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CPDT-KA certification

Wondering what CPDT-KA after a dog trainer’s name means? It stands for Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Knowledge Assessed, a certification from the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT). Here is how a trainer earns it, how they keep it, and how you can check it, plus the trainers in our directory who list it.

Awarded by
Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT)
On Barklopedia
487 trainers list CPDT-KA among their credentials

What is the CPDT-KA?

The CPDT-KA is a dog trainer certification awarded by the CCPDT to trainers who have logged training experience and passed its knowledge exam. “Knowledge Assessed” means the exam tests what the trainer knows, through multiple-choice questions, rather than watching them train.

How does a trainer earn the CPDT-KA?

A trainer needs real experience before they can sit the exam. At the time of writing, the CCPDT asks for:

Age and education
At least 18, with a high school diploma, GED or equivalent
Experience
At least 300 hours of dog training in the last 3 years
A signed statement
From a CCPDT certificant, a veterinarian or another approved professional
The exam
200 multiple-choice questions (180 scored) in 3 hours, at a testing center or proctored online
What it covers
Learning theory (25%), instruction and teaching skills (32%), canine behavior and well-being (26%), professional skills, ethics and laws (17%)

How do trainers keep their CPDT-KA?

CPDT-KA trainers must recertify every 3 years, either by earning continuing education credits or by taking the exam again. So a current CPDT-KA has kept learning since they first passed.

What is the difference between the CPDT-KA and the CPDT-KSA?

The CPDT-KSA adds a hands-on skills test. Trainers who already hold the CPDT-KA can take it by sending the CCPDT video recordings of their training, which are graded by experts. See our page on the CPDT-KSA.

What is the CBCC-KA?

The CBCC-KA (Certified Behavior Consultant Canine, Knowledge Assessed) is the CCPDT’s certification for behavior work. At the time of writing, a trainer needs at least 300 hours of behavior consulting in the last 3 years, in areas such as fear, anxiety, compulsive behavior and aggression, and must pass a 200-question exam. If your dog has a behavior problem rather than a training goal, it is worth looking for.

What does a CPDT-KA mean for you as a dog owner?

It tells you the trainer has worked with dogs for hundreds of hours, passed an independent exam on how dogs learn and how to teach people, and keeps their knowledge up to date. It does not tell you which methods they use, so it is still worth asking how they train. Every trainer on Barklopedia has their training methods labelled.

How can you check a trainer holds the CPDT-KA?

Search the CCPDT’s directory of certified trainers by name, city, state or ZIP code: ccpdt.org/dog-owners/certified-dog-trainer-directory/.

The credentials on Barklopedia come from what trainers publish themselves. We haven’t confirmed each one with the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), so it’s worth checking before you book.

Trainers on Barklopedia who list CPDT-KA among their credentials

487 trainers, highest Bark Score first. Nobody can pay to move up.

Beyond the Dog, LLC

HoustonForce-free

4.9Bark Score

How you can train
Online, Board and train
Helps with
Basic obedience, Recall, Leash pulling, Reactivity, Fear and 2 more
Credentials
CPDT-KA

See profile Website Call

Canine Ph.D. Dog Training, Inc

DecaturForce-free

4.9Bark Score

How you can train
Group classes, Private lessons, Board and train, Day training
Helps with
Puppy training, Basic obedience, Agility, Reactivity, Aggression and 5 more
Credentials
CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KSA

See profile Website Call

Aloha Pet Resort & Spa

Cedar FallsForce-free

4.9Bark Score

How you can train
Board and train, Group classes, Private lessons, Day training
Helps with
Basic obedience, Recall, Leash pulling
Credentials
CPDT-KA

See profile Website Call

Best Buddy Dog Trainer

LeonardtownForce-free

4.9Bark Score

How you can train
Online, Board and train, Private lessons, Group classes
Helps with
Basic obedience, Recall, Leash pulling, Aggression, Puppy training and 2 more
Credentials
CPDT-KA

See profile Website Call

Courteous Canine, Inc

LutzForce-free

4.9Bark Score

How you can train
Private lessons, Group classes, Day training, Board and train
Helps with
Puppy training, Basic obedience, Agility, Reactivity, Aggression and 5 more
Credentials
CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA

See profile Website Call

High Five Dog Training, LLC

Silver SpringForce-free

4.9Bark Score

How you can train
In your home, Private lessons
Helps with
Basic obedience, Recall, Leash pulling, Separation anxiety, Aggression and 1 more
Credentials
CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA

See profile Website Call

Barklandia

BeavertonForce-free

4.9Bark Score

How you can train
Private lessons, Group classes, Board and train
Helps with
Basic obedience, Recall, Leash pulling, Puppy training
Credentials
CPDT-KA

See profile Website Call

All 487, by state

Alabama2
Alaska1
Arizona2
Arkansas1
California42
Colorado23
Connecticut11
Delaware5
District Of Columbia3
Florida20
Georgia6
Hawaii1
Illinois20
Indiana5
Iowa2
Kansas7
Kentucky3
Louisiana2
Maine4
Maryland11
Massachusetts30
Michigan11
Minnesota5
Missouri10
Montana2
Nebraska1
Nevada4
New Hampshire8
New Jersey15
New Mexico3
New York36
North Carolina24
Ohio12
Oklahoma1
Oregon23
Pennsylvania27
Rhode Island9
South Carolina3
South Dakota1
Tennessee3
Texas33
Utah2
Vermont2
Virginia16
Washington21
West Virginia1
Wisconsin12
Wyoming1

Sources, checked October 19, 2026

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