Levels 2, 3, 4, and 5 Combined Canine Behaviour Package

Levels 2, 3, 4, and 5 Combined Canine Behaviour Package

This Course at a Glance

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of canine behaviour, welfare and management
• Learn key skills including handling, body language and disease prevention
• Study key canine legislation
• Learn all you need to know to start a career in canine behaviour management
• Work with dogs and their families on everything from aggression to bonding
• Study online to complete the course bundle at your own pace

About Your Course Bundle

This extended course bundle will give you everything you need to launch your career in canine behaviour management, starting from the very basics and working up to advanced canine-related areas of study.

The award and diplomas included will cover a broad range of topics including canine care, canine care in kennels, nutrition, physiology, play, behaviour, training, stress and anxiety, aggression and health.

By the time you have gained these qualifications, you will be fully equipped to work with dogs in a number of different settings including kennels, animal shelters or on a consultative basis.

You will be uniquely suited to care for dogs across a range of needs from the safe handling of dogs and helping them acclimate to a kennel to maintaining health through nutrition, exercise and safe play.

Alternatively, you can put your skills to use working with families and their dogs. You will have the knowledge and skills to help dogs and their guardians with training and behavioural issues, whether that’s problem behaviour, aggression or simply helping dog and family develop a healthier bond.

By gaining the level 2 award, and level 3, 4, and 5 diplomas, you will also be in a position to take your studies further by studying animal behaviour at university.

Getting Started

learndirect is the leading UK distance learning provider. This course bundle in Canine Behaviour Management will provide you with the following qualifications:

• Level 2 Award in Canine Care and Welfare
• Level 3 Diploma Canine Care, Behaviour and Welfare
• Level 4 Diploma Canine Welfare, Training and Behaviour
• Level 5 Diploma Canine Behaviour Practitioner

All courses are regulated by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) and will provide you with comprehensive skills to care for and maintain the wellbeing of canines.

You can learn around your existing job or family commitments, as this course is provided completely online.

You will be assigned a dedicated tutor who can advise and guide you through the course, as well as provide constructive feedback on assignments. This ensures you are on the right track with your education and better prepared to safeguard animal welfare. 

There are flexible payment methods available and you can start learning from the moment you enrol.

Modules

This course bundle includes four separate qualifications, with the modules/units included in each.

Level 2 Award in Canine Care and Welfare

Unit 1: Introduction to Canine Behaviour and Training

• Upon completion of this unit, you will:
• Understand normal canine behaviour
• Know suitable routines to prevent welfare and behaviour issues
• Understand how to provide canine enrichment
• Understand appropriate canine training techniques
• Understand the use of force-free training equipment

Unit 2: Introduction to Canine Health

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Know about specific dog breeds and reasons for selecting specific breeds
• Understand canine disease
• Understand common canine health disorders
• Know basic canine needs and carer responsibilities
• Understand the basics of human and canine relationships

Level 3 Diploma Canine Care, Behaviour and Welfare

Unit 1: Canine Behaviour

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand canine body language
• Know about common canine behavioural issues
• Know common signs and causes of stress and aggression in canines
• Understand how stress can escalate into aggression in canines

Unit 2: Canine Care

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Know basic canine first aid
• Know canine grooming techniques
• Know about positive stewardship
• Know about the whelping process
• Know the development stages of puppies

Unit 3: Canine Evolution

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Know the origins of canines
• Understand the role of evolution in canine behaviour
• Know about canine breeds and their traits
• Understand natural canine social behaviour
• Know the meaning of ethology

Unit 4: Canine Handling and Transport

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Know the essential PPE for working with canines
• Know the principles of safe, controlled and force-free canine walking
• Know how to humanely catch and contain stray dogs
• Know about humane canine handling
• Know how to reduce canine stress during transportation
• Know how to transport canines safely

Unit 5: Canine Learning Theories

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the concept of canine dominance
• Know learning theories in terms of canine training
• Understand reinforcement in canine training
• Know about force-free behaviour improvement solutions
• Know about punishment in canine training

