Overview
Required
Schedule
Prerequisites
CEUs & Pricing
About Your Instructor
Course Begins: January 9, 2024
Duration: 20 weeks
Instructor: Michelle Mullins CDBC, KPA CTP, CPDT-KSA
Course type: Instructed Course
**IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT WEEKLY ONLINE MEETINGS**
- Meetings are a safe space to ask questions, share your experiences, and learn from peers. They are not recorded.
- Meetings take place on Tuesdays at 12:00pm Eastern. The first meeting is January 16th.
- Meetings are 60 minutes in duration
- There are 20 meetings for this program
Training is simple, but it’s not easy! There’s canine learning to understand, practical skills and timing to master, and of course, the human part of the equation to consider. Professional Dog Training: Science & Application is a comprehensive 20-week program designed to provide you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to succeed as a dog trainer.
Program Highlights:
- Each module features lectures and materials packed full of information and designed by a practicing dog training and behavior professional.
- You won’t just be watching videos – throughout the program you will engage in weekly online meetings, projects, assignments, and topic-based discussions.
- We learn better together! The program is designed using a community learning model; your active participation contributes to everyone’s educational experience and the success of the program.
- Assessment of your work is iterative; you are always given an opportunity to improve!
Presenters include:
Lauren Novack; Renee Hall; Kathrine Christ; Tabitha Kucera; Michelle Mullins; Erin Jones; Dante Camacho; Allie Bender; Emily Strong; Alicia Harantschuk; Jackie Laubacher
Module topics include:
Principles of Learning Science; Practical Learning Applications; Body Language & Communication; Training & Management Tools; Puppy Fundamentals; Enhancing Animal Welfare & Management Through Enrichment; Husbandry & Cooperative Care Strategies; Client Communication; Client Instruction; Teaching Group Classes; Practical Ethics for Dog Trainers
Reading Materials:
All reading materials are provided as part of the program
Successful completion of the Professional Dog Training Program requires the following:
- Weekly participation in the group forum discussions
- Participation in a minimum of 18 of the 20 online meetings
- Weekly contributions to the learning community in the form of questions, discussion points, shared resources, or peer feedback
- Demonstration of respectful and supportive dialogue
- Completion of each module assignment
- Completion of all quizzes
- Completion of a Capstone Project*
- A capstone project is designed to help learners reflect on all modules of the Professional Dog Training Program, and begin to apply new knowledge and skills. You begin thinking about and working on your capstone project early in the course. Reflection
Throughout the program we encourage reflective practice. The process of identifying the themes, concepts, key insights, and points of learning from each module is very individual. You might choose to maintain a journal, a series of blog posts, a concept map, annotated documents, a whiteboard or even a wall covered in sticky notes. It’s completely up to you! Your reflection notes are private, but will be extremely useful when engaging in group discussions throughout the program, and in applying your knowledge. Application
Throughout your dog training career you will be creating, borrowing, evaluating, and repurposing learning materials. There are endless possibilities in terms of content ideas, audiences, and media. The capstone project is an authentic way to contribute to this resource pool; you will develop something practical that you and others can use.There are 4 parts:1. Develop a resource that will benefit you in your practice.
2. Provide constructive feedback to your peers on their creations.
3. Refine your resource based on feedback you received.
4. Share your resource so that others can benefit as well!
This twenty-week program will begin on the specified start date and includes 20 online meetings. All meetings are 60 minutes in length.
Week 1 -
Welcome and Orientation
Week 2 -
Principles of Learning Science- Dr. Erin Jones
Week 3 -
Principles of Learning Science- Dr. Erin Jones
Week 4 -
Practical Learning Applications- Michelle Mullins
Week 5 -
Practical Learning Applications- Michelle Mullins
Week 6 -
Body Language & Communication- Dante Camacho
Week 7 -
Body Language & Communication- Dante Camacho
Week 8 -
Training & Management Tools- Jackie Laubacher
Week 9 -
Puppy Fundamentals- Renee Hall
Week 10 -
Enhancing Animal Welfare & Management Through Enrichment- Allie Bender & Emily Strong
Week 11 -
Enhancing Animal Welfare & Management Through Enrichment- Allie Bender & Emily Strong
Week 12 -
Husbandry & Cooperative Care Strategies- Tabitha Kucera
Week 13 -
Client Communication- Lauren Novak
Week 14 -
Client Instruction- Lauren Novak
Week 15 -
Client Instruction- Lauren Novak
Week 16 -
Teaching Group Classes- Alicia Harantschuk
Week 17 -
Practical Ethics for Dog Trainers- Kathrine Christ
Week 18 -
Practical Ethics for Dog Trainers- Kathrine Christ
Week 19 -
Capstone Project & Wrap-Up
Week 20 -
Capstone Project & Wrap-Up
There are no prerequisites for this program. Varying backgrounds, experiences, and levels of expertise are expected and contribute in a positive way to the group learning environment.
CEUs: CCPDT, KPA (30); IAABC (36)
Member Cost:
Non- Member Cost: $3,800
CEUs:
Member Cost:
Non- Member Cost:
At this time, there is no Auditing option for the Professional Dog Training Program.
* IAABC Members: Click HERE to get your IAABC Member discount code from your account.
Refund Policy:
90% refund more than 30 days pre-event.
50% refund 15-30 days pre-event.
No refunds or credits issued 0-14 days pre-event or once the event has begun.
Instructor: Michelle Mullins CDBC, KPA CTP, CPDT-KSA
Michelle Mullins (she/her) is the owner and director of training at Honest To Dog® in Richmond, Virginia, USA. As an IAABC Certified Dog Behavior Consultant she offers private in-home pet training with a focus on evidence-based training and behavior modification for dogs with fear, aggression, and reactivity, basic training for puppies, and Fear-Free training of pets for veterinary and grooming procedures. In her work she collaborates closely with veterinary professionals to ensure her clients have a complete pet care team.
She has guest lectured at Ohio State University and the University of Tennessee and presents at a variety of training and veterinary conferences. Michelle is the current board president of the IAABC Foundation, has served on the board of directors for the IAABC (International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants) and mentors IAABC Foundation courses. She is a content contributor to the Fear Free Animal Trainer Course, and both a Fear Free Certified Animal Trainer and Elite Certified.
Michelle’s animal training and behavior education includes Purdue University’s DOGS Course, University of Richmond’s Canine Logic and Advanced Canine Logic courses, Karen Pryor Academy’s Professional Trainer Course and Ken Ramirez’s Professional Animal Training Seminar. Michelle believes continuing to seek out advanced education in her field provides her clients, both human and canine, the highest quality services available.
All her work has the goal of developing long, enriching relationships between pets and their people. Michelle’s goals are to teach people to communicate with and train their pets while developing the skills they can apply to all future pets. Michelle is passionate about sharing continuing education in her field as it ultimately provides our clients, both human and canine, the highest quality services available.