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Certified Dog Trainers
Here's some advice from the website of the
Association of Pet Dog Trainers:
Do I have to have a certification?
One should realize that a "certificate" from a particular training school is
simply that: A certificate for completing one of the numerous training
courses available. Many individual businesses will also be happy to charge
you a fee and "certify" you. If you choose to attend a "dog training
school," do your homework. Investigate the program and how it fits with your
needs.
Check out the website of the Certification
Council for Pet Dog Trainers, which describes itself as "an
international testing and certification program for professional pet dog
trainers." It says:
The CCPDT's certification program is the first national certification for
dog trainers. Until the creation of the Certification Council for Pet Dog
Trainers in 2001, there was no nationally available certification process
for dog trainers.
...This professional testing program was originally created by the
Association of Pet Dog Trainers, the largest association of dog trainers in
the world. Early on, the APDT recognized the need for certification for its
profession. Pet dog trainers needed a credible means of measuring their
knowledge and skills and the dog-owning public needed a credible barometer
for choosing a trainer.
...Candidates who pass the exam earn the title Certified Pet Dog Trainer and
may use the designation, "CPDT," after their names....All certified trainers
must earn continuing education credits to maintain their designations. They
must also adhere to a strict Code of Ethics in their dog training practices.
There's a huge amount of additional information at the CCPDT site, and
anyone seriously interested in professional dog training certification
should spend some time here.
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