Trainers should conduct themselves honestly, responsibly, and humanely.
The mission of Professional Standards for Dog Trainers: Effective, Humane Principles is to encourage trainers to model and to teach a respectful method of dog training. Though these standards were created in the United States, it is hoped they will be widely adopted outside its borders as well, increasing the profession's accountability around the world.
1.1 Ethical Conduct
Humane dog trainers use and advocate methods that rely on:
- Eliciting and reinforcing desired behaviors.
- Inhibiting and discouraging unwanted or potentially dangerous behaviors.
- Minimizing the use of aversives while doing either of the above.
When the needs of owner or dog are beyond their expertise, trainers should cooperate fully with others in the field. If necessary, they should refer such clients to other trainers, animal behaviorists, veterinarians, or animal care and control officers. Trainers should refrain from guaranteeing specific training outcomes, though they may guarantee general satisfaction with services.
Trainers should:
- Acquire a core body of skills, knowledge, and experience before representing themselves to the public as trainers.
- Recognize their own professional limits, acquiring additional skill, knowledge, and experience as needed throughout their professional lives.
- Make only true statements about their training practices.
- Respect client privacy by not divulging confidential information without the client's permission, except as required by law or in a case of suspected abuse.
- Avoid acting in a physically, verbally, or emotionally abusive manner toward dogs or people in a training setting.
- Address evidence of abuse, cruelty or neglect through appropriate measures, such as education of the owner, intervention, and reporting to the appropriate authorities.
