KPA DTP Review
KPA Dog Trainer Professional Course has been a transformative journey for both me and my dog. It is much more than just a set of training instructions; it is a comprehensive dive into the science of learning and the art of communication.Throughout the course, we gained an incredible amount of confidence, and the process was filled with genuine joy. The curriculum’s emphasis on positive reinforcement not only refined my technical skills but also significantly strengthened the bond and trust between me and my dog.The balance between rigorous theory and practical application is exceptional, making it a premier foundational course for anyone serious about entering the animal training industry. I feel well-prepared and inspired to move forward in my career. I cannot recommend this program highly enough for those who seek a solid, ethical, and science-based foundation in dog training.
Cara
Wow!
Wow. This was an incredibly rewarding experience! Did my dog, Rose, and I work hard? You bet we did, but throughout that hard work we were led by our highly skilled instructor, Sherrie Yuschak. Sherrie is an amazing teacher… so compassionate and observant and knowledgeable. She always came with a great attitude & made this elite course feel totally doable each step of the way. I learned a lot from observing her leadership style.And Annie deserves much credit too! I thoroughly enjoyed my entry phone interview with her & all correspondence I had with her.Karen Pryor Academy is absolutely top notch & I feel so fortunate to be a part of this community of animal lovers!
Nita
Informative, but severely lacking…
I like their positive reinforcement training, however it never plunges into enough detail. Almost every lesson, I have to resort to YouTube to learn any cue or command they try to teach. So realistically, you can learn everything they teach for free. I paid for immersion, so I could get help from a teacher there. Unfortunately they make it as difficult as possible to get your teacher to review or respond to any video or question you might have. They do not believe in corrections at all, which I cannot believe. Corrections certainly have a place otherwise mother dogs wouldn’t correct their young. I think their methods will work on most dogs, but I don’t think it will work on all, nor will it be the most effective way to train. Overall, it’s somewhat informative, and has a little structure. No where near worth the money. I’d highly recommend a more balanced approach to dog training than what Karen Pryor provides.
Isaac Nordman
Karen Pryor Dog Trainer Professional Program - Remote
I recently completed the Dog Trainer Professional Program with the Karen Pryor Academy, I thoroughly enjoyed the course and feel that I have learnt so much over the past 8 months which will assist me in my future career training dogs (and owners). The course focusses on kind, ethical training methods which was important to me and really opened my eyes into the perspective of positive reinforcement training. I enjoyed working with the other students in my cohort and feel that we build a really nice relationship, it was also lovely to see how everyone's dog is different when training and their support was invaluable. The course is not for the faint hearted, it requires organisation and good time management or you will fall behind quickly! I completed the remote assessment with Linda Ryan, she was wonderful and gave me all the support and guidance that I needed to make it through the course, however, you will not have your hand held and you will need to make sure that you are keeping up to date yourself, you will not be reminded. The course is quite costly and you there is a yearly fee to remain registered as a CPT once certified, however, I felt that the course was in depth and worth every penny and feel that the ongoing support from the other practitioners will be highly valuable in the future. Finally, I can not fault the process and the communication was brilliant from start to finish, responses to emails were fast and I knew exactly what was required from registration to completion and the entire process was made really easy to follow. Thank you everyone at KPA.
Rebecca Whitehead
A Challenging and Rewarding Journey…
A Challenging and Rewarding Journey with Karen Pryor AcademyOver the years, I’ve had the opportunity to attend several ClickerExpo and APDT events, each one deepening my understanding of positive reinforcement training. But completing the Karen Pryor Academy (KPA) was an entirely different level of commitment — and growth.Make no mistake, this program is not for the faint of heart. Beyond the significant financial investment, it requires serious mental and physical dedication. The curriculum is thoughtfully designed to challenge you. Expectations are high, and success demands strong time management, self-direction, and the ability to reach out when you need guidance. Fortunately, my instructor was incredibly accessible and responsive throughout the program, which made a big difference when I hit roadblocks.One of the most impactful parts of the course was the section involving a non-canine species. This opened my eyes to my own training style and forced me to examine my habits and assumptions in a whole new light. It was humbling, enlightening, and deeply valuable.So, is it worth it? Absolutely. Completing KPA has made me a more thoughtful, skilled, and empathetic trainer. Not only have I seen improvement in my work with my own dogs, but my ability to support and communicate with clients has grown tremendously.If you're serious about professional development in the world of force-free training, and ready to put in the work — KPA is an experience that will push you and change you for the better.
