Certified dog trainer: continuing education

In order to retain my CPDT-KA certification, I'm required to renew it every three years by completing at least 36 CEUs (continuing education units).

While this is a specific requirement for the CCPDT, continuing education is a vital and ethical part of modern dog training. It's imperative that anyone working with dogs continues to learn, especially as the science and our understanding of this magnificent species evolves.

Below you'll find a list of CEU courses, webinars, and events I've attended to date. If you have any questions about them in particular, I'd love to chat more!

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Course and date

• CPDT-KA Certification: September 2023
• Nonviolent Social Processing, by Dr. Laura Donaldson - PPG: ​February 2024
• "But My Dog Isn't Food-Motivated," by Kathy Sdao - PPG: February 2024
• Understanding and Promoting the Self-Regulation of Behavior, by Dr. Kristina Spaulding - PPG: February 2024
• The Science Behind Counter Conditioning, by Dr. Kristina Spaulding - PPG: April 2024
• The Angel in the Details: Counseling Guardians With Dogs Who Are Fearful at the Vet, by Kristi Benson - PPG: May 2024
• Enrichment as Part of a Comprehensive Training or Care Program, by Niki Tudge & Louise Stapleton - PPG: ​August 2024
• From Conflict to Connection: Lessons from a Life of Aggression Cases, by Michael Shikashio: April 2026
  
• Giving a Good Life With a Good Death, by Helen St. Pierre: April 2026
  
• Dogs Helping Dogs, by Trish McMillan: April 2026
  
• Body Language Beyond the Lip Lick: Is It Time to Throw Away the Bath Water and Change the Baby?, by Chirag Patel: April 2026
  
• The "Good Life" of a "Good Dog - A Total Welfare Model for the Future of the Pet Dog Industry, by Kim Brophey: May 2026
  
• Beyond the Trigger: Unlocking Resilience in Aggressive Dogs Under Pressure, by Bobbie Bhambree: May 2026
  
• With a Little Help from Their Friends: Psychopharmacology and the Role of Helper Dogs in Improving Sheltered Dog Behavior, by Aditi Czarnomski & Dr. Meghan Herron: May 2026
• Confidence Unleashed: Entering an Altered State of Mind, by Adam Skandarani & Leslie McDevitt: May 2026
  
• Fighting Back: Winning Clients in the Age of Gucci Pajama Trainers, by Andre Yeu: May 2026
  
• Relabeling Reactivity: Dispelling Myths Around Reactivity and Overcoming the Challenges, by Kamal Fernandez: May 2026
  

The Science of Dog Training

Dog training has been around as long as humans and dogs have interacted, but the formal act of training dogs truly took off in the 1950s. 

Since then, we've evolved our knowledge to match our training methodology with the needs of dogs. Force-free positive reinforcement training remains the most humane and ethical, therefore effective, methodology for training dogs.

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