Code of Conduct .

1.Welfare first

An accredited trainer puts the welfare of every dog assessed first, without exception. No commercial relationship, time pressure, or third-party preference justifies progressing or certifying a dog in a way that risks its welfare. Where a dog is not ready, the right answer is to say so, give the owner a clear explanation, and where appropriate work with them on next steps.

2.Honest assessment

Certifications must reflect what the dog actually demonstrated, captured by you, on the day. Specifically:

• Never back-date a certification or submit evidence for a different dog.
• Never accept payment, gift, or other inducement to fast-track or alter an assessment outcome.
• Never certify on the strength of trust between you and a client — every dog is assessed on its own evidence.
• Where you are uncertain, withhold certification and escalate to a peer reviewer or to ESTCA.

3.Handling pressure

Clients sometimes push trainers to certify dogs that are not ready, often because of a planned flight or significant emotional investment. The expected response is to decline politely, explain the welfare reasoning, and where you believe a client is acting in bad faith (insisting after refusal, asking you to falsify evidence, threatening to find a less rigorous trainer) you must file a compliance report through the platform so that ESTCA can take a wider view.

4.Evidence integrity

Video evidence captured during assessment forms the audit record for the certificate. It must be of the actual dog being certified, recorded during the current programme, and stored only where the platform directs. Editing, splicing, or re-using video from another dog is a serious breach of this code.

5.Confidentiality

Client and dog information you receive through the platform belongs to the client. You may use it only for the purposes of running the assessment and the certification process, and you must keep it confidential. Do not share owner contact details with third parties, post identifiable client information publicly, or retain client data after a client withdraws unless the law requires you to.

6.Professionalism

Treat every client and colleague with respect. Do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or disability — neither directly nor through your assessment criteria. Where you are unable to take on a client (because of capacity, suitability of the dog, or any other lawful reason), explain the position promptly.

7.Competence

Accreditation is awarded on the assumption that you will keep current with the standard, with evolving best practice in canine behaviour, and with relevant law. Update your knowledge proactively. ESTCA will publish updates to the standard and to accreditation requirements from time to time; you are expected to act on them.

8.Cooperation with reviews

ESTCA may request copies of assessment records, video evidence, or other relevant material as part of routine quality assurance or in connection with a specific concern. You agree to cooperate promptly with such requests and to retain records for the minimum period required by the standard.

9.Reporting concerns

If you encounter a situation that raises concerns — a client pressuring you to falsify a certification, a peer trainer asking you to back-date, an owner who has misrepresented bite history — you must use the compliance reporting tool in your portal to flag it. Reports are reviewed by ESTCA super-admins and are confidential to that review.

10.Consequences

Breach of this code may result in suspension of accreditation, withdrawal of the company's public listing, or in serious cases removal from the ESTCA register and notification of affected clients. Decisions are taken by ESTCA B.V. under the governance framework described in the standard, after a fair opportunity for the trainer to respond.