New Frontiers in Online Certification: Dog-Friendly Training

Recently, the Integrity Advocate team has taken notice of a new trend in online training. (No, it’s not AI for once.) From skilled trades to professional certifications, more training providers are eliminating barriers and making programming accessible to a whole new class of learners: dogs. 

Historically, things like ID verification and subject matter knowledge have prevented our canine friends from obtaining professional credentials. But now, with training increasingly being delivered online and compliance measures often left optional, dogs are getting certified to do things and go places they’ve never been allowed to before. 

Most providers don’t advertise the dog-friendliness of their training. But once you see how easy it is to create an account without a valid ID or ace an exam using a GPT-powered plug-in, it’s clear that accessibility has taken priority. (What other explanation could there be?) 

So far, we know of at least one pug—probably the most certified dog in the world right now—that has successfully completed the following online certifications:

1. Alcohol service certification: That’s right—she has achieved the requirements necessary to work in the hospitality industry as it relates to responsible alcohol service. Just don’t ask her to make you a martini!

2. Forklift operation certification: According to her credentials, she understands the fundamentals of safe forklift use and is a valuable asset in warehouse and logistics industries.

3. Emergency response certification: She’s CPR and AED certified. No thumbs? No problem. She can provide life-saving first aid assistance in emergencies, according to this certification.

4. Boat operator licensing: Dogs love water, so it was only natural for a pug like her to get her boat license. And with all the other work she’s been doing, having time to relax at the lake is more important than ever. 

But how did a pug become the most certified pug in the world? 

Simple: none of the training programs she completed required participation monitoring or identity verification.

She got a little help setting up her account and paying the test fee. But after that, it was all canine. Thanks to a few “study aid” browser plug-ins, the fact that she couldn’t read or answer the questions herself didn’t stop her from earning a perfect score.

As more training moves online and more organizations cut corners on measures like identity verification and browser monitoring, we fully expect to see a rise in professionally-certified dogs—pugs, golden retrievers, even the occasional overachieving border collie—all ready to serve alcohol, drive forklifts and perform CPR. 

Unfortunately, not everyone is on board. Regulatory bodies, such as the Standards Council of Canada, are impeding the growth of dog-friendly training with new standards requiring that “the person’s identity has been confirmed, prior to or at the time of the training“ and that the training “is completed by the person whose identity has been confirmed.” 

In other words: dogs need not apply.

While this may be disappointing news for the canine certification community, it’s a step in the right direction for organizations who care about credibility, safety and compliance.

Twenty years ago, it would’ve been unthinkable for a pug to get forklift certified. Today, it only takes a few minutes. If that’s not a red flag, we don’t know what is.

Are you concerned about the integrity of your own training program? Let’s talk for a free consultation. (No paws required!)