Our values serve as guiding principles that shape and inform our work as an organization. We are committed to honoring these values and to putting them into action at the organizational and individual board member level.
Integrity
Both our board members and our certificants have pledged adherence to a strict ethical code.
Action: Require all certificants, staff, and board members to agree to, sign, and abide by the CCPDT® Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics and Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive (LIMA) Effective Behavior Intervention Policy which clearly state the accepted principles that govern the conduct of a dog training and/or behavior professional.
Education
We believe the public has the right to work with dog training and behavior professionals who are not only knowledgeable but whose knowledge is based on current, sound scientific principles.
- Action: Promote universal understanding of and respect for dog training and behavior consulting as a profession by endorsing strict adherence to scientific and humane methods.
- Action: Encourage growth in and fluency of knowledge in the profession through high standards of examination and the requirement for continuing education.
Excellence
We commit to innovative methodology in the preparation, administration, and evaluation of our certifying examinations.
- Action: Maintain empirically validated certification examinations that are psychometrically sound, based on current scientific evidence in the profession, and independent of commercial influence.
- Action: Recognize documented training and behavior experience as valid, functional criteria relevant to the certification process.
Scientific principles
We are committed to current behavioral science and its application to dog training and behavior consulting.
- Action: Develop a recognized standard of proficiency based on current scientific evidence for dog training and behavior professionals through an independent certification process of standardized testing.
- Action: Strive to make decisions based on comprehensive research, aggregate data, and expert opinions where no current and conclusive science exists.
Transparency
We strive to meet our goals in furtherance of our mission with sound use of resources. We are transparent and accurate in disclosure of information to all our constituencies.
- Action: Develop and make available a manual of all public policies issued by the CCPDT Board of Directors.
- Action: Communicate openly and in a timely manner with our certificants about any and all issues that may affect or pertain to their certifications.
