Trust & transparency
How we verify trainer credentials
Dog training is an unregulated industry — so when a trainer claims a credential, we check it instead of repeating it.
There is no license, no required exam, no board — anyone can call themselves a dog trainer today and start charging tomorrow. Certifications are voluntary, and the good ones are genuinely hard to earn. That makes one question matter a lot: when a trainer claims a credential, is it real?
Most directories repeat whatever a business says about itself. We don’t.
What we do
When a trainer’s profile lists a certification, we look it up in the issuing body’s own public registry — the certifying organizations publish searchable lists of every person they’ve certified, precisely so claims can be checked. We currently check against:
- CCPDT — Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CPDT-KA, CPDT-KSA, CBCC-KA)
- KPA — Karen Pryor Academy (KPA-CTP)
- IAABC — International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants
- APDT — Association of Professional Dog Trainers
- IACP — International Association of Canine Professionals
- AKC — American Kennel Club (CGC Evaluators)
If we find the trainer in the registry, the credential is marked ✓ Verified on their profile, with the date we checked and a direct link to the registry entry — so you don’t have to take our word for it either.
What the labels mean
We found this exact credential in the certifying body’s public registry on the date shown, and we link to the entry.
The trainer or their website claims this credential, but we haven’t confirmed it in a registry yet. Where a public registry exists, we link it so you can check directly.
Many working trainers hold no formal certification; in an unregulated field that’s common and not by itself a red flag. It simply means there’s nothing for us to check.
What verification does — and doesn’t — mean
A verified credential tells you the trainer invested in formal education, passed an independent assessment, and is accountable to a certifying body’s standards and ethics code. It is not a quality rating. A verified certificate doesn’t guarantee the right fit for your dog, and its absence doesn’t make someone a bad trainer. Use it the way you’d use any strong signal: alongside reviews, a conversation, and how the trainer answers your questions. (Our 10 questions to ask any dog trainer is built for exactly that.)
Certifications can also lapse, which is why every verified mark shows when we last checked — and why we re-check periodically rather than verifying once and assuming forever.
For trainers
If your credential shows as self-reported — or your profile is missing one — claim your profile. Verification is free: tell us the credential, and we’ll check the registry and mark it. We never charge for verification and never will; a trust mark you can buy isn’t a trust mark.
Find a trainer you can trust
Browse local trainers, see verified credentials and real reviews, and compare them in one place.