Professional Standards
Is Sit Means Sit a member of professional associations?
Yes, and as a franchise owner, you will maintain a membership in a key “trade organization” as a condition of holding our license.
The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT; apdt.com) is the premier not-for-profit organization that represents voices from all different working philosophies and walks of life operating a profession in the world of dogs, including canine management, health, training and husbandry. As a trade organization, APDT seeks to develop professional recognition, communication, education, understanding and co-operation across the wide diversity of canine expertise and knowledge. APDT offers a SMS franchise owner various methods to enhance their professionalism, integrity and operate their SMS franchise to the highest standards within the canine industry.
As an APDT member, you are eligible to apply for their discounted health insurance program, a dental plan, prescription discount program and other benefits. There are also general business and professional liability insurance programs available. APDT also represents the canine industry’s interests in Federal and State legislative matters, offers skills training and various networking opportunities with professional peers. APDT is a professional organization of individual trainers who are committed to becoming better trainers through education. There are more than 6,000 dog training professionals in APDT worldwide. APDT can also be a source of sales leads for you, as you’ll be listed within their professional services directory on the internet. The site gets 50,000 page views each week.
There is certification program available through APDT worthy of your consideration, if you elect to achieve professional designation through the required curriculum of seven organizations recognized by APDT (e.g., Certified Pet Dog Trainer certificate from the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers). The annual membership fee in APDT is $150.00USD. The APDT membership application is provided to you in the SMS school handbook during your 3-week training regime.
