7/10/2023 News Update - The Pet Professional Accreditation Board has updated the eligibility process and the skill testing criteria. Please download the new guides for more information





Certificants are "Informed by Science, Guided by Empathy, Governed by Ethics" TM

The Pet Professional Accreditation Board Currently Provides Three Levels of Credentials.

Each level has

  1. An application eligibility criteria
  2. An online test that assesses academic knowledge
  3. Skill video requirements that demonstrate practical skills.

The “Study Guide” for each level describes these in great detail. You can download the Study Guide for each level from the particular page relating to that credential.

How Are We Unique?

  • The only  Training Technician accreditation for professionals who believe there is no place for shock, choke, prong, pain, force, or fear in pet training and behavior practices.
  • The Board also offers the only psychometrically sound examination supporting humane and scientific practices for Training & Behavior Consultants.

The Accreditation Board sets a high standard. For each of the three credentialing levels, competency is assessed through

  1. Knowledge – an online examination
  2. Basic Training Skills – video submission
  3. Creating a Positive Conditioned Emotional Response – video submission
  4. Class Management/Private Consultations – video submission
  5. For the  Behavior Consultant, we assess the ability to manage a behavior case by submitting four written case study reports.



How To Get Started!

  1. Check the eligibility criteria for each level using the chart below to the left.
  2. Choose the level that best fits your current experience and status
  3. Go to the page from the menu above, or click the level graphics above to start the process.
  4. Begin your application and pay your credentialing fee. You will be asked to attest to the minimum criteria for your chosen level during the application.
  5. You will then receive a confirmation email containing all the necessary information to progress through your credential gatekeepers.
  6. Begin your journey towards an Industry Credential via the Pet Professional Accreditation Board.



The Pet Professional Accreditation Board Eligibility Criteria


Competency is Mission Critical!

What is Professional Competence?

Question: How does the concept of competence impact the work of professional dog trainers and pet care providers?

Answer: Professional competence is the “broad professional knowledge, attitude, and skills required to work in a specialized area or profession. Disciplinary knowledge and the application of concepts, processes, and skills are required in a test of professional competence in any particular field.” (Reference, 2019).

When speaking to the practice of counseling, Welfel (2009, p.81) points out that “professional competence is the most ethical obligation a professional has in their field of expertise.”

To be competent means, a professional is knowledgeable, schooled in the theory and research of their industry, and has the necessary skills to apply that field of knowledge to a working situation with their clients (Tudge, 2010).


Credentialing Fees & Renewal Terms



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