more specialized or high stakes training situations.

That means anyone can wake up tomorrow, call themselves a dog trainer, charge professional rates and begin working with your dog without formal education, without tested knowledge and without oversight and maybe no mentorship. Skinner who? Exactly.

So how do you protect yourself and your dog?

Start With the Right Questions

A reputable trainer will never be offended by thoughtful questions. In fact, they should welcome them.

So, what questions should you be asking?

What is your experience and what types of cases do you specialize in? Not all trainers are created equal. Some excel in basic obedience, others in behavioral modification, and others in advanced work like service dog training. Make sure their expertise aligns with your needs. For example, we work with basic obedience, puppy raising, minor behavioral issues, tricks and service dogs. We don’t touch bite risk dogs, protection dogs and so forth. We know and like our lane.

Are they certified? If so, through which organization(s)? This is where things matter. Not all certifications are equal and some are simply certificates of completion rather than true assessments of knowledge.

What did the certification actually require?

Did they pass a standardized, proctored exam? Were they evaluated on real world skills? Or did they complete an online course?

Do they participate in continuing education? Dog training is an evolving field rooted in behavioral science. Trainers should actively stay current with modern, evidence based practices.

Can they provide references or client testimonials? A trustworthy trainer should have a track record and be proud to share it.

Understanding Certification vs. Completion

There are many programs across the United States that offer what are often referred to as “certifications,” but it’s important to understand what those terms actually mean. Not all credentials carry the same weight, and some are frequently misunderstood.

For example, a certificate of completion simply indicates that someone has attended or completed a course or seminar. It reflects participation and continuing education, which is valuable, but it does not mean the individual has been formally assessed or certified as a professional. A good example of this is the Victoria Stilwell Behavior Conference, where attendees may earn continuing education credits. While these experiences contribute to professional growth, they are not the same as a certifying credential.

Another common point of confusion is the role of an American Kennel Club (AKC) evaluator. Being an AKC evaluator is not a certification in dog training or behavior. Rather, it is a licensure that allows approved individuals to administer programs such as the Canine Good Citizen Test and trick dog titles. This designation must be renewed periodically and demonstrates familiarity with those specific tests, but it does not, on its own, indicate comprehensive training or behavioral expertise or certification.

When it comes to more advanced work such as evaluating service dogs through Public Access Testing (PAT) which is a higher level of experience, education, and practical application is essential. These assessments require a deep understanding of behavior, environmental pressures, and task reliability, knowledge of many type of disabilities and understanding them in order to know what direction training needs to go and not all trainers have the background necessary to conduct them appropriately.

Understanding these distinctions can help dog owners make more informed decisions and ensure they are working with a professional whose qualifications truly match their needs.

Some programs provide:

• Structured education

• Hands on experience

• Foundational knowledge

But they may not require:

• Independent testing

• Standardized evaluation

• Ongoing accountability

That’s why it’s so important to research:

• Who recognizes the certification(s)?

• Is it respected outside the U.S. as well?

• Does it require continuing education to maintain?

• Can the certification be revoked for inappropriate behavior or inhumane training methods?

Our Journey: From Education to Accountability

As many of you know, we began our professional journey with certifications through Animal Behavior College (ABC), earning both our Dog Trainer (DT) certification and Service Dog Trainer (SDT) certification.

That foundation gave us valuable experience and opened doors but as the industry evolves, so must we. Over time, ABC has not maintained the same level of recognition in the U.S. or internationally and like many dedicated professionals, we felt a responsibility to push further. To challenge ourselves. To be held to a higher, measurable standard.

That’s what led us to pursue certification through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT) earning the CPDT-KA (Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed) designation. This was by far not an easy test, many failing at least the first time taking it. It is taken at a proctor facility and observed while taking the test to assure no cheating occurs. You cannot have a phone, paper, books etc on you. They even went as far as checking my clothes for anything that could be hidden, checked the underside cape of my drinks and even checked my skin for writing. Cheating on a test like this could be a civil offense.

Why the CPDT-KA Matters

The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT) didn’t just appear overnight, it was created as part of a broader effort to bring structure, accountability, and professionalism to a field that has historically been unregulated.

Who is the CCPDT made up of?

The CCPDT is governed by a board of directors made up of experienced professionals from across the animal behavior and training world. This includes:

• Certified professional dog trainers

• Animal behavior consultants

• Veterinarians and veterinary behavior professionals

• Educators and subject matter experts in animal learning and behavior

They also work with psychometricians (testing and measurement experts) to ensure their exams are fair, valid and actually measure competency not just memorization.

It’s important to understand that the CCPDT is an independent certifying body, not a school or training program. They don’t teach you how to train they assess whether you already meet a defined standard of knowledge and experience.

How did it come about?

The CCPDT was founded in the early 2000s in response to a growing concern within the industry: there was no standardized way to evaluate dog trainers.

As dog training became more popular and more people began offering services respected professionals in the field recognized the need for:

• A benchmark for competency

• Ethical guidelines

• A way for the public to identify qualified trainers

So the CCPDT was formed to fill that gap by creating a third party, standardized certification process.

How were the standards developed?

The standards used today weren’t arbitrarily decided they were built using a formal process called a job task analysis (JTA).

