Become a Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed
Certification is a form of credentialing. A credential is a designation which indicates competence in a subject or area. Certification is usually a voluntary process instituted by a nongovernmental agency in which individuals are recognized for advanced knowledge and skill. Certification requires assessment, including testing, and an evaluation of education and/or experience.
Establishing a credentialing program enhances the reputation of a profession. A certification program is not an endorsement of an individual by the organization, but it signifies to those seeking to use the professional that the professional has sought out a credentialing program and has passed the credential?s requirements. Certification is a voluntary program, unlike licensing which is not voluntary for professions such as physicians, nurses, and psychologists.
The CCPDT works with experts in creating and administering national certification programs to assure the authenticity of the program. By securing the expertise of the Professional Testing Company (PTC), the CCPDT has developed a knowledge based examination to evaluate individuals who wish to validate a basic knowledge of dog training. The CCPDT issues a certificate indicating that the individual has met the minimum experience and educational level, and passed the CCPDT examination. Those who have passed this examination and met the other requirements of the program are permitted to use the designation CPDT-KA (Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed) next to their name. The CPDT-KA certification exam was designed to assess the knowledge deemed necessary by dog training experts for an entry level trainer. Eligibility requirements are detailed in the ? Handbook for Candidates" available from PTC. The test questions are in multiple choice format, which is the most frequently used in national examinations to validate a candidate?s competence to perform the work of the profession, and are based on the general knowledge of dog behavior and application of training techniques in five content areas: Learning/Theory, Instruction Skills, Husbandry, Ethology, Equipment. Our examination is changed each year and is reviewed with a psychometrician prior to being released for the testing period.
Exceptions are allowed for testing at other facilities, or to set up new test sites. Details are outlined in the Test Handbook.
No, the certification process is a standardized program specifically designed for fair treatment of all candidates. The only way to ensure the integrity of this standardized process is to require that all candidates are assessed equally.
The test is offered in both the Spring and Fall of each year at computerized testing locations across the country and in Canada.
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