CPDT-KA

For more information on the certification process, standards and requirements
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What is that CPDT-KA after Lisa, Devene & Sue's names?

Here is the info from the The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers:

Certified Professional Dog Trainers Appropriately Identified
Professional dog trainers are being internationally recognized.

New York, New York, July 1, 2009 - The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT) has changed the title of Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT) to Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) effective today. All current CPDTs may now use this new designation.

In the future, the CCPDT will be issuing certificates to CPDTs who have also passed a practical exam. The practical examination will assess a CPDT-KA's hands-on ability to train a dog and a CPDT-KA who passed this examination will be designated a Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge & Skills Assessed (CPDT-KSA).

These changes are being made because the CCPDT believes skilled dog training requires not only knowledge of theory but effective application of that theory. Current and future CPDT-KAs will have the ability to verify to veterinarians, clients, and the public that they have attained a significant achievement in both the knowledge and skills areas of professional dog training.

The CCPDT is an international testing and certification program for professional pet dog trainers and the only independent certification. As such, the certification is neither tied to membership in any organization nor tied to graduation from a specific school. The certification is administered by independent proctors only after the applicant meets the published criteria to sit for the examination. The certification program administered by the CCPDT is the only dog trainer certification program that is psychometrically sound, meeting the standards of other well-known testing measures. Competence and continued professional growth is promoted through the recertification of qualified professionals. This independence distinguishes the CPDT-KA certification from other dog trainer certificates and dog trainer certification programs.

The difference between the CCPDT's professional certification and those of other organizations can be more easily understood with the following concepts from the National Organization for Competency Assurance Guide to Understanding Credentialing Concepts.

Professional certification is the voluntary process by which a non-governmental entity grants a time-limited recognition and use of a credential to an individual after verifying that he or she has met predetermined and standardized criteria. It is the vehicle that a profession or occupation uses to differentiate among its members, using standards, sometimes developed through a consensus driven process, based on existing legal and psychometric requirements. The holder of a professional certification is called a certificant.

A certificate program is a training program on a topic for which participants receive a certificate after attendance and/or completion of the coursework. Some programs also require successful demonstration of attainment of the course objectives. One who completes a professional certificate program is known as a certificate holder. A credential is usually NOT granted at the completion of a certificate program.