To the CCPDT Board and Ethics Committee:

We, the undersigned credentialed dog training and behavior professionals, animal welfare advocates, and concerned members of the public, call on the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers to take immediate and decisive action to prohibit the use of punishment-based tools and methods that compromise animal welfare and the credibility of our profession.

The 2025 Standards of Practice, Behavior Change Procedures, and Prohibited Practices Policy reflect incremental improvements, but they fall critically short of what modern science and ethical responsibility require. Despite claiming to promote reinforcement-based methods, the CCPDT continues to allow the use of prong collars, slip collars, and electronic collars through subjective justifications such as “conditioning” and “methodological diversity.”

Globally, countries including Germany, Norway, Sweden, Austria, and others have banned these tools entirely. Leading veterinary organizations such as the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior and the BC SPCA have issued clear, evidence-based positions opposing punishment-based tools and methods.

If international governments and professional bodies can adopt humane, science-backed training standards, why can’t the CCPDT — an organization that claims to lead the industry?

By continuing to provide ethical cover for aversive tools and punishment-based strategies, the CCPDT undermines both the welfare of dogs and the credibility of thousands of professionals committed to force-free, evidence-based training methods.

We demand that the CCPDT immediately:

1. 
   Prohibit the use of electronic collars, prong collars, slip leads, and other aversive equipment in all training and behavior change plans without exception.
2. Eliminate allowances for punishment-based strategies disguised as “last resort” methods.
3. Remove language that justifies fear, stress, or discomfort as acceptable during training’s so-called “learning phase.”
4. End the use of “methodological diversity” language that perpetuates outdated, harmful practices as professional discretion.

If these changes are not implemented, we — along with many CCPDT certificants — are prepared to:

• Publicly denounce our certifications.
• Withdraw from all CCPDT-sponsored professional development opportunities.
• Encourage colleagues and consumers to seek certification bodies that prioritize humane, evidence-based practices.

The CCPDT must decide: lead our profession into the future or be left behind. Incremental change is no longer acceptable. The welfare of animals and the integrity of our field demand immediate action.