How to Spot a Trainer Who Uses Pain (Before You Pay Them)
Anyone can print business cards that say ‘dog trainer.’ Here’s how to read between the lines.
Your dumb questions
The trainer says they’re ‘balanced.’ That sounds healthy. Is it?
It sounds like yoga. It usually means rewards plus corrections. AVSAB’s How to Choose a Trainer guide lists ‘balanced training’ as a red flag.
Is dog training a regulated profession in Canada?
No. The Canadian Association of Professional Dog Trainers says anyone, even someone without experience, can put up a sign and call themselves a dog trainer.
If a trainer is certified, are they automatically pain-free?
No. Some credentials require reward-based methods and ban shock and prong collars; at least one major certification still allows them under conditions. Check what the specific credential requires.
What if a trainer promises to fix my dog in two weeks, guaranteed?
Walk away politely. Karen Pryor Academy’s code tells its trainers not to guarantee specific outcomes, and CAPDT’s code tells members not to promise ‘guaranteed methods’ or ‘secret cures.’
The receipts
- How to Choose a Trainer · American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior
- Position Statements (including the 2025 AVSAB Board Statement) · American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, 2025
- Position Statement on Humane Dog Training · American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, 2021
- How to Choose a Professional Dog Trainer or Behavior Consultant · Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers
- Prohibited Practices Policy · Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers
- Position Statement on Behavior Change Procedures in Dog Training · Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers
- KPA CTP Code of Conduct · Karen Pryor Academy, 2024
- Standards of Practice · International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants
- Credentials · International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants
- Animal Trainer Certification Program · Fear Free
- Dog Owner Support: Find the Right Trainer · Canadian Association of Professional Dog Trainers
- Ethics, Bylaws & Complaints · Canadian Association of Professional Dog Trainers
- Severe Techniques & Outdated Procedures (STOP) List · Canadian Association of Professional Dog Trainers
- Code of Ethics of the Canadian Association of Professional Dog Trainers · Canadian Association of Professional Dog Trainers, 2022
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