The concept of ‘certification’ in the world of professional dog training is not as clear as it ought to be. That’s why VSA partnered with Open College Network London to accredit its flagship professional course.
A lot has changed in the world of professional dog training over the past few years.
When the Victoria Stilwell Academy (VSA) was founded in 2015, the landscape – and the options available to those interested in becoming certified dog trainers – in the field of dog trainer education looked very different than it does today.
The history of dog training learning opportunities
In the era before the Covid pandemic, there were a handful of schools and academies teaching aspiring dog trainers. It was a relatively straightforward exercise to identify and engage with the philosophical approaches to working with dogs that resonated with prospective students. VSA’s foundational principles, for example, followed founder and President Victoria Stilwell’s (It’s Me or the Dog, The Dog Academy, Dogs With Extraordinary Jobs, Dogs Might Fly, Greatest American Dog) Positively philosophy of positive training.
While VSA had long since committed to expanding its learning system worldwide through its custom-built online Student Learning Center, thus removing geographical restrictions to global students, the pandemic ushered in a new wave of self-produced online courses. Whether you were interested in learning to bake sourdough bread, code new websites, or train dogs professionally, suddenly there were countless options to choose from, as those looking for ways to capitalize on everyone’s status as homebound with newfound time to consider previously unseen life paths began creating online courses.
Naturally, the quality and depth of many of these popup learning opportunities varied widely, but a net result of two years’ worth of this proliferation was a glut of options with questionable accompanying claims of certification.
Those looking to become dog trainers suddenly had a firehose of potential options with a confusing panoply of supposed perks and claims of expertise.
Add to this confusing landscape the fact that “balanced” trainers (including those willing to use aversive tools like shock, prong and e-collars) responded to the rising awareness among dog guardians, who were now more informed about the risks of using such tools and methods, with a strategic – and misleading – softening of descriptions of their dog training philosophies. It became increasingly difficult to find where to turn and who to trust for education.
VSA-Certified Dog Trainer status
As the world reopened following the pandemic, VSA recognized the challenge before its students and set about helping to clarify the landscape.
First, VSA has been authorized as a qualified educational institution by the State of Georgia’s Nonpublic Post-Secondary Education Commission since its founding over 10 years ago.
VSA developed the prestigious VSA-Certified Dog Trainer certification (VSA-CDT), providing its graduates with an industry-recognized designation within the dog world. Earning VSA-CDT status also helps graduates of VSA’s most comprehensive professional course distinguish themselves from local competitors by aligning themselves with a renowned certified dog trainer and behavior consultant whose training methods were already well known to TV audiences following decades of successful training-related series.
The VSA-CDT designation represents an elite level of investment of time, money, effort and learning, but ultimately – as is the case with all schools in the unregulated field of dog training – as an internally-delivered status, it is ultimately dependent on recognition by VSA’s peers in the dog training world. Learn more about what it means to be a certified dog trainer here.
The value of third-party pet industry certification
From the beginning, VSA has also identified the importance of peer-reviewed accreditation.
As a result, VSA ensured that both its foundational Fundamentals of Dog Training & Behavior course and its flagship professional Dog Trainer Course were recognized by leading certifying organizations in the US, the UK and beyond. Continuing Education Units (CEU’s, or CPD’s) were applied for and granted by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and the Pet Professional Accreditation Board (PPAB).
VSA is also a founding signatory to the Joint Standards of Practice document with peer organizations within the dog training industry. Working with these esteemed organizations ensured that VSA graduates benefited from the ability to present industry-recognized credentials to potential clients and peers.
While association with these pet industry-related bodies is important, VSA also recognized the opportunity to present its learning platform and content for review beyond the dog training world.
International accreditation as a Level 5 qualification by OCN London
VSA identified Open College Network London as a key partner to help those seeking professional dog trainer education find elite-level options with externally assessed qualifications on par with institutions of higher learning around the world.
Following an extensive review and examination process, working directly with OCN London staff for nearly a year, VSA’s flagship Dog Trainer Course was awarded Level 5 qualification, meaning its graduates are eligible to receive that Level 5 designation via OCN London directly.
“We’ve always felt our Dog Trainer Course was the ultimate learning experience, but to partner with an esteemed organization in Open College Network London in order to solidify VSA’s standing as a truly professional-level learning institution was an important step for us – and our students,” shared founder and president Victoria Stilwell.
“Being able to help our students achieve Level 5 status that’s recognized around the world fits with our aim of always looking for ways to serve and empower new generations of dog training professionals.”
How to become an OCN London-recognized Level 5 accredited dog trainer with VSA
Achieving Level 5 status as a professional dog trainer requires VSA students to complete the 20-module flagship professional online Dog Trainer Course (DTC).
DTC students learn through a combination of 100% video-narrated online lessons and by completing Office Hours via live videoconference during which they demonstrate and are assessed on 28 skills assessments. The course is designed to be completed within approximately 6 months, but students are provided up to one year to complete their studies and earn Level 5 status, with extensions available after that.
OCN London reviews each graduate’s record and submitted work via an External Quality Assurance team member to ensure the students’ skills and knowledge meet the Level 5 standard, and upon awarding the status they are provided with tools they can use to promote their achievement to clients and beyond.
While OCN London is a UK-based organisation, its bespoke Level 5 qualification is recognized as using the UK’s national qualification framework’s level descriptors for students around the world, and OCN London is a UK-based national awarding organisation, recognised by the qualifications regulator for England (Ofqual).
To learn more about the Dog Trainer Course and how to become a Level 5-qualified professional dog trainer, visit the DTC page or reach out to the VSA team to discuss how we can help you chase your dreams of working with dogs professionally as a certified dog trainer.
