Raising standards in dog behaviour and training through ethical, wellbeing and welfare-led practice.
The UK Dog Behaviour and Training Charter is an independent self-regulatory framework, built and upheld by the UK's leading training and behaviour organisations to raise standards across the industry.
A new future for dogs, their guardians and professionals.
At its heart, The UK Dog Behaviour & Training Charter™ is an independent, self-regulatory framework built on a code of conduct, ethics and methodology. The Charter is a collaboration of many of the UK's leading behaviour and training Membership Organisations who for the first time have come together cooperatively under The Charter umbrella to work in unison for the benefit of dogs, dog guardians, and the wider profession.
In an unregulated industry, dog guardians can often struggle to find a suitably accredited professional to help them and their dog. While there are many excellent professionals working nationwide, there are also many who continue to use outdated and aversive methods without any oversight or accountability.
Find a qualified professional
Search our directory of Charter Members, understand what our standards mean for your dog, and learn how to lay a complaint if something goes wrong.
Find out more →Join The Charter
Demonstrate your organisation's commitment to ethical, evidence-based practice. Charter membership signals your organisation's standards to clients and peers – and connects your organisation to a community of like-minded professional organisations.
Membership details →Standards that protect your dog
The UK dog training industry is currently unregulated. Anyone can call themselves a trainer or behaviourist. The Charter exists to change that – by setting clear standards and giving the public a way to find professionals belonging to Organisations who have committed to those Charter Standards.
Science-based methods only
Every Charter Member Organisation has committed to using only force-free, evidence-based training and behaviour modification techniques. No aversive tools. No punishment-based methods.
Verified qualifications
Charter Member Organisations hold qualifications from one of our approved organisations. We verify credentials before admission and require ongoing CPD to maintain membership.
A complaints procedure
If a Charter Member Organisation falls short of our standards, you can raise a concern with our independent Oversight Committee. We take complaints seriously and act on them.
Search by qualification
Our directory lets you filter by the qualifying organisation your trainer or behaviourist holds membership with.
- View full member profiles and credentials
- Link directly to the professional's website
Independent oversight. Published standards. A real complaints procedure.
The Charter is governed by an independent Oversight Committee. Our standards are published in full, our complaints procedure is open to the public, and our committee members are named and accountable.
Join a community of
professional organisations who put
welfare and wellbeing first
Charter membership demonstrates to clients, peers, and the public that you hold yourself to the highest standards – a mark of professional integrity in an unregulated industry.