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Course Overview
Dogs matter. They have the right to be trained so they are integrated into their human families, to feel safe, to have rich lives, to experience joy, and to engage in their normal behavior patterns. The families of dogs have the right to competent, professional, fully educated and ethical practitioners. They have a right to only ever grant consent to dog training, behavior management and modification practices if they are fully informed of potential side effects, and the availability of alternative, less invasive means to achieve their goals for their pets.
Academy-educated trainers are the champions of all these rights. We teach dogs, we coach the families of dogs, we achieve outcomes kindly and efficiently, and we act as translators between the two cultures. We are about dogs.
Topics, Materials, and Student and Graduate Support
The Academy offers a comprehensive two-year program of study for applied dog behavior practitioners in dog training, animal behavior, class-teaching, counseling, critical thinking, and understanding and modifying behavior such as house-soiling, barking, leash reactivity, fear, aggression and dog-dog issues. Lectures rich in A/V and interactive elements are supplemented by case studies, extensive and active discussion forums and study tools, video case analyses, and case mentoring. All Academy practices are based on the latest evidence-based models and our training plans and methods have been field-tested on thousands of dogs. No fads. Just the latest science.
Explore the latest and best practices in applied learning and behavior, engagingly presented and tailored to those who work with pets dogs and their families. You'll understand behavior like never before and be able to tackle any and all behavior modification challenges, including fear, anxiety, aggression and dog-dog problems, with confidence and competence.
Our curriculum is designed to produce fully-trained, well-rounded, versatile practitioners. And the quality of our graduates since 1999 speaks for itself.
Topics Covered in Lectures
- Introduction/Philosophy
- Animal Learning
- Dog Training
- Obedience Behaviors
- Class Teaching
- Dog Behavior
- Behavior Problems
- Fear and Aggression
- Client Counseling
- History of Dog Training
- Dog Breeds
- Critical Thinking
- Psychotropic Medications
- Branding, Marketing and Customer Relationships
Click here to download a detailed syllabus.
Click here for samples of the course.
Video Demonstrations
- Detailed mechanics and techniques of dog training and behavior modification
- Steps of vetted incremental plans for all bread-and-butter obedience behaviors
- Shaping without prompts, with correct use of a clicker
- Examples of class teaching by award-winning instructor and author Sandi Thompson of Bravo!Pup
- Conducting organized, efficient and effective client consultations
- Dog body language and play behaviors: what should practitioners screen for and how?
- Interviews with veteran trainers
- Video case studies and deconstructions, including full b-mod of fear and aggression
Support Materials
- Field-tested training plans for all behaviors you will have to train, as well as in-depth video examples for each, as well as thorough instruction in training plan development so you will never be stumped
- Lesson plans and homework sheets for Basic Training and Puppy Classes, which you can brand and modify
- Professionally-written client handouts on all behavior problems, which you can brand and modify
- Articles and abstracts on a wide variety of relevant behavior and training topics, as well as the option of institutional subscriptions (at a fraction of the regular cost) to the Journal of Veterinary Behavior and Applied Animal Behavior Science
- Bonus modules on Branding, Marketing and Customer Relations by an international professional branding consultant with knowledge of our industry, as well as a professionally designed, brand-able newsletter template with all professionally-written first edition content
- Forms to quantify and score dog behavior observations, to hone your diagnostic eye during dog-dog interactions
- Intake and history forms for counseling, which prompt you towards efficient and targeted history-taking
- Attorney-drafted waivers and agreements for all training services
- Book: How to Run a Dog Business - Putting Your Career Where Your Heart Is by renowned dog training business coach and founder of dog*tec, Veronica Boutelle
- Book: Excel-Erated Learning by Pamela Reid, PhD, on how animals learn
Other Support
- Access to The Academy's flagship website The Dog Scientific, which houses study and collaboration tools, modules, webinar recording archives, video and assignment submission capability, videos, and in-depth discussion forums
- Interactive webinars on wide-ranging topics and issues in our field, including from the best and brightest guest presenters, and 120+ hours of archived webinar recordings, all accessible during your enrollment and after your graduation
- Case mentoring and detailed coaching of your training technique via video by Jean Donaldson and The Academy's brilliant, supportive and professional staff
- Access to The Academy Café, our popular, supportive, closed hangout on Facebook