Code of Conduct & Ethics

For Canine Standards Members

Canine Standards exists to help dog owners identify balanced dog trainers who have been reviewed for professionalism, humane conduct, background history, transparent claims, practical experience, and ethical business conduct.

The Role of Canine Standards

Canine Standards reviews member applications, professional claims, certifications when submitted, credentials when claimed, practical experience, public reputation, and professional background information to help determine whether a person meets the organization’s standards. Canine Standards may approve, deny, suspend, or revoke membership, seal use, promotional use, or directory access at its discretion. Canine Standards also provides directory access to active members in good standing. Directory access is a membership benefit, not a permanent right, and may be removed if membership is suspended, revoked, expired, or otherwise ended.

When serious concerns are reported, Canine Standards may review or investigate acts of impropriety involving its members. This may include conduct that harms dogs, clients, the public, other trainers, or the reputation of Canine Standards. Members found to have violated these standards may be removed from membership, seal use, promotional use, and directory access.

Putting the Dog First

Members must treat dogs humanely and make training decisions that support the dog’s safety, stability, and long-term well-being. Training tools and methods must be used responsibly, with proper knowledge, timing, emotional control, and care. Members should never use unnecessary force, cruelty, intimidation, or abuse.

Members must not advise clients to stop, start, or change a dog’s prescribed medication. Medication decisions belong between the client and the dog’s veterinarian.

What Canine Standards Considers Abuse

Canine Standards recognizes that the word abuse can be viewed differently by different people in the dog training world. For example, some people may believe a leash correction with a prong collar is abusive, while others do not. Because training methods, tools, timing, dog temperament, handler intent, and emergency situations can vary, Canine Standards will review abuse concerns on a case-by-case basis.

When reviewing whether conduct is abusive, Canine Standards may consider the context, intent, necessity, level of force, the dog’s condition, the trainer’s actions before and after the incident, and whether the conduct was done out of anger, frustration, neglect, poor judgment, or a legitimate need to prevent serious harm.

Abuse may include unnecessary force, cruelty, loss of emotional control, using a dog as an outlet for anger, cutting corners, creating avoidable suffering, or using tools or methods in a way that is reckless, excessive, or outside the best interest of the dog.

Canine Standards also recognizes that emergency situations can occur. An action that appears harsh in isolation may be reviewed differently if it was taken to stop an immediate threat of serious injury or death to another dog, animal, or person. For example, force used in anger or frustration may be abusive, while force used as a last-resort emergency action to stop a serious attack may be evaluated differently based on the facts.

Be Honest and Professional

Members must be truthful about their experience, skills, services, pricing, and expected results. Members should not make false promises, mislead clients, exaggerate credentials, or use deceptive marketing. Members are expected to stay within their level of knowledge and experience. When a case is outside a member’s ability, the member should seek help, refer the client to a qualified professional, or recommend veterinary care when appropriate.

Respect Clients, Trainers, and the Public

Members are expected to conduct themselves professionally online, including on social media, forums, review platforms, and in private or public industry groups. We understand that disagreements, criticism, and professional debates will and do happen in this industry, and in general we do not police personal opinions, arguments, or online drama between adults. However, repeated patterns of harassment, targeted bullying, threats, defamatory accusations, or coordinated attacks that damage the reputation or safety of others are not acceptable. Canine Standards will generally not take action regarding online disputes unless we receive two or more separate complaints from Canine Standards Members regarding the same member’s online conduct, or unless the behavior is especially severe.

Prohibited Conduct

Canine Standards may suspend or revoke membership for serious misconduct, including but not limited to:

Membership, Branding, and Removal

Members may only use the Canine Standards name, logo, badge, listing, promotional materials, or membership claims while they are active members in good standing.

If a membership is suspended, revoked, expired, or otherwise ended, the member must immediately stop using all Canine Standards promotional material, including logos, badges, certificates, website claims, social media references, printed materials, advertisements, and directory listings. Once Canine Standards notifies a member by phone or email that their membership has been revoked or ended, the member must stop using all Canine Standards promotional material immediately.

If membership is revoked, no refund will be issued for membership dues, application fees, listing fees, or any other payments already made.

Accountability

Canine Standards may review complaints, request information, and take action when a member does not meet these standards. Action may include warning, suspension, removal from listings, removal of certification, or termination of membership.

Final Standard

Put the dog first. Be honest. Treat people with respect. Do not abuse animals or people. Do not steal, harass, threaten, or mislead people. Protect the reputation of your business, Canine Standards and the balanced dog training community.