Canadian Dog Trainers Want Regulation but One Third are Self-Educated
Most dog trainers in Canada use reward-based training methods, but more work is needed before regulation becomes a realistic possibility.
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| Photo: C_Gara/Shutterstock |
Last year, I wrote about the results of a study of dog trainers’ websites in BC, Canada, which found that 72% said they use reward-based methods to train dogs. That’s great news because organizations such as the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior and the BC SPCA say it’s important to avoid aversives due to the risks to dogs’ welfare. But do the websites accurately reflect dog trainer’s opinions, and what about the rest of Canada? New research published in Animals shares the results of a Canada-wide survey on dog training methods, and the results show a complicated picture.
Dr. Camila Cavalli (UBC), first author of the study, told me in an email,
“There are so many types of training programs and certifications, which exemplifies the lack of standardization in the field. This creates confusion and can make it challenging for guardians to figure out who is a qualified trainer.”
In fact, 33% of the dog trainers who completed the survey are self-educated, while 66% have completed at least one training program.
Looking at those who had certifications, in total they mentioned 138 different training programs and 39 certifications, showing a wide variety of qualifications (and of course some dog trainers have multiple certifications). From the table below, you can see that the most common educational programs are Fear Free Animal Trainer (11%), Michael Shikashio Aggression in Dogs (11%), and Karen Pryor (KPA-CTP) (10%).
As well or instead of training programs, many dog trainers also have a certificate from a credentialling board. Here, the most common were CPDT-KA from the CCPDT (23%), IAABC-CDBC from the IAABC (4%), and IACP-CDT from the IACP (2%). Of these, only the IAABC credential is a reward-based one, as CCPDT and IACP allow the use of aversives methods. Other reward-based credentials on the list include IAABC’s CCBC-KA and the Pet Professional Accreditation Board’s PCT-A, both at just under 2%, and PPAB’s PCBC-A, at just over 1%.
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| Reproduced from Cavalli & Fenwick (2025) under Creative Commons licence. |
89% of trainers said they would use the words “positive reinforcement” to describe their training and 86% said it was “reward-based”. However, 39% said the word “balanced” describes their training and 10% said “pack leader” does.
26% of trainers said they were likely to use an electronic collar and 30% were likely to use a prong collar. Meanwhile almost all respondents were likely to use food treats (96%) and toys (94%).
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| Reproduced from Cavalli & Fenwick (2025) under Creative Commons licence. |
Training approaches and vet referrals
Trainers across Canada offer a wide range of services, including classes and behaviour consults, as would be expected. The most common behaviour issues they deal with are reactivity to dogs, poor manners, poor recall, and fear.
Some trainers made non-training recommendations such as for pheromones or massage therapy. 15% of trainers said they recommend cannabis products, which are not regulated, and some made recommendations for diet such as a “calming diet” or raw diet (each, 17%).
Trainers who describe their training as “science-based” or “force-free” are more likely to refer clients to a veterinarian, whereas those who describe their training with the words “balanced”, “obedience” or “pack leader” are less likely to do so.
In fact all trainers should be willing to suggest their client consult with a veterinarian in cases where medical issues such as pain may play a role. It’s concerning to think that some trainers are not likely to do so as no amount of training will resolve a medical issue. These results show that aversives trainers are less likely to refer to a veterinarian.
Regulation of dog training
62% of trainers were in favour of regulation, while 19% were unsure and 19% said no. There was widespread disagreement as to who should be in charge of regulation. Those in favour of it were more likely to say animal welfare organizations or government agencies should be in charge of it if it happened.
Trainers who would use the words “balanced”, “obedience”, or “pack leader” to describe their training were more likely to be against the idea of regulation.
As well, those who were self-educated and/or who did not hold a credential were more likely to be against regulation, while those who had completed an educational certification and/or credential were more likely to be in favour of it.
Dr. Cavalli said,
“Almost two thirds of the respondents supported some form of regulation for the dog training field. This is quite encouraging as it could help bring clarity. But more research is needed to find the best way to incorporate diverse perspectives into this, which is important to achieve acceptance within the industry and ultimately better support dog welfare.”
In a box for open-ended comments, many trainers raised concerns about the industry, including lack of regulation, the gulf between aversives and reward-based trainers, potential harms from using aversives or not using aversives, the difficulties for dog guardians in finding a good trainer, and lack of education within the industry.
The survey also looked at differences between the provinces where more trainers completed the survey, namely Albert, BC, Ontario, and Quebec. For example, trainers in Ontario are more likely to use shock collars or choke collars than in the other provinces.
Limitations and future directions
One potential limitation mentioned by the scientists is that some trainers may not have felt comfortable describing their training methods if they use aversives. While this is possible, my own experience is different. When the survey was under way, I shared a link to it on my Facebook page and several aversives trainers commented either on the page or to me via DMs that they wanted to make sure their fellow “balanced” trainers completed the survey. (I am currently locked out of my Facebook account so cannot share how many sent those messages, but it was interesting at the time).
Even though the researchers worked hard to make sure the survey was shared across all of Canada, this is not a representative sample. However, it is a useful baseline against which future surveys can be compared.
The scientists say that future research should look at the way systemic barriers might affect entry to the profession, in order to improve diversity and inclusivity within dog training.
This study involved a lot of individual statistical tests. In future research, I would love to see a longer questionnaire that could be analyzed using multivariate statistics. I think it would be really interesting to see how different ideas about dog training and training methods cluster together.
Summary
It’s good news that the majority of Canadian dog trainers use reward-based methods, but there is clearly still some work to be done to improve dog training methods. Those trainers who are currently self-taught could help out by signing up for educational programs.
There is a lot to dig into in this paper and I have only highlighted the most interesting findings here. The full paper is open access and you can read it at the link below.
P.S. Early bird pricing continues for the Dogs and the City conference at which I'm speaking alongside Tom Candy and Malena DeMartini. It takes place September 26-28 and there are in-person and virtual options available.
Reference
Cavalli, C., & Fenwick, N. (2025). A Survey of the Professional Characteristics and Views of Dog Trainers in Canada. Animals, 15(9), 1255. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15091255
