Karen Pryor Academy helps raise standards for dog training professionals
Waltham, MA, December 16, 2019—Karen Pryor Academy (KPA) is the first private education institution to join forces with three leading industry associations in the effort to raise professional standards for dog trainers. The standards require trainers to commit to comprehensive education and skill proficiency, prioritize positive training solutions, and follow clear ethical practices in all aspects of their client work.
The standards are consistent with the very high bar of demonstrated training knowledge and positive-reinforcement-based training skill proficiency already required for graduation and certification from KPA’s industry-leading Dog Trainer Professional education and certification program. The additional standards, referred to as the Joint Standards of Practice, have been recently incorporated into KPA’s professional training pledge, applicable to the organization’s 1,700+ alumni Certified Training Partners (CTPs) who commit to uphold KPA’s professional training and teaching standards in their work.
The Joint Standards of Practice are also endorsed by the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC), the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), and the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT).
“Strong professional ethics, education, and expertise throughout our profession are crucial to the wellbeing of the animals and humans we serve,” said Ken Ramirez, Executive Vice President and Chief Training Officer at KPA. “As an independent organization, KPA requires even more stringent standards for graduates, but we support and endorse the Joint Standards as a minimum standard for the industry in general. Working with others who share these goals means that together we can represent a much larger swath of the training community that shares our approach and basic standards.”
About KPA
Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training & Behavior (KPA) offers positive-reinforcement-based courses for both experienced and aspiring trainers. KPA offers 11 all-online courses as well as its flagship Dog Trainer Professional program, a combination of online learning and hands-on workshops. KPA is advancing the field of force-free training by certifying and promoting the next generation of skilled animal trainers and teachers. To learn more about Karen Pryor Academy courses, visit www.karenpryoracademy.com. To view an international list of KPA Certified Training Partners, visit https://www.karenpryoracademy.com/find-a-trainer.
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