Pet Obedience Instructor: Theory and Application of Canine Behavior
This is a 16-week program that covers advanced dog training techniques and care, fundamental career training, and detailed information on popular canine sports and working dog fields. Students will learn about advanced learning theory and obedience training methods, and how to deal with dog aggression and bite prevention. Students will further explore canine healthcare and well-being and popular canine sports and work dog specialties. For students who choose to enter a canine-related career, instruction on conducting effective private and group training classes and starting a business are included in this program. Graduates will have a solid foundation of dog training theory and application to qualify for an entry-level position in canine-related vocations, and on which to build their knowledge base and experience through continuing education workshops, dog events, or enrollment at a professional dog training school. Upon completion of this program, graduates will receive the Certificate of Completion and will be eligible to enroll in Triple Crown Academy's continuing education workshops or on-site Professional School for Dog Trainers. Please note that the majority of this program is conducted online, but there are some “hands on” requirements (demonstrated through videos) for certain courses, as outlined in course descriptions found in the Distance Education Catalog.
Introduction: Your Career as a Professional Dog Trainer
- Rewarding Opportunities as a Professional Dog Trainer
- Basic Elements Every Dog Trainer Should Know
- Characteristics and Ethics of a Certified Professional
- Common Misconceptions About the Industry
Learning Theory: How Dogs Learn
- The Science Behind How Dogs Learn
- Evolution of Learning Theory
- Application of Psychological Principles in Animal Training
Essentials of Bite Prevention
- Bite Prevention
- Defensive/Safety Handling Techniques
- Dog Posture Affecting Behavior
- Human Posture Affecting Behavior
Understanding and Using Obedience Techniques
- Big 3 Review: Timing, Consistency, and Motivation
- The 4 A's: Acquisition, Automatic, Application, and Always
- Frequency of Behavior in Training
- Intensity: Speeding Up Your Dog's Responses
Advanced Clicker Training/Marker Signals
- Review of Clicker Training Fundamentals
- Putting a Behavior Under Stimulus Control
- Adding a New Cue or Changing a New Cue
- Chaining Dog Behaviors
Advanced Training Methods and Practical Applications
- The 3 D's: Duration, Distance, and Distraction
- Generalization to Environment
- Home Manners
- Importance of "Leave It"
Conducting Effective Private or Group Dog Training Classes
- How to Structure a Private Lesson
- Effective Varieties of Private Classes
- Developing the Curriculum for Your Individual Class
- How to Structure a Group Class
- Types of Group Classes
- Developing the Curriculum for Your Group Class
- The Importance of Communication Skills
Agreession Awareness
- Understanding the Different Mixes of Aggression
- Treatment Protocols for Aggression
- The Theory of Nothing in Life is Free
Advanced Behavior Modifications
- Solutions and Preventions of Complex Behavior Problems
Keeping Your Dog Healthy and Happy
- Canine Healthcare
- Canine First Aid
- Benefits of Canine Massage
- Conditioning the Canine Athlete
Adventures in Canine Sports
- Agility
- Schutzhund
- Hunting-Retriever and Gun Dogs
Adventures in Working Dogs: Search and Rescue
- Working Dogs in the Modern World
- Tracking
- Area Search
- Disaster Training
- Avalanche Recovery
- Water Rescue
- Cadaver Search
Starting, and More Importantly, Staying in Business!
- Essentials for Planning and Implementing Your Business
- Marketing and Promotional Strategies
- Using Public Relations to Promote Your Business
- Customer Service Objective- What Would You Do?