Study behaviour to understand and manage dogs better.
Course Code: BAG221 | Course Duration: 100 hours
When we truly understand how dogs think, we can recognise triggers which affect their behaviour, and we have a foundation from which to train them.
This course is your starting point for becoming a skilled and effective dog trainer.
- Becoming competent will help your confidence grow.
- Perfecting skills will ensure you become the leader your dog needs.
- Working in the health industry demands you know about canine psychology.
- Support dog owners by working as a trainer and improve the behaviour of dogs.
This course has been developed and revised by canine professionals and veterinarians.
Who is this Course for?
It is designed for:
Dog owners who want to manage their pet dogs better in the home
Anyone who aspires to become a professional dog trainer or handler
Anyone who works with dogs such as, breeders, kennel staff, shelter staff, veterinary practice staff, farmers, pet shop staff.
What's Covered in this Course?
There are nine lessons in this course.
Lesson 1. Nature and Scope of Canine Psychology
- A brief history of the canine evolution
- Self-domestication
- Canine industries
Lesson 2. Canine Senses
- Understanding canine communication
- Sight
- Body Language
- Smell
- Sound
- Elimination Postures
Lesson 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
Lesson 4. Canine Behavioural Development - Nature or Nurture
- Sensitive Periods
- Neurological Development
- Canine Temperament Testing
- How Breeds Differ
Lesson 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
Lesson 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
Lesson 7. Dog Obedience Training
- Practical Training Techniques
- Recall
- Sit
- Stand
- Drop
- Leave
- Down
- Stay
- Heel
- Seek
- Retrieve
- Bark on Signal
Lesson 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
Lesson 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
What You Will Learn?
- How dogs think.
- How canines communicate.
- An understanding of ways humans try to communicate dogs.
- Understanding of behaviours that are natural and predictable.
- Truly understand signals that dogs give us.
- How dogs develop behavioural characteristics throughout different life stages.
- Descriptions of commonly occurring behavioural problems.
- Development of training programs for pet dogs when first brought into a household.
- How to train a dog to perform predetermined actions upon command.
- How the movement of dogs can be controlled, both through training and other methods.
- How dogs can be trained to perform tasks required as a working dog, including a sheep dog, tracking dog, seeing or hearing dog or substance detection dog.
FREE ADVICE
If you are unsure whether this course is the best way for you to learn about dog behaviour - ask for advice.
Email admin@acs.edu.au and ask to be connected with a course counsellor. This is not a sales person - it is an academic staff member who understands the courses and the pet industry, and they will help you to explore the best way for you to learn what you need to know.