Unit 6: Care of Dogs in Kennels, Day Care and Home Boarding

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the causes, transmission and prevention of canine disease in kennel and canine care settings
• Know about appropriate welfare and feeding of canines in kennel settings
• Know about safe kennel exit and entry management
• Know about PPE for canine handling
• Know the importance of environmental enrichment in kennels, daycare and home boarding settings
• Recognise safe canine play

Unit 7: Dogs and the Law

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Know the implications of the Dangerous Dogs Act (DDA) 1991
• Know the implications of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) 2006 relating to canines
• Know about other legislation related to companion and non-companion canines

Level 4 Diploma Canine Welfare, Training and Behaviour

Unit 1: Canine Anatomy and Behaviour

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the canine skeletal system
• Understand the canine muscle system
• Be able to assess canine locomotion
• Understand how to manage a number of medical conditions affecting canine anatomy
• Be able to assess changes in canine’s behaviour that may indicate pain or discomfort
• Understand the influence of canine anatomy on behavioural problems

Unit 2: Canine Behaviour Problems

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand common canine behaviour problems and their outcomes
• Know how to improve problem behaviours
• Understand the consequences of long-term kennelling
• Understand the methods of managing rescued canines
• Understand the role of alternative therapies in behaviour management
• Know about humane training equipment used in canine training

Unit 3: Canine Guardians

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the role of canine guardians
• Understand the influence of compatibility on canine ownership
• Understand the impact of lifestyle on canine behaviour

Unit 4: Canine Learning Theory

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the principles underpinning canine behaviour
• Understand classical and operant conditioning
• Understand the various rates of reinforcement in canine behaviour training
• Understand the roles of conditioning in canine behaviour modification
• Understand the various methods of canine training
• Understand how canines learn

Unit 5: Canine Nutrition

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the sources of major nutrients in the canine diet
• Understand the functions of major nutrients for canines
• Understand the anatomy and physiology of the canine digestive system
• Understand the nutritional value and impact of canine nutrition

Unit 6: Canine Physiology

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the canine circulatory system
• Understand the canine respiratory system
• Understand the canine nervous system
• Be able to assess motor activity
• Understand the canine urinary system
• Understand the canine lymphatic system
• Understand the canine skin system
• Understand the canine reproductive system

Unit 7: Canine Play and Exercise

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the impact of too much and too little play on canines
• Understand the impact of too much and too little exercise on canines
• Understand the role exercise can play in changing problem behaviour
• Understand the importance of mental stimulation and enrichment in preventing and changing problem behaviour

Unit 8: Influences on Canine Behaviour

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the role of external and internal influences on canine behaviour
• Understand the influence of medical conditions on canine behaviour
• Understand the role of canine stress on behaviour

Unit 9: Managing a Dog Training Class

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the business requirements for managing dog training classes
• Understand the necessary skills for delivering dog training classes
• Be able to plan a dog training class programme

Level 5 Diploma Canine Behaviour Practitioner

Unit 1: Canine Evolution

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the fundamental principles of canine evolution
• Know the origin of ‘Canis Familiaris’
• Understand the role of domestication on canine behaviour and training
• Understand Ethology and Behaviourism and their relevance to canines

Unit 2: Measuring Canine Behaviour

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Be able to use essential tools for data collection to measure behaviour
• Understand how to apply data to manage behaviour
• Understand the use of functional analysis
• Understand how to create a learning environment for canines

Unit 3: Practical Training Unit

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Be able to recognise the emotional state of canines
• Be able to recognise potential gait problems by analysing canine movement
• Be able to create a supportive connection with an individual dog
• Be able to apply a harness and lead using force and fear-free methods
• Be able to assess the correct method of training for an individual dog
• Be able to use force and fear-free methods at all times
• Be able to teach loose lead using force and fear-free method
• Be able to demonstrate an effective client relationship as a Canine Behaviour Practitioner

