How to Start Choosing a Dog Trainer in Metro Vancouver
Are you ready to find the perfect trainer for your furry friend? It’s natural to have a million questions swirling in your mind because you want nothing but the best for your new pup or for the dog that’s become a bit unrecognizable. Many pet parents seek out trainers to tackle those pesky behaviours, teach essential rules, or ensure their puppy grows up to be a calm, happy companion. Whether it’s dealing with biting, jumping, pulling, or fear issues, choosing a dog trainer who truly understands dogs can make it a bit easier. Below are our Canadian/BC standards compared with US accreditation in the flyer, alongside my pack leader training, which currently gets zero recognition in the industry and is often dismissed as old school, outdated and basic, with no accreditation. I share my argument here—I hope it lands safely.
Why do you need a trainer?
Common Reasons
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Basic manners: People want their pet to sit, stay, and come when called.
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Leash pulling: Dogs often drag their owners during walks.
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Jumping up: Pets jump on guests and family members.
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Biting and chewing: Puppies nip hands and chew on shoes or furniture.
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Potty accidents: Dogs need help to learn where to go.
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Excessive barking: Pets bark too much at sounds or doors.
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Fear and aggression: Dogs act scared or angry around people or other animals.
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New puppy help: Owners want a good start with a young pet.
Top Puppy Training Needs
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Housebreaking: Teaching the puppy to signal when they need to go outside.
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Crate training: Creating a safe space for the puppy to sleep and rest.
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Puppy biting: Stopping the sharp nipping on hands, feet, and clothing.
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Socialization: Introducing the pup safely to new sounds, people, and dogs.
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Basic cues: Learning early commands like "sit," "down," and "come."
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Handling prep: Getting the pup used to paw touches for nail trims.
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Separation practice: Preventing future anxiety by teaching the pup to be alone.
American Veterinary Society of Animal Behaviour
*If your dog is experiencing anxiety or fear, a typical behaviour consultant can assist you. I find that dogs struggling with dog reactivity are best helped by someone that understands pack behaviour, and that would be a pack leader trainer.
However, if it has escalated into aggressive biting and poses a danger to others, dogs or yourself, consulting a veterinary behaviorist (DACVB) is now vital. Medication can help along with the advanced training they have.
RED FLAG / GREEN FLAG
There are a couple of things I want to bring to attention regarding this 'Step 2'. By placing terminology used by packleader trainers in the red category, they are doing everyone a huge disservice. I think I know why, and I will share that below in the following section.
There are many pack trainers that don't use any aversive tools or punishment. And some only use the aversive tools on dogs that are so large and aggressive that they are hard to hold on to, and help.
If they didn't have access to these tools, the only option left is to put the dog down. And I think we can all agree that is not an option for our misguided and misunderstood pets.
I guarantee you that your average dog trainer that offers only 'Green Flag' options in their training regiment would never be able to help a red line dog. I have had dogs brought to me because their trainers gave up on them and walked away. Sometimes treats are not high value enough!
With my basic level 1 animal behaviour, in combination with my 22 years of studying their behaviour, gave me enough understanding to tackle these dogs, and only because I understand energy, attunement, and I am confident and I trust dogs, I was able to help. I think like a dog, and I communicate like a dog.
Basically they are saying here that the Dam, mom of the litter; is cruel, abusive and a mean boss!
Well I use her technique in my training to mimic most of her motherly behaviours to reach young dogs struggling to understand boundaries and limitations.
Canadian National and Provincial Accreditations
Dog training and behavior consulting are not regulated by law in British Columbia and Canada, allowing anyone to claim the title of trainer.
Nevertheless, the BC SPCA, veterinarians, and industry associations acknowledge certain independent designations, institutional certifications, and welfare-based accreditations that demand thorough testing, supervised experience, and strict compliance with humane, evidence-based ethical standards.
CCPDT (Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers): Offers widely respected psychometric examinations requiring independent testing and extensive documented experience hours.
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CPDT-KA (Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed): Validates broad knowledge in canine learning theory, ethology, and instruction.
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CBCC-KA (Certified Behavior Consultant Canine – Knowledge Assessed): An advanced credential specifically for complex behavior modification like dog aggression and severe anxiety
IAABC (International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants): Offers peer-reviewed professional tiers including IAABC-ADT (Accredited Dog Trainer) and IAABC-CDBC (Certified Dog Behavior Consultant) focusing on species-specific applied behavior analysis.
AnimalKind (BC SPCA Accreditation): Rather than a personal exam, this is an official British Columbia-specific welfare accreditation and referral standard issued directly by the BC
SPCA. It audits companies to ensure they exclusively use humane, positive, evidence-based, fear-free methods
KPA-CTP (Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner): A high-standard, hands-on immersive program focused entirely on positive reinforcement.
CAPDT (Canadian Association of Professional Dog Trainers): A national professional body advocating standards and accrediting educational curriculums across Canada.
As stated below, while credentials alone do not guarantee quality trainers, with these backgrounds they are more likely to use positive reinforcement and avoid 'outdated' punishment based techniques. But can we also agree, that these trainers, almost all of them sat in a classroom studying books, or practiced their skills on one dog at a time?
They were never immersed in a large pack of dogs, and they will say (quite loudly) "dogs don't live in packs", so the experiences that pack leader trainers have is nothing like the book education these credentials all have. I personally have a level in 'animal emotion', and it has been very helpful in how I address dogs and assess them.
But could this push to disqualify Pack leader trainers be because we threaten their industry of lengthy and expensive classes and treatment, where in many cases we can come in and fix issues right away, if we give the owner the right tools?
And no, punishment and aversive training is not typical with pack leader trainers. For military, police and security dogs, yes, that is very possible, but for training pets, no. They just want you all to believe that. I believe we are encroaching on their supposed territory, and they want us gone. Just listen to some of Zac Georges' attacks on social media. He, himself has been caught leash correcting dogs on video, yet claims he is force free. Huh...
Well, if I can save you hundreds, or even thousands of dollars, and save you months or perhaps years of training and struggles, to come in and fix it in a matter of days or weeks, would you still prefer the highly credentialed trainers?
The fantastic thing is, you can choose, all on your own! Just don't mislabel the pack leaders doing some fantastic work with so many struggling dogs and owners.
