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DOG PSYCHOLOGY AND TRAINING BAG221

Duration (approx) 100 hours
Qualification To obtain formal documentation the optional exam(s) must be completed which will incur an additional fee of £30 inc VAT. Alternatively, a letter of completion may be requested.
Learn to understand the behaviour of dogs. The industry needs people who have understanding of canines to extended level. 

At ACS we love dogs. So we have ensured that respect and welfare is at the core of this course in training and managing the behaviours of dogs. 

  • Understand how dogs behave the way they do and how they react to external influences.
  • Learn about the anatomical and physiological development of dogs and how this impacts on their behaviours. 
  • Learn all about dog behaviours with this course and apply your knowledge to dog training and behavioural management.

Although we cannot advocate for any particular dog trainer or behaviour expert, we do know that affection, discipline and exercise is essential for a dog to have a comfortable and happy life.

If you can help people to set boundaries with their dogs, to show how them how to communicate affection in ways for dogs to understand, and to recognise the role and importance of exercise, then you too are on your path to becoming a dog trainer or behaviour advisor.

What are you waiting for? 

It's easy to enrol...

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Please note, choosing offline (USB stick) will attract a 5% surcharge on top of the course fee

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Discover how dogs think... and it's not like humans! 

  • Understand what your dogs training needs are and accomplish them. 
  • Manage your pets more effectively whether at home, during travel, on walks, or when your dog is left home alone. 
  • Communicate better with your dogs - relive their anxieties and your own frustrations.
  • Further business or career prospects in the pet industry - diversify your income from pet care or health to become a specialist animal behaviour advisor. 
A well adjusted, sociable dog is a joy to have around the whole family. 

 

COURSE STRUCTURE AND CONTENT

There are 9 lessons in this course:

  1. Nature and Scope of Canine Psychology
    • A brief history of the canine evolution.
    • Self-domestication.
    • Canine industries.

     

  2. Canine Senses
    • Understanding canine communication.
    • Sight.
    • Body Language.
    • Smell.
    • Sound.
    • Elimination Postures.

     

  3. Understanding Natural Canine Behaviour
    • Social Structure.
    • Social Behaviour.
    • Aggression.
    • Clinical Problems.
    • Biological Rhythms.
    • Sleep.
    • Sexual Behaviour.
    • Maternal Behaviour.
    • Parturition.
    • Suckling and Weaning.
    • Eating and Drinking.

     

  4. Canine Behavioural Development
    • Nurture.
    • Sensitive Periods.
    • Neurological Development.
    • Canine Temperament Testing.
    • How Breeds Differ.

     

  5. Canine Behavioural Disorders
    • Attention Seeking Behaviour.
    • Excessive barking.
    • Chewing.
    • Running away.
    • Chasing moving objects.
    • Begging.
    • Digging.
    • Separation anxiety.
    • Aggression.
    • Phobias.
    • Excessive compulsive disorders.
    • Cognitive Dysfunction.
    • Calming a dog.

     

  6. Basic Dog Training
    • Forming habits.
    • Conditioning.
    • Classical Conditioning.
    • Operant Conditioning.
    • Socialisation.
    • House training.
    • The use of visual signals.
    • The use of voice commands.
    • The use of training aids.

     

  7. Dog Obedience Training
    • Practical Training Techniques.
    • Recall.
    • Sit.
    • Stand.
    • Drop.
    • Leave.
    • Down.
    • Stay.
    • Heel.
    • Seek.
    • Retrieve.
    • Bark on Signal.

     

  8. Controlling a Dogs Movement
    • Territorial nature of dogs.
    • Fencing.
    • Dog doors.
    • Kennels.
    • Exercise requirements.
    • Socialisation requirements.
    • Walking on a lead/leash.
    • Electronic barriers.
    • Microchips.
    • Pet Registration and Licensing.
    • Controlling Killing Wildlife.

     

  9. Training Working Dogs
    • Training for scent discrimination or substance detection.
    • Training for retrieving.
    • Guarding.
    • Hearing dogs.
    • Herding.
    • Tracking.
    • Controlling attacks on animals and people.

     

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

 

AIMS
 
  • Describe how canine animals think and discuss the relevance of understanding canine psychology to people.
  • Explain how canine animals communicate and formulate an understanding of possible ways that a human may communicate with a dog.
  • Understand behaviours that are natural and predictable in canines and learn to recognise and understand signals that dogs give.
  • Explain how dogs develop behavioural characteristics throughout stages of their life.
  • Describe commonly occurring behavioural problems in dogs.
  • Develop a program for training a new pet dog when it is brought into a household.
  • Explain how to train a dog to perform predetermined actions upon command.
  • Describe how the movement of dogs can be controlled, both through training and other methods.
  • Describe how dogs can be trained to perform tasks required as a working dog, including a sheep dog, tracking dog, blind dog or substance detection dog.

 

You will complete at least one task and an assignment for each lesson. You will need to have access to dogs to observe them and practice the training techniques taught in the course.

