Dog Obedience Trainer/Instructor

Your at-home learning program includes 11 Instruction Sets designed to take you step-by-step through the techniques and skills you’ll employ in your new career as an Dog Obedience Trainer/Instructor. Your first Instruction Set will be sent to you as soon as your enrolment has been accepted. Other Instruction Sets will follow as you complete your exams, so that you will always have training materials to work with.

You will need access to a Microsoft® Windows®-based computer (running Windows Vista® or later) and the Internet in order to complete your program with ICS Canada.

Here is an overview of what you’ll learn and the order in which you’ll receive your learning materials:

Instruction Set 1

• Learning Strategies
  • Identifying and implementing a successful study method; planning when, where, and how you'll study; creating effective and efficient study tools; using study tools to improve chances for success.
• Introduction to the Dog Training Profession
  • Structure of the dog; types of training; history and ethnology of the dog.
• DVD: Introduction to Dog Training and Instruction

Instruction Set 2

• Sensory Abilities of the Dog
  • How dogs see, hear, taste, detect scents, and use touch; using knowledge of a dog’s senses in the training process.
• Social Behavior and Communication
  • How and why dogs communicate; evaluating a dog’s demeanor by watching “from head to tail”; a dog’s relationship with its human “pack.”

Instruction Set 3

• How Dogs Learn

• Identifying and employing scientific theories of psychologists and behaviorists; using a dog’s learning abilities to teach and motivate
• Conditioning
  • Conditioning and how it relates to dog obedience training; difference between classical and operant conditioning; drive theory and its application.
• Applied Dog Behavior
  • Punishment versus reinforcement; nature versus nurture; effects of genetics; clicker training and the scientific principles behind it.

Instruction Set 4

• Testing and Selection of Dogs
  • Temperament testing and using it to evaluate puppies; selecting the best dog for a particular client.
• 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 Selection (Graded Project)
  • Pairing the most suitable breed with a prospective owner.
• Equipment: Dog poster
• Supplement: Testing and Selection of Breeders

Instruction Set 5

• Canine Equipment
  • Food Bowls to leashes to safe toys.
• Commands
  • Basic obedience training.
• DVD: "Educate Your Dog"

Instruction Set 6

• Puppies
  • Ensuring a positive human-dog bond at an early age; puppy house training; socialization and how to prevent problems in adult dogs.
• 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 behavior; play in the context of obedience training; increasing the dog's motivation for training.
• DVD: "Puppy Love"

Instruction Set 7

• Behavior Problems
  • Common behavior problems; strategies for prevention and treatment.
• Basic Veterinary Issues
  • Recognizing signs of illness and distress; how to respond in the case of an emergency; addressing behavioral problems; reproductive science; medications; care for dogs in their old age.
• Behavioral Analysis (Graded Project)
  • Analyzing scenarios to determine if there’s a behavioral problem involved.

Instruction Set 8

• Dog Breeds
  • Origination of individual breeds; physical and temperamental characteristics; the AKC’s seven major groups of breeds.
• Competition Obedience
  • Terminology and requirements of the various levels of competition obedience.
• DVD: Open Obedience Training for Dogs
• Reference: The Right Dog for You

Instruction Set 9

• Hunting Training
  • Examine hunting breeds; different training methods; hunting and field tests.
• Assistance Dogs
  • Guide, hearing, service, seizure alert, and therapy dogs; dogs in medical emergencies; legal aspects of working with an assistance dog.
• DVD: "Field Training your Dog"

Instruction Set 10

• Agility Training
  • Navigating agility courses as a sport, speed and accuracy in competition; communication between dog and master.
• Search and Rescue Training
  • Techniques in ground and water searches; what dogs are suitable for a particular rescue mission; organizations involved in search and rescue around the world; certificates associated with this work.
• Recreational Activities with Dogs
  • Sharing “down-time”; catch, flying disc, and walks in the park; organized activities for dog and owner.
• Agility Handling and Courses (Graded Project)
  • Build an agility course using standard symbols of agility course design.
• DVDs:
  • Competition Agility Training: Obstacles
  • Search Dog Training: How to Get Started

Instruction Set 11

• The Dog Training Business, Parts 1 and 2
  • Demographics related to starting a business; developing a plan; obtaining funding; advertising and marketing issues; customer relations; legal issues relative to a small business.
• Creating a Business Plan (Graded Project)
  • Developing a mock business plan using the information gathered from the preceding business units.
• Supplement: Work Experience Option

Online Library and Librarian
Students in 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 to assist students in research activities during their studies with ICS Canada.

In order to further enhance your performance in this field, ICS has researched and recommended specific practical activities designed to complement your course work.

To ensure that you acquire the manual skills which are important in this program area, we encourage you to follow all of the course instructions.

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