The Registration Council for Dog Training and Behaviour Practitioners
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Regulating the industry is still a practitioner-led call as a solution to help raise standards of service to the public. As anyone can set-up overnight and call themselves a trainer or behaviourist, the industry remains divided and confusing to all searching for advice, whether an owner, learner, or provider. Sadly all continues to be held back by the lack of structure and any required registration through government legislation.


 The RCDTBP is a not-for-profit ‘Community Interest Company’ simply aiming to inclusively unite all practitioners and all related organisations as Signatories to the only single nationally-agreed professional code of practice (CAWC Code 2010).


The RCDTBP works on positivity, founded in 2010 to hold the registers of Signatories to the Code, in moving forward has incorporated a structured profiling system to identify all individuals for what they ‘put in’ to the industry. Together with a public feedback facility on services received, it aims to help ensure every practitioner meets, and continually develops to meet, the professional demands of the industry.



RCDTBP Update November 2023

Application Form


Important Downloads


Canine ServicesClick to download Canine Services Document


Individual Signatories

Click to download Individual Signatories Document


Related Organisations

Click to download Related Organisations Document


Code of PracticeClick to download Code of Practice


Policy DocumentClick to download Policy Document

The Registration Council has the responsibility to manage and hold the official register of Signatories to the CAWC Code of Practice

 in regard to dogs. In doing so, it aims to unite all practitioners, service and course providers, related membership organisations

and charities; promote all efforts to advance animal welfare, and increase individual understanding of training, behaviour

and the canine-human relationship, whilst monitoring services to benefit and protect the public.


© All content copyright of RCDTBP Community Interest Company

(Registered not-for-profit CIC number 11941540 limited by guarantee)

Frequently Asked Questions


What is The Registration Council for Dog Training and Behaviour Practitioners?

The Registration Council for Dog Training and Behaviour Practitioners is the UK's Independent Organisation, which was set up specifically to hold and manage the register of Organisations and Practitioners who wished to sign up to the Companion Animal Welfare Council (CAWC) Code of Practice for Dog Behaviour and Training Practitioners (2010). It is managed by an Executive Committee (see 'About us'), who have been constantly seeking the views of many active Practitioners to update processes.


Why was it set up?

A CAWC report published in 2008 expressed concern that many people set themselves up as Dog Behaviourist/Trainers with no formal training or recognised national qualifications. This often resulted in the dog owning public receiving a very poor service and sometimes finding that they and their dogs are worse off as a result. Clearly this needed some form of regulation but in the absence of government legislation, a body was needed to continue the work of the Companion Animal and Welfare Council (CAWC), tasked to set up, maintain and be responsible for a Code of Practice in relation to dog training as well as to maintain a voluntary register of the Organisations and Individuals that were committed to abiding by that Code. (see 'About us')


What does it do?

The Registration Council manages applications for registration as a ‘Signatory’ to the CAWC Dog Behaviour and Training Code of Practice for Practitioners. and deals with any complaints about its Registered Signatories, instigating investigation and a grievance procedure if necessary. It provides links to its member Organisations and Individuals through its' various registers and profiles.


How does this help the dog owning public?

Registered Organisations and Individuals are available to offer unbiased and impartial advice on all aspects of dog training and the modification of behaviour. Any registered Practitioner who falls short of the Code of Practice in their service provision can be reported to the Council for consideration. The Council accepts feedback as constructive and offers guidance to all to ensure good practice.


What is the Companion Animal Welfare Council (CAWC)?

CAWC is an independent organisation, funded to carry out research into areas of concern over issues of animal welfare. With lack of further funding CAWC has been suspended and the website is not currently available, together with several reports and links to valuable research. This includes the report published in 2008 and Code of Practice 2010 referred to frequently. The CAWC website did however state: “The management of the CAWC Code of Practice, including the registration of Organisations and Individuals wishing to sign up to it, are the responsibility of 'The Registration Council for Dog Training and Behaviour Practitioners'. The RCDTBP was founded to manage the Code in respect to dog training and behaviour services, which will include the welfare of other animals in relation to dogs.


Who can join?

Registration is open to all dog trainers, dog training instructors, canine behaviour advisors, students and those training to become a Practitioner, dog training associations, associated canine course providers and other registration based interest groups whose prime function is focused on dog training and behaviour.

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