 

LEARN DOG TRAINING

How to Get Dogs to Drop or Release

Dogs like to pick things up. Hurley who we mentioned earlier loves to pick up socks left in the washing. He runs away with them and hides them in his basket. If he is caught and told to drop them, he will, however, not all dogs will release things. They may pick up something they should not, like a toy, or sock, or food. Or they may have their ball and not want to give it back so the owner can throw it. Taking things from a dog’s mouth, and in particular food, can be risky. We would only recommend doing this if you are very sure of the dog and the dog’s temperament.

Being able to take food out of the mouth of a dog is an important indicator of hierarchical pack mentality and your place within it. As an owner or handler, you should be able to take food out of the mouth of your dog, as you should be the ‘alpha’ pack member in your dog’s mind, thus it should be submissive to you. We do not recommend you try this without careful knowledge of the dog, its behaviour and a deep understanding of pack order. Even the smallest dog breeds can have a nasty bite, and pet dogs will naturally follow their instincts to protect their food item.

For the purposes of this technique, we will assume we are asking the dog to a release a ball from its mouth.

Technique for drop (release):

  1. Call your dog’s name to gain their attention and use the RECALL command.
  2. From a sitting position with the dog facing you and with the item (ball) in the dog’s mouth, bring your right hand containing a small food treat in front of the dogs nose but not touching it.
  3. The dog will naturally lean forward sniffing the treat from your hand, when the nose touches your hand, open your clasped hand to reveal the treat.
  4. Your dog should release the ball from its mouth as it take the treat from your hand, as soon as it releases the ball give the DROP command.
  5. Reinforce by giving the dog a small treat immediately.
  6. Take the ball in your left hand and move your right hand back into the position beside your waist.
  7. Repeat a number of times and with many different items.
  8. Then again rewards should reduce until they are used only as random re-enforcers.
 

  

 

Working with Dogs

Dogs fill a variety of roles in our current human society. Working dogs can carry out a variety of jobs from herding sheep, helping the lives of disabled and blind people, to seeking out and detecting explosives and drugs.

In most countries around the world, the most common role of domesticated dogs is as a companion animal to humans. There are a wide variety of ancillary industries that rely on this companion animal market.

Some examples include:

  • breeding enterprises
  • grooming enterprises 
  • training enterprises
  • boarding or kennel enterprises
  • walking and pet sitting  
  • pet shops sell a range of products and equipment 
  • canine behaviour therapists
  • complementary medicines and therapies 

 

OTHER COURSES THAT MAY INTEREST YOU 
 
 
 
eBOOK AVAILABLE - supplementary reading to assist you cover all aspects of dog care, health, feeding and more. Ideal for a new business start-ups! 
Caring for Dogs - ebook
 
In every component of life, dogs have accompanied humans. In war, in sport, in hunting, in scientific discoveries, in work, in wealth and in art, dogs have been cooperating with humans. Nowadays there are many dogs whose lives have meaning and purpose beyond companionship; however the majority of dogs over the world are pets living in homes as much loved family members. They offer companionship, love and loyalty. The dog remains deeply a part of human life and our best friend.
 
 

 

 

 

 

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Meet some of our academics

Alison Pearce (animal)B.Sc.(Hons) in Animal Science. Masters Degree in Ecotourism. P.G.Cert. Ed. (Science). Alison's first job was in 1982 as a stockwoman, working with pigs in Yorkshire. Within a few years she of that she was working for the University of Western Australia as a Research Technician and instructor with their school of Agricultural Science.In 1989 she moved to Melbourne University as Unit Manager and Instructor in Animal Husbandry. By the mid 1990's she moved back to England to work in Animal Care and Veterinary Nursing at Cambridgeshire College of Agriculture. Throughout her career, Alison has developed and delivered courses in veterinary nursing and animal sciences for vocational colleges and universities in Australia, New Zealand and Australia. She has built a high level of expertise and an outstanding international reputation as an expert in animal sciences.
Dr. Gareth PearceGraduated from the University of Nottingham in 1982 with a B.Sc.(Hons) in Animal Science. Between 82 and 85 worked as Research Assistant and Demonstator in Animal Science at the University of Leeds. Over more than 30 years he has furthered his studies, obtaining eight significant university qualifications including degrees in Veterinary Science, Wildlife Conservation and Animal Behaviour. Gareth has significant teaching experience around the world as a faculty member at eight different universities including Associate Professor at Murdoch University and Director of Studies in Veterinary Science at Cambridge University. He has over 100 prestigious research papers published, and enjoys an outstanding international reputation in the fields of animal and veterinary science.
Cheryl McLardyA scientist, teacher, writer and animal scientist, with more than 20 years experience including: Sports Horse Stud Groom, Stable Manager, Yard Manager, Equine industrial Training Manager, FE Distance Learning Manager. Cheryl has travelled widely, working in England, Scotland, Australia and New Zealand; and is now based in Scotland. She holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons), Higher National Diploma in Horse Management, and a City and Guilds Teaching Certificate.