Animal Care: Dogs Certificate

Your program consists of Instruction Sets designed to take you step-by-step through the techniques and skills you'll use with your dog. Here's how it works: Your first Instruction Set is sent immediately after your enrolment has been accepted. Other Instruction Sets will follow as you complete your exams, so you will always have training materials to work with.

Here is an overview of what you'll learn and the order in which you'll receive your lessons:

Inroduction to Dogs

• Dog Breeds
  Origination of individual breeds; physical and temperamental characteristics; the AKC’s seven major groups of breeds
• Puppies
  Ensuring a positive human-dog bond at an early age; puppy house training; socialization and how to prevent problems in adult dogs
• Learning Aid:
  DVD: Puppy Love
• References:
  The Right Dog for You
  Dog Care Manual

Dog Training, Part 1

• How Dogs Learn
  How dogs learn; identifying and employing scientific theories of psychologists and behaviourists; using a dog’s learning abilities to teach and motivate
• Conditioning
  Conditioning and how it relates to dog obedience training; the difference between classical and operant conditioning; drive theory and its application
• Housetraining and Crate Training
  Proper housetraining techniques; training a dog to go on command, in a litter box, or in one place; how to choose and use a crate

Dog Training, Part 2

• Commands
  Basic obedience training
• Teaching Tricks
  Instructing clients to teach tricks to their dogs; positive reinforcement techniques for the dog and handler; fun and useful tricks
• Training through Play
  Understanding play behaviour; play in the context of obedience training; increasing the dog’s motivation for training
• Learning Aid: DVD: Basic Obedience

Behaviour and Veterinary Issues

• Behaviour Problems
  Common behaviour problems; strategies for prevention and treatment
• Veterinary Issues
  Recognizing signs of illness or distress; how to respond in the case of an emergency; addressing behavioural problems; reproductive science; medications; care for dogs in old age
• Reference:
  The Dog Behavior Answer Book

Online Library and Librarian
Students of ICS Canada have access to an online library for use during their studies. Students can use this library to do the required research in the courses they complete or can use it for general reference and links to valuable resources. The library contains helpful research assistance, articles, databases, books, and Web links. A librarian is available to answer questions on general research-related topics via email and assist students in research activities during their studies with ICS Canada.

We reserve the right to change program content and materials when it becomes necessary.