Here’s how that works:

1. Industry wide input: Large groups of experienced trainers across different specialties were surveyed to identify what knowledge and skills are actually required in real world dog training.

2. Defining core competencies: From that data, the CCPDT outlined the key areas a competent trainer should understand. Things like learning theory, behavior, instruction skills and ethics.

3. Test development with experts: Questions were then created and reviewed by subject matter experts and psychometricians to ensure they are relevant, unbiased and reliable indicators of knowledge

4. Ongoing updates: The exam and standards are periodically reviewed and updated to reflect evolving best practices and advances in the field.

Why their standards are widely recognized

The CCPDT’s certifications are respected because they:

• Require documented hands on experience before you can even sit for the exam

• Are based on industry wide data, not one trainer’s philosophy

• Follow accredited testing practices used in other professional fields

• Require continuing education to maintain certification

The CCPDT represents a collective effort by experienced professionals to bring consistency, ethics and measurable standards into dog training. While no certification alone guarantees skill, it does show that a trainer has met a baseline level of knowledge and accountability that was developed through input from across the industry not just one methodology or opinion.

It is one rigorous, standardized exam. It is not a participation certificate. It is a comprehensive, proctored test that evaluates a trainer’s true understanding of:

1. Learning Theory:  This is one of the biggest sections. You’re expected to understand concepts like:

• Operant conditioning (reinforcement vs. punishment)

• Classical conditioning

• Timing, reinforcement schedules and criteria setting

This is the foundation of all effective training.

2. Ethology (Canine Behavior & Body Language)

• Reading stress signals and body language

• Understanding breed tendencies and natural behaviors

• Social structures and communication between dogs

This is critical for preventing issues and recognizing problems early.

3. Training Techniques & Equipment

• Proper use of common training tools

• Luring, shaping, capturing behaviors

• Teaching basic obedience and modifying behavior

The focus is on safe, humane, and effective application.

4. Instruction Skills (Working with Clients)

• Teaching people, not just dogs

• Communication and coaching skills

• Setting realistic expectations for clients

Because a huge part of training is actually educating the owner.

5. Animal Husbandry

• Basic care: nutrition, grooming, health awareness

• Understanding normal vs. abnormal behavior related to health

You’re expected to recognize when something may be medical vs. behavioral.

6. Ethics & Professional Responsibility

• CCPDT code of ethics

• Knowing your scope of practice

• When to refer out to a veterinarian or behaviorist

This is especially important for avoiding harm and staying within your limits.

7. Behavior Problems

• Aggression, fear, anxiety, reactivity

• House soiling, separation issues, destructive behaviors

• Prevention and management strategies

Not necessarily advanced behavior modification but you need solid understanding.

8. Equipment & Safety

• Safe handling practices

• Bite prevention

• Environmental management 

This certification is not permanent. Trainers must continue learning to maintain it or retake the test if they don’t have enough continued education credits that the organization recognizes. This test contained full on paragraph long scenarios that had to be broken down.

Let’s Address the Elephant in the Room

Some trainers avoid certification because they “don’t want to be restricted.”

But that raises an important question? Why would accountability feel like a limitation unless there’s something to hide? Being held to a standard doesn’t restrict good trainers. It elevates them.

This experience didn’t make us feel boxed in it actually made us feel empowered.

A Personal Note on the Process

The CPDT-KA exam is not easy. It is offered only twice a year, spans hours and challenges even seasoned trainers. Many do not pass on their first attempt as stated before. No notes. No books. Nothing can be with you but your brain and knowledge.

After months of studying, we sat for this exam under circumstances that tested more than just knowledge, but we were pushing through chemotherapy recovery because missing that opportunity simply wasn’t an option. We had just gotten chemotherapy 2 days prior to the test and was getting sick in the trash can as we took the test. That’s how dedicated and serious we were about this. And we are incredibly proud to say we passed on the first attempt with flying colors.

Not for recognition. Not for a title. But for what it represents which is A commitment to doing this the right way.

Why This Should Matter to You

If you’re choosing between:

• A trainer with years of experience but no verified education, no continued learning and no accountability or may be stuck in the past 

vs.

• A trainer who has both experience and proven, tested knowledge rooted in science (That you can verify online)

The difference is not just price. It’s outcomes, ethics and your dog’s well being. Because yes, experience matters. But informed experience matters just as much if not more.

What to Look for Moving Forward

When selecting a trainer prioritize:

• Proven education and certifications

• A clear understanding of learning theory

• Transparency in methods

• Ongoing professional development

• A willingness to be held accountable

• References from current or previous clients

And most importantly, Someone who can explain not just what they’re doing but why.

Final Thoughts

This industry should not be competitive in a toxic way it should be collaborative, supportive and focused on raising standards across the board.

We should be cheering each other on.

We should be growing together.

And we should all be striving to give dogs and their owners the absolute best.

For us, this certification is just the beginning. After a year, we plan to pursue the CPDT-KSA, where both knowledge and hands on skills are evaluated through video assessment as well as an exam.

Because growth doesn’t stop. And neither does our commitment to doing better.

Your dog deserves more than guesswork.

They deserve knowledge, integrity and care backed by science.