Gillian McCallum
Exceeded all of my expectations
My experience with the Karen Pryor Academy exceeded all expectations. I learned so much—not only about the science of animal training, but also about my own approach, confidence, and communication as a trainer.A huge part of that was thanks to my incredible instructor, Laurie. She was knowledgeable, compassionate, and truly relatable. Her kind, steady guidance kept me grounded, especially during moments when I felt overwhelmed or uncertain. She created a supportive environment that made it safe to learn, ask questions, and grow.The final in-person workshop week was the perfect culmination of everything we’d worked so hard for. It was fun, fast-paced, and absolutely exhausting (in the best way!) for both us and our dogs. I walked away feeling proud, connected, and genuinely excited for what’s next.KPA gave me tools, confidence, and a deeper understanding of training—and I’m grateful for every step of the journey.
Jessica Stadler
Invaluable. The Best certification course there is.
The Trainer Professional course is a wonderful course and well worth the price if you are serious about becoming a professional trainer and/or behavior consultant.It is hard! It takes work and commitment but the knowledge you will gain is priceless.Karen Pryor brought positive reinforcement training to the dog community back in the 90's and I personally, owe her a great debt of gratitude for the developing this education opportunity to help me be the best trainer I can be. In business now for 15 years.I recently took a zoom course on Distraction Training with Ken Remirez. Super! As usual.Noel HoffmannCPDT-KA, KPA-CTP, IAABC-CDBC, FF
noel Hoffmann
Potential Students be AWARE!!
On April 25, 2024 I was accepted into the Karen Pryor Training Academy. On July 3, 2024 I asked for a deferral from the program due to a medical condition and a very intense busy schedule. I was told at the time that I would hear from the Admission department inn November when the schedule was out for the Instructor. On October 23, 2024 I sent a letter to Admissions and asked if I could defer to another instructor in a Regional Program that is offered. They stated no, and send me a copy of the policy in the handbook. I had already reviewed the handbook and understood that I needed to stay with the same instructor. Unfortunately, that instructor did not have a Regional Class on the schedule. I reached out to the instructor and asked if she had a regional class upcoming and she informed me that she does not offer Regional Sessions. On 10/24/2024, I received an email from the Associate Director informing me that the reason I had to stay with the current instructor was because she was already paid for me in the Virtual Class. So, if someone has issues and does not feel the virtual program is a good fit for them and their instructor does not offer any other type of programs you have no options and are out the 5000.00 you paid. The student is penalized if their instructor does not offer Regional classes. This is a serious problem for the program and I want other potential students to be aware that this could happen to you. The program does not offer an exception and or an opportunity to work with the student in a compromise. I have attended their conference and been in the training community for over 15 years and this is extremely unfortunate situation and my hope was that we could come to a resolution at the time of writing this review it was not an option.
MFPatrick
Defer training is selective and not student friendly
I enrolled in the virtual training program and the program was not a good fit for me and my verry busy training schedule. Upon reviewing the Student Handbook I realized that I could request to defer into a regional program. After contact KPA I was informed that I could not defer into a regional program because my trainer did not offer regional sessions only virtual. There are other trainers that offer regional and virtual. Unfortunately, I feel penalized because I selected a trainer that only offers virtual sessions. The reason the Associate Director gave me was because they have already paid the instructor. This is a very unfair business practice for potential dog trainers that they must be aware of. What happens is the student and the mentor/instructor do not connect. This could potentially be another issue.
Mark Patrick