Unit 4: Understanding Canine Behaviour Change

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the principle components of behaviour change programmes
• Understand the application of learning theory in behaviour cases
• Understand strategies for dealing with categories of aggression

Unit 5: Understanding Canine Needs

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand canine emotional and physical needs
• Understand the needs of rescued canines
• Understand the human element in canine behaviour patterns
• Understand the importance of play and exercise for canines
• Understand the importance of socialisation for canine development

Unit 6: Understanding Canine Stress and Anxiety

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the importance of socialisation for canine development

Unit 7: Understanding Multiple Canine Management

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand how to manage multiple canines
• Understand how to recognise problem behaviour in multi-canine households

Unit 8: Understanding Normal and Maladaptive Aggression in Canines

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand normal and maladaptive aggression in canines
• Understand categories of aggression and their functionality in canine behaviour
• Understand the use of canine communication in behaviour management and training
• Understand aggressive communication in canines
• Understand the importance of bite inhibition and early recognition in canine behaviour training
• Know the risk factors associated with human-canine aggression

Unit 9: Understanding the External Environment

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the role genetics play in the development of canine behaviour
• Understand the implications of the dominance myth in canine behaviour training
• Understand instinctive and learned behaviour in canines
• Understand external influences on behaviour response

Unit 10: Understand external influences on behaviour response

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the behavioural biology of canines
• Understand the behavioural biology of aggression in canines
• Understand the role of emotions in canine behaviour
• Know the role medical conditions can play in aggression

Unit 11: Working Canines

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the roles of working canines in human society
• Understand the welfare concerns for working canines

Unit 12: Working with Canine Aggression Cases

Upon completion of this unit, you will:

• Know how to recognise cases of aggression in canines
• Know the principles for working with aggressive canines
• Understand the ethics of working with aggressive canines
• Understand the competencies required to work with aggressive canines
• Understand the role of the behaviour practitioner in managing aggressive behaviour in canines

Entry Requirements

There are no formal entry requirements for this qualification but learners must be aged 18 or over.

Minimum Age Restriction

18

Average Completion Timeframe

You have 3 years to complete your course.

Assessment Requirements

You will be assessed via a combination of video and photo submissions.

Placement or Practical Required

For Level 5, six days of practical training in a dog training environment will need to be arranged independently by the learner and completed in order to meet the overall course requirements. Learners will need to ensure that they can meet this requirement before enrolling.

Certification Timeframe

Learners can expect their certification within 6 months of completing the course, following the (EQA) External Quality Assurance of assessment.

Course Fees

All course fees, inclusive of all payment plans including our Premium Credit Limited option, must be settled before certification can be ordered.

*You will have access to the course for 3 years.

Each course included within the bundle will be assessed based on the requirements of the course.

Level 2 Award - you will be required to submit a portfolio of evidence.

Level 3 Diploma – you will be required to submit a portfolio of evidence.

Level 4 Diploma – you will be required to submit a portfolio of evidence and complete a practical demonstration/assignment.

Level 5 Diploma – you will be required to submit a portfolio of evidence and complete a practical demonstration/assignment.

Upon completion of this course bundle you will be awarded:

Level 2 Award in Canine Care and Welfare

Level 3 Diploma in Canine Care, Behaviour and Welfare

Level 4 Diploma in Canine Welfare, Training and Behaviour

Level 5 Diploma Canine Behaviour Practitioner

This course bundle has been designed to provide learners with in-depth knowledge and understanding of canine behaviour management and training to develop a career in this space.

With these qualifications, you can pursue a role as a canine behaviour practitioner, dog trainer, animal welfare officer and more.

The specific career path that you choose will depend on your interests, skills, and experience.

In addition to the careers listed above, you could also work in research, education, or advocacy. With further study and experience, you could become a certified canine behaviourist or a veterinary behaviourist.

The demand for canine behaviour practitioners is growing, as more and more people are seeking help for their dogs' behavioural problems. If you are passionate about working with dogs and helping them to live happy and healthy lives, then a career in canine behaviour could be a good fit for you.

Frequently Asked Questions